And so it begins…
With Olivia walking now (or at least at the beginning stages), our lives are about to change!
Thank you Justin for Bieberizing my girls
"Baby" by Justin Bieber, as performed by the Valencia girls.
Eric’s Wedding in Ashburn, GA
Last weekend we made the trek down to Cordele, GA (south of ATL) for Jen's brother's wedding. Eric is a couple years older and stationed in San Diego in the Navy. (Oh yes, we'll be visiting....!!) Becky's parents live in Cordele, so most of the family stayed in a hotel there while the ceremony and reception were held at Quail's Landing a little further south in Ashburn, GA. We had a good time celebrating their marriage and, as always, it was fun to see and visit with family.
Jen, Eric, myself and Sophia about an hour before the "I Do's").
Jen's Grandmother, Jen, Becky, and Jen's Mom at the bridal luncheon the day before.
Aunt Pat and Uncle Nate with Olivia
Tita Sol with Olivia and Sophia
Hey, Soul Sister
Last night Jen went to have dessert with a friend which meant Daddy Time for me with the girls. We decided to do a little dance-sesh cut to Train's "Hey, Soul Sister". Enjoy!
Love & War
This past Sunday our small group ("Couples with young kids") started our summer series off with a bang. From a recommendation, we decided to do John & Staci Eldredge's study called Love & War. Here is a snapshot directly from their website:
John and Stasi's new book, Love and War: Finding the Marriage You've Dreamed Of does for couples what Captivating did for women and Wild at Heartdid for men. With refreshing openness that will grab readers from the first page, the Eldredges candidly discuss their own marriage and the insights they've gained from the challenges they have faced. Each talks independently to the reader about what they've learned , giving their guidance personal immediacy and a balance between the male and female perspectives that has been absent from all previous books on this topic.
John and Stasi begin Love & War with an obvious but necessary acknowledgement: Marriage is fabulously hard. They believe we need to get past the shame and confusion surrounding the undertaking of marriage before we can truly deal with our day-to-day situations.
Love & Warshows couples how to fight for their love and happiness, calling on both men and women to step into the great adventure God has waiting for them together. Walking alongside John and Stasi Eldredge, every couple can discover how their journey together is growing into a story of meaning much greater than anything they could do or be on their own.
As a group we decided to modify our study somewhat in that we will just be watching the DVD as a group and going through the "Participant Guide" instead of the actual book. In the PG there is some weekly "pre-work" that everyone can complete prior to coming to group on Sunday afternoons.
Granted its only been one week/session, but if you're looking for an idea for a "couples" small group, I'll give my early recommendation on this one. We had to stop our discussion short yesterday! We talked about expectations vs. reality, fighting for our marriage, and our desires/dreams for our marriages. It was very engaging. I'm looking forward to our times this summer to see how God stirs things up a bit!
Have you done this study? Or have you done another one that you would recommend?
Suwanee Town Center with Lil Diva
On Saturday night we went to Suwanee Town Center with the kids so that Sophia could enjoy the fountains. It was a perfect night for some outdoor activities. Of course, we had to hit up Rita's afterwards.
Sophia (aka Lil Diva) striking her pose.
5 years and counting.
Five years ago today I married the girl of my dreams. I remember when we were sitting by the pool one summer, before we were engaged, devising a plan to make it "work". That plan made sense to us. And yes, that plan included living off like $800 a month. I suppose since we were both poor college students at the time we thought Ramen, cocktail smokies, and her rice cooker would give us all the sustenance we would need. Flash forward some time, and we've learned a lot. Scratch that, we've learned a little more than what we knew back then and we still have a ways to go. But, we're going. Together.
As I reflect over some of our highlights, a lot sticks out. We've laughed, we've cried. We've planned, we've prayed. We've traveled, we've stayed home. We've bought a house, we've had kids. We've budgeted, we've overspent. But in the end, we've done it together. The last five years have been a blur, but they've been amazing. I wouldn't trade them for the world, and I look forward to the next 50.
Jen, I love you . You are the most amazing person I know. I thank God that He has brought us together to "do life". Thank you for your compassionate, engaging and encouraging heart for me, our girls, and people. You are my perfect match and, with all my weaknesses and missteps included, thank you for committing yourself to me. You've supported and challenged my walk with Christ, and lived out the importance of knowing Him more intimately. Thank you.
My wifey is the best. Instantly, my cool points multiplied exponentially as soon as I married her.
Seriously. Look at her. Look at me. My point exactly.