I will be chronicling our Chicago trip via Twitter if you are interested in the silly details!
Tonight while unloading the dishwasher, I heard a ‘thud’ and thought maybe Kelly knocked on the sliding glass door (he was out working in the garage). I looked over and saw two birds flying away…they had evidently not been looking where they were going. I had just cleaned my windows the other day (this also happened when I washed my van last week…the NEXT day I had a nice little gift from a bird). Anyway…
there were feathers and everything!
I’d have to say it’s not as bad as my friend Pam’s bird story, though…
Although, a few years ago I was attacked by a bluejay when we lived at the old house. I went out our front door and it just came and pecked my head-no, more like attacked. I then realized that the baby bluejay had fallen out of it’s nest, and mama was protecting it. I had to get a tetanus shot and everything…it left a big dent! That was an interesting experience, and there are some people today that still haven’t let me live that one down. 
trying on daddy’s hat…eating lunch…and always, always, always, reaching for the camera.
Had to post some pictures of Harrison today, too. It’s so hard to take pictures of him lately without him going bezerk over not being able to play with the camera, but I try.
Getting into Daddy’s bag. Notice the guilty look on his face- he knows it’s a no-no.
Trying to get the camera.
Looking cute…
I just can’t believe how much of a big-boy he is. He’s now saying ‘ere is’ for ‘there it is’ if he’s looking for something and finds it. He also says ‘dank you’ all the time, and he uses it in the right context, too! We were at church the other day and someone opened the door for us and he said ‘dank you’. Too cute!
As you can see from Kelly’s post, he took a few pictures to work to scan in so we could share some of our wedding memories with you…
The wedding party (I love the look on our flower girl’s face)…
Cutting the cake (I LOVED our cake…she did such a beautiful job!)
Throwing my bouqet (I hit the ceiling and the thing flew into pieces, but I had just enough roses to give to each of the girls trying to catch it)…
And bittersweet memories…
Of all the wonderful memories I have of that day, it’s hard to think about those that aren’t with us anymore. I found this picture while looking through our album last night.
My Grandma Osburn (my dad’s mom), who passed away the next spring after the wedding; she was my only living Grandparent while growing up, and I have wonderful memories of spending the night at her house on Friday nights and staying up watching Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show.
My Uncle Ron (my dad’s brother) who passed away a few years ago. He lived in Georgia and taught me the word for water is actually ‘wa-do’. :)
And my favorite, Uncle Ted, who passed away three years ago this month. I miss them all dearly, but am so thankful of the memories I have of them while growing up.
Like most guys, I suppose, I don’t remember much about the wedding at all. What does stick is the fact that my pants were falling down on the way out of the auditorium. I wanted to get out of there and pull them back up without anyone noticing. Looks like my face gave it away anyway.
I recently saw this video again, and just love it. It’s by Sara Groves.
My friend Cassie did a post about a few of her favorite things for babies.
I had to add a few to my blog with some pictures.
I love this placemat from Kiddopatomus. I use it at restaurants…for some reason I get grossed out about restaurant tables, restaurant highchairs and carts. You can just wipe it off and roll it up, and then I wash it when we get home.
Which leads me to a 2nd item that I used when Harrison was younger and into chewing things…like cart handles. I really like this shopping cart cover which can also be used in restaurant highchairs.
I really try not to be too paranoid about germs; he’s a boy. He’s going to get into germy things. But these help my sanity some. :)
Tomorrow is our 10 year anniversary. 10 years ago right now I was probably running around worrying about something that doesn’t even matter now! We had a lovely wedding and were blessed with a lot of friends and family around. I would put some pictures up, but we don’t have a scanner, and of course that was before digital cameras. (Can you believe we don’t have a scanner? In our techie household? I guess I’ll have to work on that.) I can tell you that we have changed.
Anyway, a lot has happened in 10 years! It hasn’t always been easy, but I can truly say that Kelly is my best friend. I am so glad God brought us together…His plan was so evident and we really are made for each other.
We are looking forward to a few days together in Chicago…by ourselves! And, really, all thanks to Mom and Dad Gubser and Mom and Dad Osburn. You guys are the best, and we love you all so much. THANK YOU for all of your generosity!
As for tomorrow, we’ll probably go out to lunch together…maybe McDonald’s so Harrison can play. I’ll probably do my usual Friday night grocery shopping after Harrison goes to bed. Maybe we’ll watch our movie that is waiting for us from NetFlix…funny how things and priorities change in 10 years…
OK…so this is one of the only pictures I could find of Kelly and I together. I only looked for like 5 minutes, but still…we’ll have to get some pictures of us together this weekend.
Happy Anniversary, Kelly! Love you!
It seems like I usually know within the first few pages of a book if it is one that I will love. This is one of them.
I have been reading the book Romancing Your Child’s Heart by Monte Swan and have been devouring it as fast as I can. I don’t get through a book as fast as I used to, but I pick this book up every chance I get. It is one that I will definitely put on my shelf of books that I go back to time after time.
He talks about his experience with his parents growing up and how they won his heart for God, and how to use stories, experiences and adventures to win your children’s hearts, especially in a time when there are so many things out there that are competing for them.
He talks about how important OUR (as parents) relationship with God is…
“Only our personal relationship with God makes us legitimate and believable to our children. Without it, our overtures will not be on pitch and our words will sound hollow. We can romance a child without having a relationship with God, but in that case we’ll be romancing him to such things as materialism, legalism, agnosticism- effectively conducting him into the grip of the other suitor, Satan.” p. 103
“At any given moment, our children can sense whether we’re having a firsthand relationship with God, because long before children can read words they can read hearts. And romance happens because it comes through us from the Spirit of God.
A mother once told me she’ll never completely fill the “gaps” in her parenting. But she has realized they provide the opportunity for Christ to shine through so the child sees only Christ, not her failures. In truth, the “perfect” parent with no gaps is in a sense a Pharisee, not giving Christ an opportunity to shine.” p. 104
I am definitely feeling challenged through this book in many different aspects…my relationship with Christ, my parenting skills and how I need to ’Live the Larger Story’, and how I need to let Harrison be a little boy and be adventurous, and even encourage it, even though my being is saying “no”. Sometimes I feel like what I might consider a ‘motherly instinct’ is just a ‘girl instinct’, and in that case, who am I to know what Harrison needs? I am so glad that Kelly and I are in this together. Harrison needs Kelly just as much, and at times more, as he needs me. And overall, Harrison needs our unconditional love.
Anyway, if you’re looking for a good parenting book…I highly recommend this one.
