Happy 7 Years!

We've come full circle or something like that Manly Man. Seven years today! At 3:30pm to be precise. I can't hardly believe it! We have had our shares of ups and downs, but who hasn't? And I really feel like the completion of 7 is here or something. I feel different this year. Good. Really good actually. Happy. Blessed. Loved. I am so thankful that I am finally starting to settle into the fact that I am loved. Adored actually. I feel that, just so you know...adored. Most of the time. Sometimes I just feel like a worn out wife and mom. But deep down, I know that I am adored. Hey if you didn't adore me, you would have never done this...

That is right ladies. Go ahead and be jealous. But don't hate me too much. My Manly Man sang a song to me at our reception. Not just any song. A song he wrote for me, that I heard for the FIRST time at our reception. And not just any words! Words straight from the cards I mailed him weekly while he was in Rookie School with the fire department (oh yea, I got me a firefighter...manly man that he is!). Yep, he kept them all. They (Fresh Ink, thank you!) always said the right thing.


"Coffee shop, corner booth, lots of time for me and you


Look at me, I'm a wreck, but you stop my bad days in their tracks.


Night and day and night again, I was thinking of you when...into my heart these words of love came in...


So turn the page you'll find my heart, I was hoping you would keep it for a while, keep it for a long long while,


Don't you know oh baby, don't you know that every day your my first smile, your my first smile."


(That is just a sampling.)

I wish I had a way to post him singing it, but I don't at this time...but trust me, it was amazing. He really should have gone out for Nashville Star, that country voice of his just makes me melt! I remember the first time I really heard him sing...I just loved it!

To remind you and to remind myself, here is what I vowed to you that day, seven years ago.

Manly Man, as your wife, I accept the call of God to love you faithfully and unconditionally. For as long as we both shall live, Jesus Christ will always be our Rock and our Fortress. In His strength, I will love Him first and love you second and He will always be the head of our household. I will continually push you toward Christ and encourage you to live for Him always. I will be honest with you and always put first the needs of our family. I will honor you always, trust you always, and support you always. I will be your lover; I will be your best friend; and as long as I live, I will never divorce you. This is my covenant that I make with you.

Today, I affirm that vow to you. I love you very much. I know that I have failed in a lot of way, but I know that Jesus has held us together, and that I will always lean on God's strength to keep my vows.

I love you Manly Man! Happy Anniversary!

(Hey, don't we look like such little babes? What happened?)

PS: Teesa, your dad took all these pics, except the last one!