17 years ago today Chad asked me to be his girlfriend.  He gave me his class ring (do kids still do that?).  We were 16.  Two of my children are more than halfway to 16.

Let’s not drive down Panic Road today.

17 years ago the cutest boy in school asked me to be his girlfriend.  He was a drummer – he played set, he was the lead snare, AND he was the drumline captain, to be precise.  He played set for the vocal jazz group I was in.  We were in jazz band, wind ensemble, pep band, and marching … Read the rest

The other night I asked Chad what he was reading, he said it was a blog called “The Art of Manliness.”  I chuckled, then began to wonder what was on the blog…Mustaches? Beer? Bodily functions?  Then I started to think about real manliness, and the man sitting next to me, and what I’ve learned about manliness from him.

I think manliness is…

• working hard, every day, to take care of your family (whether you’re the man who works full-time, or stays home with kids full-time, or goes to school full-time to get a better job)
• being brave enough to walk

In the car one day the girls were discussing their future plans, whether the wanted to get married or have babies.  Then Grace declared she didn’t want to get married because she would just get divorced.  What??  She explained it’s because she gets mad easily.  So we had a long, calm talk about divorce, what God’s plan for marriage is, and that daddy and I promised God and each other that we won’t get divorced, so we won’t.  

Later on I had a talk with a friend about how she keeps hearing of people getting divorced simply because they’re unhappy.  … Read the rest

12.5 years ago I chose to marry Chad.  I chose to love him all the days of my life.  I still choose every day to love him and keep the covenant I made 12.5 years ago to him and to God.  That’s the thing about marriage – it’s for life.  It’s a choice.  It’s hard work.  It’s worth the work.

Here are some examples I came up with for what it practically looks like to choose love:

• We each have strengths and weaknesses, that’s what makes us a good team.  What makes a good marriage is allowing him to have

I love weddings.  Partially because we don’t take the kids (unless they’re in it, of course) and it’s one awesomely long date for Chad and I that includes dinner and dancing, and I totally geek out over getting all girled up.  But I also love weddings because they make me reflect on marriage.

Chad and I had the privilege of going to the wedding yesterday of our pastor’s daughter.  I thought about our wedding – I was 19 and Chad was 20!  We were SOOO young.  We knew this was the right choice, but seriously, we were young.  We had … Read the rest

I’ve spoken before about the book Love & Respect, and the fact that I think it is a great book to help spouses understand each other better and put words to their needs.  I’ve heard Chad tell others often that a key to marriage is striving to meet each other’s needs, and he does a tremendous job at this.  For this post, I want to go a little deeper into what those needs are, as outlined in this book.  The book says men and women have six different needs, right now I’m just going to focus on the six … Read the rest

…I am happy to report that I am still madly in love with my husband.  He’s the one in a crowded room I most want to talk to.  He’s the one who makes me smile when our eyes meet.  He’s certainly the most handsome.  His words of “You look beautiful” far outweigh the same words from anyone else (even if he might be biased).

He is an amazing father.  I’m thankful beyond words that HE is the one God gave me to partner with in raising these three Littles.  When I have nothing left to give them, I don’t have … Read the rest