16 years together...

Today we celebrate 16 years of marriage. 

Thank you for being my best friend.

Thank you for being an awesome provider.

Thank you for showing our girls what a Godly man looks/acts like.

Thank you for always opening the door for me.

Thank you for changing dirty diapers.

Thank you for being patient with me.

Thank you for telling me I'm beautiful every day.

Thank you for knowing when to just listen.

Thank you for finding ways to make me feel special.

Thank you for always letting me have the last bite of dessert.

Thank you for choosing what's right over what's popular.

Thank you for loving me so well.

I'm proud to be your wife.

I can't imagine doing this thing called life with anyone else but you.

It has been a wonderful 16 years.

Looking forward to another 16 right by your side.

 I love you with all my heart. <3



15 things I love about him...

15 years ago today, I said "I DO." It's hard to believe we're celebrating 15 years of marriage! Even though it has been 15 years, I still look at Alex and see that young, gorgeous, dark-haired man I married. Sure, we both have a little grey hair, a few added pounds, and a few more wrinkles, but I still think he's gorgeous and he still has the same huge heart that I fell in love with over 15 years ago. He has always treated me like a princess and now that we have our own little princess, he treats me like a queen. He might love a good deal but when it comes to me, he spares no expense. He makes me feel beautiful and says "I love you" many times a day. We often laugh about how young and naive we were. We had no idea what marriage truly meant. We had very little but that was okay - we were livin' on love!



15 things I love about my sweet husband:

1. I love your love for God and for His Word.

2. I love that you believe in second chances.

3. I love the father you are to Amelia.

4. I love how quickly you forgive.

5. I love your salt & pepper hair.

6. I love that you always open the door for me.

7. I love how smart you are.

8. I love that you can make me laugh like no one else.

9. I love how well you take care of our family.

10. I love that you don't just say "I'm sorry", you say "will you forgive me?"

11. I love that you're patient with me during an argument and speak kindly.

12. I love your gorgeous eyes.

13. I love that you have a heart to serve.

14. I love that you care what God thinks more than what others think.

15. I love that you chose me 15 years ago and still choose me today.



Alex, I love you with all my heart. I've learned so much over the last 15 years. Most importantly, I've learned that our marriage is worth fighting for. YOU are worth fighting for. I'm looking forward to 15+ more wonderful years together. I love that I get to grow old with you by my side. You are my love, my best friend. I'm blessed to be called Mrs. Alex Averitt.




"I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine." -Song of Solomon 6:3

Recipe for a happy marriage...

I *heart* Lissa over at Humble Pie. When she writes about marriage - I just sit there nodding my head...saying out loud, "yes...yes." Her story is similar to my own so I feel a bond with her even though we've never met!

I encourage you to read her latest post - recipe for a happy marriage. One of my favorite parts of her post:

"The other day I was driving down the road and I said to God, "I'm tired of having the label of the girl that was in a broken marriage. I want to blog about cooking and cleaning and be just like everybody else" That's when God sweetly said to me, "That's not your label at all. Your label is REDEEMED."

I started crying when I read that. I don't know how many times I've thought that to myself. We've been asked to share our story or talk to couples that are going through a hard time in their marriage and when I start to share - it's hard. The enemy tells me that I should be embarrassed or that God could never use me because of my past. And that's simply not true. Like Lissa said, I am REDEEMED!!

Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb!
Redeemed through His infinite mercy,
His child, and forever, I am.

Head over and read her post. You will be blessed!

Love to all,

Master Bedroom Redo - In Progress

One of the good things about us being on a budget now is that we've set aside funds each month for me to finish decorating the rooms in our home that are incomplete. Which is pretty much every room. I like doing it slowly because it has caused me to really shop around, make a list of my wants, and then wait until we've saved enough for me to make the purchase. It also makes me think long and hard before making the purchase. I've even found things on sale because I've had to wait. There are pieces in my home that I love and will keep forever but for instance, I have zero curtains in any of the rooms. I have a problem with making a decision on things like that. It seems so permanent and curtains aren't cheap. I love to change things up on a regular basis (like with every season) so I don't want to spend a whole lot on things like that, but I want it to look nice.

God put something in us as women (most of us anyway) to want to decorate our "nest." I'm blessed to have a husband that will leave the decorating to me. He could care less what I do and wants our home to feel like me. I try to imagine what our home would feel like if Alex did the decorating and heaven help us - it would be all leather furniture, blank walls, and more than likely nothing would coordinate because he's color blind - bless his heart. He is the first to say, "I don't want anything to do with the decorating." When Alex and I were separated, one of the things he said when we got back together was that our home felt like me again. He missed that. He missed the personal touches that only I could give our home. If you're a husband and you don't understand your wife's need to decorate your home, move furniture, change paint colors, etc...just stop trying to understand it and realize that God made us this way! (LOL)

My "style" has changed drastically since I was a young, 19 year old newlywed. It has even changed a lot since we bought this home several years ago. I love color yet I love clean...lots of white. I've been working towards using more neutrals in our master bedroom for a while now. We have a sitting room on one side of our bedroom and our master bath on the other. I'm going to incorporate the neutral colors into the sitting room and then white and this color of blue in the bathroom.



So this is what I've done so far. The picture above the bed will be framed in a new/lighter frame soon and will go on another wall in the bedroom. I'm currently looking for something else to go above the bed. Any suggestions are welcome!



This is my side of the bed. I've started keeping fresh flowers in our room...it's lovely to wake up to these every morning. Last week I had pink tulips!



This is Alex's side of the bed. I'm going to re-frame these pictures as well. I don't like the dark frames. Maybe something silver...we'll have to see what Michael's or Hobby Lobby has on sale.



I found a lot at Target. I love some of the new designers they've started carrying and I don't feel like I've paid an arm and a leg if I want to switch it out later. I already had the polka dotted duvet and have a couple of others that I may try at the end of the bed. Alex says he likes the polka dots! :) Next purchase will be curtains. Just hope I can make a decision.



It's a work in progress. I'll post more pics as I add things.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend. It's another weekend of beautiful weather here!!

Love to all,

Holiday House 2010 & more...

Every year, our local Junior League sponsors Holiday House. I mark my calendar every year and I don't miss it. Last year, I was VERY pregnant and swollen beyond belief. I had already started worrying about how I was going to walk around Holiday House being 9 years pregnant and all. Amelia decided to help a Mama out and come 5 weeks early. She was two weeks old when she experienced her first Holiday House. She was tucked away in a sling right next to her Mama the entire time. I remember women coming up constantly, asking to peek into the sling to see her. She was so tiny. Unless I knew them, they weren't allowed to peek. So hardly anyone was allowed to see her. I was insane enough to take my 2 week old baby out in public, but not insane enough to let complete strangers breathe on her. (LOL) Going to Holiday House with Amelia is something I plan to do every year. I love Christmas and I want her to love it just as much as I do! The story of our Savior's birth, the music, the decorations, the smell of cinnamon & cider, the movies, making Christmas cookies & candies, the warm/fuzzy feeling you get while shopping in a crowd.

You may experience a panic attack.

I experience warm fuzzies.

I love EVERYTHING about it. We've already started watching Christmas movies and I have to say, my girl is showing great promise in the I-LOVE-CHRISTMAS-AS-MUCH-AS-MY-MAMA department. We watched White Christmas (a classic and favorite of mine) and she was glued. I emailed my Momma immediately...I just had to share the happiness with someone else. She wrote back, "she's our girl!!"



Here we are at Holiday House this year. She was such a good girl. Just sat in her stroller, ate her snacks, waved at people, tried to pull ornaments off trees, etc. I usually find one thing at Holiday House for my home and this is what I found this year. It sits outside of our front door. I'm going to add some garland to it for Christmas. I love it because it flips over and has a Christmas greeting as well!



On Tuesday evening, I planned a date night for me and my sweetie. We've been trying to do better about taking time, just the two of us. I didn't realize just how hard that would be, once kids came along! Seems like there is always something to do and then we also have to arrange a babysitter for Amelia. Our church had given Alex a treasure chest full of gift cards for Pastor Appreciation Day. We had dinner at the Butcher Shop and it was delicious. Filet & twice baked potato? Yes, please. We were so thankful for our S-I-L, Elaina. She came over and watched Amelia for us. It's amazing how just two hours can "recharge your batteries." We had the best time together. We were laughing after dinner because Alex asked me where I wanted to go and I said, "TARGET!" Like I never get to go there. I just never get to go there without a baby to get in and out of a car seat, to change a poopy diaper (never fails) and to keep happy all through the store. I love the life of a Mama, but a break is needed sometimes.



Yesterday, Amelia had her cousins over for a play date and it was great fun! We've been trying to do this once a week. I have noticed that with older kids, Amelia does really well. She sits and watches them and will try to do whatever they do. I've also noticed that with kids her own age or smaller, she is more likely to take things away and is constantly wanting to touch their face, their eyes, their hair, etc. These play dates are teaching her to share and to not poke other kids eyes out. A very important life lesson. I just want her to play well with others and I know that she can't do that if she's never around other children. Of course, I love having some adult conversation during the day with Jen!



Amelia was begging for a "DAT" (bath) and "Nigh-Nigh" (night-night is her crib) by 6:30 last night. We usually don't start that process until 7:00 or after, so that Alex can have time to play with her when he gets home from work. He had stopped to pick up dinner and wasn't home yet, so I called to tell him that she was having a meltdown and asking for a bath and to go to bed. She would not stop saying, "DAT-DAT-DAT." He said to go ahead and that he would just give her a bottle and rock her when he got home. She was in bed asleep by 7:00pm and didn't wake up until 9:15 this morning! The girl was tired. She has been waking up at 7:00 every morning (since time change) and this Mama has been trying to adjust. I'm hoping she'll go back to sleeping until 8-9am, once her body gets used to the time change.

I bought the ingredients for french toast this morning and it was a hit! I made Joy's recipe and Alex said it was the best french toast he's ever eaten. Amelia agreed. It's actually the only french toast she's ever eaten, but the girl knows good food when she tastes it. She gave it a "YUM-YUM." That's equivalent to two thumbs up!



And now my two sweeties are napping and I'm going to grab a shower. Since it's after 1pm and all. :)

I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Alex said we might put the Christmas tree up tomorrow afternoon. *fingers crossed*

Love to all,

Lead Me...

It's Labor Day and Alex had the day off! Alex and I were both up before Amelia this morning. She slept until almost 9am. I got up and made Alex some cinnamon rolls. By make them, I mean that I took them out of a can. Thanks to Pillsbury.



We've had the best day as a family. Amelia played so hard with her Daddy. He has chased her all over the house. She took a couple of really good naps because of it!

During Amelia's nap time, Alex and I sat and talked and just shared our hearts with one another. Lots of laughter. Lots of tears. I've had the sweetest time with my husband. While we were talking, he wanted to share a song with me. A song that I had never heard, but that he listens to often. It's called Lead Me by Sanctus Real. It really reminded me of how big of a responsibility he has in being the leader of our home. In being a husband, a father, a pastor.

I love my man. He has the sweetest heart.



The Hogs played on Saturday evening - our first game of the season! I went to put one of Amelia's Razorback outfits on her and it was too big. They were all too big! We're going to have to pick up a few things for game days. We were going to run some errands, so we all had to wear some red in support of our Hogs. I grabbed this hat and as you can see by her face - she didn't like it one bit. (LOL) She's not like her Mommy...I love to wear a ponytail and ball cap!



She was much happier with a red & white bow, which went with the outfit better than a ball cap. :)



We watched the game from home and ate frito chili pies.



I'm making a point to cook more. We had gotten into the habit of eating out a lot during the summer. So much money can be saved by me cooking every night. I made a menu for the week and we went to the market on Saturday. I bought an entire week of groceries for around $70! That's what we spend on eating out just a couple of times.

Last night was Chicken Quesadillas. They look a little burnt because they WERE a little burnt. Alex said they were perfect. Like I said, he's a sweet man. I thought they were okay. I won't be putting them on the menu every week. Maybe every other week. And I won't burn them next time.



Tonight I made pan-fried hamburgers w/a side of roasted potatoes.



What's on the menu for the rest of the week?
Tuesday: Baked Sour Cream & Onion Chicken Strips
Wednesday: Tacos
Thursday: Stuffed Bell Peppers
Friday: We have a rehearsal dinner to attend
Saturday: Kitchen Closed - Eating Out!

I've been looking for some new snacks for Amelia. What do/did you give your 10 month old to snack on? I've tried giving her diced apples and carrots that are really soft. She's not a fan of those yet. She does have a new one that she loves. They're called cinnamon-maple crunchies. After eating them, she smells like pancakes for the rest of the day. :) The last pic is what she does when they're all gone-gone. So sad.

Click on picture to enlarge



I hope you had a relaxing Labor Day and enjoyed some time with your family.

Love to all,

I Will Be Here...

Tomorrow morning if you wake up and the sun does not appear...

I will be here.



If in the dark we lose sight of love, hold my hand and have no fear...

I will be here.



I will be here, when you feel like being quiet...
When you need to speak your mind, I will listen...



And I will be here, when the laughter turns to crying...
Through the winning, losing, and trying, we'll be together...



Cause I will be here.



Tomorrow morning if you wake up and the future is unclear...

I will be here.



As sure as seasons are made for change...
Our lifetimes are made for years...

I will be here.



I will be here, and you can cry on my shoulder...
When the mirror tells us we're older, I will hold you...



And I will be here, to watch you grow in beauty...
And tell you all the things you are to me...



I will be here.



I will be true to the promise I have made...
To you and to the One who gave you to me.



I will be here.



Happy 14th Anniversary, Babe.

I love you with all my heart,

Here comes the bride...

Yesterday, Kelly hosted Show Us Your Life - The Wedding Dress Edition. I decided to join in, though I'm a day late. :) I have loved going back through our wedding pictures. We were 19, had very little money to spend, but when I go back to the pictures...they make me laugh and smile and fall in love with my man all over again!

Here are just a few of our special day.

The dress I chose was very appropriate for a 19 year old bride...cap sleeves, pearls on the bodice, big bow on the rear. (LOL)


Daddy walking me down the aisle. He also married us...such a special memory!


Look at that tiny waist!! Maybe after little miss gets here, I can get back to my skinny-size. :)


This was back in 1996 when they still threw bird seed at you. Bubbles hadn't come along yet.


Since we didn't have a lot of money to spend on the wedding, we didn't have a professional photographer. I think my Uncle actually snapped this one. It's still my fave. Eventually I'm going to take it to a professional studio and have them fix the shading of the pic...I guess it was from the glare off the car window.


I was showing Alex these pics and said, we were so young, skinny...and he piped up and said, "and stupid!" (LOL) So true. The past 13 years have been quite a trip, but I wouldn't change a thing.

Love,

In love with my man...

I love you more than you'll ever know. You're my one and only. My best friend.



You'll always have my heart.

"I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine..." Song of Solomon 6:3

Happy 13th Anniversary, sweetie!!