First Day of School

Elijah in Kindergarten
With his proud papa

And his teacher

And his little sister, intent on getting in on the action.

Alli's Homemade Birthday

I'm taking advantage of making all the homemade gifts I can while my kids still treasure anything I make them. Alli's 3rd birthday (almost 2 months ago!) was no exception.

I made her this paper dolls quilt from a kit. It includes prints of old-fashioned paper dolls that I fussy cut to frame and then made the border from a smaller print of the same dolls.

The kit also included yardage of clothes to dress the dolls, onto which I fused fleece onto the back, thus making them like flannel graph, and Alli gets to dress each doll in a variety of dresses, hats and shoes. She loves it! I also crafted a kid's purse for all her girly accessories. It's so much fun to have a girl!

10 years later

What a chaotic summer we've had here, so it was a pleasant surprise to learn that Dan would be whisking me away for a night to celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary. We had a perfect 24 hours together, including dinner at my favorite restaurant, seeing Phantom live and just enjoying time together. It got us reminiscing about our wedding day, specifically,

1. I remember seeing Dan and his groomsman Brian walking in the church parking lot while I was getting ready. I remember my heart did a little flip-flop and then wondering if the bride seeing the groom before the ceremony was bad luck.

2. I remember shaving my legs the morning of the wedding and on a whim deciding that my toes should be hair-free, too, and knicking the heck out of them and wondering if I would faint from all the lost blood.

3. I remember how nervous I was waiting in the tiny room while guests were ushered in, and then how much more nervous I became when my bridesmaids walked down the aisle and I was left alone in the room.

4. I remember not wanting to look at my dad before he walked me down the aisle because I was afraid he was sobbing and I knew I would to. (he wasn't, so I didn't have to worry)

5. We both fondly remember that Dan answered "I do" and I answered "I will" after my pastor had told Dan it didn't matter which he said because I would just follow his lead. Oops! Mark one lesson in submission before the ceremony was even over!

6. I remember Dan walking into the nursury with his eyes closed to give me my bouquet before our pictures.

7. I remember crying while he recited his vows to me and choking up again while I said mine.

8. I remember my feet finally started to hurt at our reception, and wondering how I had survived so long in 3 inch heels.


9. I remember our reception seeming really short and feeling sorry that it ended so quickly.

10. I remember trying valiently to remember every detail and savor every moment, and ultimately only focusing on how happy we both were (and still are today!)

Thanks for a beautiful decade together, honey. Think how much we've grown and changed in the last 10 years. I hope we have many more decades together, to grow closer together and to change more into His likeness.

I love you.