Happy 11th Anniversary

Today, 11 years ago, my beautiful daughter came down the aisle and became the wife of Brian Jones, her high school sweetheart.  It was a blessed day because not only did she marry the man of her dreams, she married her best friend.  I first had Brian as a student when he was in the ninth grade and thought he was amazing.  I knew in my heart that he was the kind of young man I wanted Kat to date/marry.  Two years later when he was in the 11th grade and she was a ninth grader they met.  He went home and dreamed he married Mrs. Harrell's (last name at the time) daughter.  In October of her 9th grade year the two of us went to Six Flags with her friend Jill and her mom.....and Jill's brother Jeff and his good friend, Brian!  That was the beginning of this Cinderella story.  They were in the band together, Brian graduated and went off to college.....Kat graduated and went off to college......and one sunny day at the Shakepeare Festival Park in Montgomery....Brian planned a wonderful picnic, took his guitar, sang her a song, and asked her to be his wife.  She said yes.  Now here we are 11 years later and their life is taking a new turn.  In January they will be starting phase two of their lives together as missionaries in Moldova....and their lives continue to be blessed by God.  They are an amazing couple with an amazing love story.  Happy Anniversary to two people I love to the moon and bacK.

Life With Brian and Kat

My favorite shots of them are when they look at each other.  There is so much love in their eyes.  When you meet them.....and walk away....you have been blessed.....fully.  Happy Anniversary and wishing you both many more....with love.

"By My Side"

Don't you get ahead of me

and I won't leave you behind

if you get unhappy

show me a sign


there's no love like lost love

no pain like a broken heart

there's no love like you and me

and no loss like us apart


promises promise is

only a word

and when softly spoken

is never heard

 

and a heart

is not a stone

and is fragile

when alone

by my side

by my side

won't you be by my side

by my side

by my side

won't you be by my side

my care for you

is from the ground up to the sky

it's over under up above

down below and to the side

no use in pretending

no use in saving face

my love is never ending

you are my saving grace

by my side

by my side

won't you be by my side

by my side

by my side

won't you be by my side

Celebrating Ten Wonderful Years With Frank

Frank the huge FSU fan

Frank the Preacherman

 

Frank the uncle and dad

Frank, the shy man......NOT!

Frank the husband

Today is my tenth wedding anniversary.  I really find it hard to believe that we have been married ten years and on the other hand I can't honestly remember a time without Frank in my life.  I wish you all knew him personally.  He is so much fun to be with.  I love spending time with him.  He is witty and loving....and well....he is the harmony to my life song.  Sadly, on our tenth anniversary Frank has school this weekend and is in Birmingham.  We were invited to go to South Carolina with some friends.....I am in South Carolina.  We are planning on spending Sunday evening in LaGrange at Pizzavilla (it was voted the most romantic restaurant in the area) and we love eating there.  We will do our usual....sit and....(you thought I was going to say hold hands and gaze longingly in each others eyes didn't you?...)....SURPRISE!....We will sit and play each other on our phones with Trivie and Words With Friends.  We both love games!  Sometime towards the end of February we are going to take a wee little honeymoon vacation to the Smokeys since it is one of our favorite places and easily accessible.   I don't know if I have ever told you about our wedding....but it was amazing.  I sang at the Arbor Service at FUMC in our home town.  Frank ran the sound.  At the end of the service...Frank came down and met me coming off the stage and we stood in front of 500 of our dearest family and friends and said our vows.  Kat was my Matron of Honor and Robert Gaskins was the Best Man.  Our amazing friends surprised us with a breathtaking reception.  Bill cooked tenderloin that melted in your mouth...Deborah made me the most gorgeous wedding cake....I cried....after eating and socializing we got in our car and headed to Little River Canyon/Mentone to spend a couple of days in a friend's cabin there.  We ate dinner in Chattanooga at The Loft, went to Lookout Mtn, and Chickamaugua Battlefield.  We got National Park Passports there.  One of Franks greatest feats....is that one night a week....we have date night.  It is a night when we do something special.....just the two of us.  I look forward to date night as much now as I did when we were actually dating.  I hope he reads this today.....Happy Anniversary Baby!  I love you more today than yesterday.....and to the moon and back.  Yep!  I love this man.

Every Day I Fall In Love With You Again

Today is my ninth wedding anniversary and I was feeling pretty sappy this morning....so I thought I would write a little sappy poem for my cherished husband.  We are the kind of couple that really do not need special days to tell each other we love each other... or give each other gifts.  But today I just wanted to give Frank a little shout out.  He has truly blessed my life with his presence and love.  I am grateful that God thought we needed each other.  We did!

Frank,

From the first time I met you so many years ago.

I knew that I loved you, my heart told me so.

I fell hard for you then with my heart and my soul.

And it was with you that I knew I would grow old.

Each anniversary year finds me happier than the last;
You are my heart, my light, my present, future, and past.
You define for me what love is about,
Loving you makes me want to lift my voice and shout.

Time passes, yet, our love grows deeper.I knew when I fell...you would be a keeper.
Being your wife is oh such a pleasureI love you darling, you are my favorite treasure.

God has blessed us so much in these past short nine yearsThere have been many smiles salted briefly with tears.You fill me with wonder, you are my best friendIf I could I would marry you all over again!

May God's blessings continue and we walk hand in handYou are one in a million, you are my kind of man.Whatever life deals us we will be together....And I will love you my darling....from now til forever! Happy Anniversary, Frank!  I love you!  

Happy Anniversary!

Today, January 26th, seven years ago I got married at the end of the Arbor Service at First United Methodist Church. It was a perfect day. My daughter, Kat and our good friend Robert stood up for us. Behind us, was a congregation of wonderful people who came to share in this wonderful event. So, bear with me a bit....I want to let my sweet Frank know how special that day....and every day since has been.

When You Found Each Other
When we found each other,
we gained the finest prize:
companions to share life’s joys,
a friend who lightens burdens,
whose company is always a comfort.
When we found each other,
we embraced the love we had dreamed of,
the source of endless pleasure
and memories to treasure.
May this anniversary remind us
of how precious that day was,
when we found each other.

I love you baby!

A Big Love

What a night we shared,
One of many that have been
and are yet to be.
Our bed was so warm and inviting
Inviting us to cling together,
burn together, lie together,
with unbridled passions
that flow through us.
If my death were to come now...
I would leave here smiling
for once, for one brief shining moment,in the span of all time,
I was loved...thoroughly....by you!

I wrote this poem for my sweet Frank several years ago....for our first anniversary and I never gave it to him. While I was cleaning up my classroom today, getting ready for summer, I found this stuffed inside a folder with totally non-related papers and just had to share it with you....and with him. When my world comes unglued...and I feel I can't go another step...he is always there to pick me up, dust me off, and set me on my path again. He truly is one of the good guys and I am blessed.