Day One of Love Week

Nineteen years ago today, my sweet beloved got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife.  He took me to dinner, arranged to have his moms apartment decorated with candles while we were out and when we returned to the candlelit apartment he sang a song that he wrote.
I said yes.  
And today I love him more than I ever could imagine.
We've grown up.
And still grow today.

 Counting today...
71. For 19 years of growth and true love.
72. Girl time, mom time talking and commiserating, encouraging and caring.  
73. A cart full of stipend paid curriculum and fun.
74. James' sweet note on Facebook, "It appears my phone is having trouble with Facebook - probably a good thing. But here is what I was TRYING to "say" publicly to my better half during the commute: 19 years ago today I sang a proposal. Cheesy though the words may now seem and despite all the normal and yet unexpected wear and tear of everyday life that may tend to make us cynics, those words are no less true today than they were in 1994. "I STILL feel like I've never felt before, and all my life I dreamed that it would be this way." fdj"  I love you, James.

Love Week!

I've been looking forward to blogging this post for awhile despite being totally ill prepared for it.  I just knew I wanted to post about this week.  It is special.  I will call it Love Week. I have plans, sort of (because I need to be realistic and make low expectations for myself), to make it an awesome week.  I plan to give of myself daily, with love, extra special.  

The obvious is that on Thursday it is Valentines Day but the not so obvious to you is that tomorrow is the anniversary of my amazing husbands proposal to me ( nineteen years!!! I'm in awe).  So it starts the week, February 11th, the day of proposal, ending with Valentines Day (or close to ending), thus we shall name it Love Week.

(I wish I had pictures to insert here.)

I'm feeling quite blessed as of late.  Maybe it's this awesome counting to one thousand that is helping.  I'm certain it doesn't hurt.  
I know  I am not counting every day like I should be. But when I do take the time to watch and seek God's beauty and blessings, it really does make a difference.

56. Sunny day of 52degrees.
57. Cooking corned beef (1st time ever)  & cabbage for St. Brigid---one day late.
58.  A shower with warm water---CeeJay
59. Pics of wedding & baby years to bring smiles and joy to the dinner table.
60. Sweet kids WANTING to sing Les Mis songs.
61. Sweet girl of 13 hugging me & telling me she loves me, on her own, for no reason.
62. Sweet girl of 13 helping Mrs. Hainly with a tree in her yard.
63.  Lovely girls encouraging mom & dad to date.
64. Clean clothes.
65. Sweet smell of incense.
66. Beautiful blue flowers for the Theotokos.
67. Early morning prayers.
68. Date night, double date with awesome friends, and a movie--Les Miserables in the theater. ( Have I mentioned this movie could change your life?) 
69. Newly built stairs to the cabin---thank you Hickmans.
70. Singing in choir today.

Love Week...I'm so looking forward to Love Week.  

       


 

15 years!!!

What Greater Thing
What greater thing is there for two human souls,
than to feel that they are joined for life-
to strengthen each other in all labor,
to rest on each other in all sorrow,
to minister to each other in all pain,
to be one with each other
in silent unspeakable memories ...

George Eliot
(1819-1880)




I love you, James!
Thank you!

Beautiful Things

There are three beautiful things to see,
And they are beautiful before the Lord and men:
The harmony of brothers,
Friendship between neighbors,
And a wife and husband well-adjusted together.
Wisdom of Sirach 25: 1

Note regarding verse:
It is interesting that one of the great celibate monks of the Church, St. John Chrysostom , should say of vs. 1: "For there is no relationship between man and man so close as that between man and wife, if they be joined together as they should be....nothing whatever is more precious than to be...loved by a wife and to love her."