Are these bears fighting over my grandchildren?
Sitting by the Beaver Dam
I want to buy this puppy, Grandma!
Naomi takes a breakFriday, September 07, 2007
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Looking back over the previous month we put aside some news to focus on the month of our anniversary so now we need to play "catch-up." Several of you already know that our grandson Aaron had open heart surgery Aug6th and we are very thankful it was successful and he continues to improve. He has gained 2 lbs. God is so Good!
Friday, August 31, 2007
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Those Special Moments in Weddings
As I was thinking about our wedding I recalled that particular incident that happens in most weddings or wedding rehearsals that the bride and groom look back on and say, "Do you remember...and then smile or blush." Well it occurred to me that I hadn't shared ours so here goes.
It just so happens that both of these events happened to the blushing bride (me) which left me blushing even more brightly. I really do believe it has something to do with being blonde till the age of 4. LOL The first took place at the wedding rehearsal. I had watched all the attendants practice walking up the aisle and then it was my turn. Well, maybe, I was just a little too eager because I was half way up the aisle when I realized I had left my dear father standing back at the vestibule. So with quite a bite of teasing from my future brothers-in-law I started again including my Dad.
NEXT
The day of the wedding everything was going splendid and we came to the part in the ceremony where the preacher says"You may now kiss your bride" and This eager bride was leaning in for the big smooch when to her confusion her groom is pulling away. It's then that I realize that I had forgotten to allow Phillip to lift the veil. Amid the snickers and blushes Phillip carried out his "duty" and Mr. & Mrs. Phillip H. Avery were presented to the congregation.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Wedding Prayer
Only the work of Our Father can blend two people into one.
Only He can join them into perfect union, and guide,
so that His will shall be done.
Only Our Father can make two hearts trust,
and learn to love and depend upon one another each day.
And this Wedding Prayer brings this hope,
as you travel along Life's way.
He has brought you both together,
to share until death do you part;
May your sharing and your giving,
bring much happiness,
and be extended straight from the heart.
May all your hopes be fulfilled,
with all that you imagine,
and your dreams give birth to reality.
And may you envision your lives, together as one,
and may they become all that you expect them to be.
As the showers of each season pour forth,
raining down upon your very souls,
May you take hold of the Master's hand,
and allow Him to lead you,
into all the places He wishes you to go.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Mr. & Mrs. Phillip H. Avery
Our Wedding Day
As we begin our life together
As we begin our life together
At the alter as we meet
A day of love and blessings
Makes our life complete.
Happiness today and always
Is what I wish for too
The beginning of a new life
Joy in all we do.
Let us make a resolution
As we start every day
Always say I love you
In a very special way.
And when the day has ended
Never go to bed mad
Make our peace be glad we did
Or our life will be very sad.
God Bless us in our marriage
May love remain within our heart
And all our days together
Be blessed right from the start.
©Ginny Bryant
©Ginny Bryant
The Wedding Party
Our Parents
Thursday, August 23, 2007
You Did Splendid!
Tell your spouse (and kids and friends and sisters and co-workers and pastor and and and) how they are “just right”; in fact Dr. Angelou author of I know why the Caged Bird Sings said, let them know that they are the best. “You are splendid.” Say it out loud (just saying it to the air brings a smile to my face).
In the morning, say it. Call home from work and say it. Send an email and say it. Walk in the door and say it with a kiss. Before you close your eyes at night say it.
“You are so good at that.” “It’s just like you to be so thoughtful.” “You are so handsome.” “You smell wonderful.” “I really like your smile.” “I love hearing you sing in the shower.” “You are such a wonderful cook.” There is no end.
Listen to this: As Dr. Angelou said, "call a person a dog and don’t you be surprised if they act like one. If you tell them they are splendid, they will want to live up to it."
Short and simple, isn’t it? I’m grateful that she reminded me.
Please, pass it on
In the morning, say it. Call home from work and say it. Send an email and say it. Walk in the door and say it with a kiss. Before you close your eyes at night say it.
“You are so good at that.” “It’s just like you to be so thoughtful.” “You are so handsome.” “You smell wonderful.” “I really like your smile.” “I love hearing you sing in the shower.” “You are such a wonderful cook.” There is no end.
Listen to this: As Dr. Angelou said, "call a person a dog and don’t you be surprised if they act like one. If you tell them they are splendid, they will want to live up to it."
Short and simple, isn’t it? I’m grateful that she reminded me.
Please, pass it on
While looking up articles about marriage (since that's our focus this month) I came across a site where a lady was blogging her view on a successful marriage and her personal advice. I don't want to offend anybody's sensibilities so I will condense some good points I thought she made.
1. Kissing Advisory
When is the last time you kissed your spouse? I mean really had a kiss fest? In another of my very informal surveys, I found that most couples (married more than 4-5 years) rarely do more than smooch! You know, that hello-honey, see-you-later-dear, good-night smooch. Come on! Think back to those first months or years of marriage. It was like a personal electrical storm.
2. Date Night
A lot of couples have instituted, are thinking about starting, or at least have heard of the concept of “date night”. Many self-help marriage gurus counsel for it, as I do. If you‘ve missed the advice, it is to set aside one night per week (or bi-weekly, or monthly!) to go on a date with your spouse. The key here is that the day is sacrosanct; there is no messing with it, i.e. no forgetting, or making other plans, or excuses. Come whatever the two of you will go on that date! (This is in a perfect world because there are kid’s band concerts, visiting relatives, etc… that do trump date night.)
First of all: Beware! The humdrum of the marriage can follow you on your date if you’re not careful. Do you talk about your kids, or the broken toilet, or next week’s schedule? (NO) Do you dress up? (YES) Do you get excited for it, because it is special? (This is the aim.) Will it become routine, just like so much else? (AVOID)
If you want the date night idea to work, then some work must be put into the date. Speak with your husband about how to set it up. Come up with a plan together. To fulfill differing interests, take turns planning the date. (No time? Come on! Think about it on your way to work, or taking a shower, or folding the clothes, or falling asleep.) A great starting point is a walk down memory lane. What did you do when you first met?
No matter what you choose, the most important component to the evening is attitude – for BOTH of you. Discuss how this date, in the craziness of your lives, can fuel your marriage and how the more both of you fill it up, the further you will be able to drive.
The whole point here is that you look forward to and enjoy date night. You know, really have fun together like you did in the beginning. It sounds so simple, but somehow a lot of us have forgotten how to do this. NOW is the time to change that. Take classes together, visit a museum, play tennis, walk and talk, something you both will enjoy.
3. Hold Hands
The most common public touch is hand holding. It’s a universal symbol of caring, tenderness and security. Studies have actually been done showing that holding hands can reduce stress, for both men and women. This probably is linked to the fact that holding our parents’ hand made us feel safe.
What you come up with for the public arena will be a great baseline for how you touch at home. Gentle arm touching as you pass in the living room, a surprise kiss in the kitchen, or footsy at the family table. It is in and of itself a way to feel connected again.
4. Reminisce
Spend the evening rereading those those old love letters. Revisit those places you used to go or those first in your relationship ....first date, first kiss, where you became engaged etc.
5. Talk
One waitress recalls, being able to pick out the couples who had been married for a long time….they weren’t having as much fun as the couples who were just dating. I remember that the older (meaning in their 40’s!) couples didn’t talk or laugh so much. I remember that during the lunch rush, these couples would read separate sections of the newspaper and not speak at all! And when they did talk, they didn’t lean into one another, hold hands, or stare into each other’s eyes. I remember thinking that this would NEVER be me. I would never allow my marriage to become silent or dull.Well, I do understand some of this now, and I can appreciate it. Reading the paper over lunch isn’t such a bad thing. HOWEVER, almost always, my husband or I will find some nugget to share with the other. For instance: “Oh, Dear, look at what our president said now,” I might say to him and continue on to read the quote. We will then have a short conversation about our frustrations with our government before we go back to our respective reading material.
I also understand that, as the years pass, speaking isn’t so necessary. We know our spouse so well; we don’t need to have the conversation. In fact, why would we need to rehash our conversation about the President? We both know where the other stands on this. Right?
Perhaps not. Perhaps this is a relationship black hole. Once you skirt the periphery of this kind of assumption, you are in trouble. The hole sucks you in faster and further until one day you turn around and realize that you and your husband just don’t talk anymore. Not only this, you don’t even know what they think anymore.
It’s a TRAP. And a tricky trap at that. We can be talking to each other all along, and still find ourselves losing the essence of one another. The tricky part is that we get caught up talking only about the minutia of life: schedules, remodeling, fixing the car, daycare, bills, TAXES, cleaning, new purchases, etc…. Of course, in order to keep our lives in order, we must talk about all of these things. However, it is my contention that quite often it is in place of real communication.
I bring all of this up as part of my series to recapture “that lovin’ feelin’”. As I have on my other “lovin’” topics, it is helpful to think back to our dating days. What did you talk about then? You didn’t have the house or the kids or the cars or TAXES back then. Most likely you talked a lot more about your dreams, your plans, what you liked/disliked, how you felt.
The hope here is that these talks will spark other talks so that when you go out on that dinner date, the waitress might just see two people completely engaged with each other. After all, it is a lot easier to gaze into each other’s eyes, and hold hands over the table, while talking about your dreams than it is while talking about the bus schedule….
6. Weekend Getaways
Stress in marriage and everyday life can add up quickly. It will benefit your marriage if you plan occasional weekends or even a day away ..... just you and your spouse. You will soon find this such a blessing that you may decide to start a small fund just for these oasis of R&R. (Phillip & I specifically recommend the Marriage Matters Retreat) Find something that fits your finances and pleasures.
This concludes another view from our marriage!
1. Kissing Advisory
When is the last time you kissed your spouse? I mean really had a kiss fest? In another of my very informal surveys, I found that most couples (married more than 4-5 years) rarely do more than smooch! You know, that hello-honey, see-you-later-dear, good-night smooch. Come on! Think back to those first months or years of marriage. It was like a personal electrical storm.
2. Date Night
A lot of couples have instituted, are thinking about starting, or at least have heard of the concept of “date night”. Many self-help marriage gurus counsel for it, as I do. If you‘ve missed the advice, it is to set aside one night per week (or bi-weekly, or monthly!) to go on a date with your spouse. The key here is that the day is sacrosanct; there is no messing with it, i.e. no forgetting, or making other plans, or excuses. Come whatever the two of you will go on that date! (This is in a perfect world because there are kid’s band concerts, visiting relatives, etc… that do trump date night.)
First of all: Beware! The humdrum of the marriage can follow you on your date if you’re not careful. Do you talk about your kids, or the broken toilet, or next week’s schedule? (NO) Do you dress up? (YES) Do you get excited for it, because it is special? (This is the aim.) Will it become routine, just like so much else? (AVOID)
If you want the date night idea to work, then some work must be put into the date. Speak with your husband about how to set it up. Come up with a plan together. To fulfill differing interests, take turns planning the date. (No time? Come on! Think about it on your way to work, or taking a shower, or folding the clothes, or falling asleep.) A great starting point is a walk down memory lane. What did you do when you first met?
No matter what you choose, the most important component to the evening is attitude – for BOTH of you. Discuss how this date, in the craziness of your lives, can fuel your marriage and how the more both of you fill it up, the further you will be able to drive.
The whole point here is that you look forward to and enjoy date night. You know, really have fun together like you did in the beginning. It sounds so simple, but somehow a lot of us have forgotten how to do this. NOW is the time to change that. Take classes together, visit a museum, play tennis, walk and talk, something you both will enjoy.
3. Hold Hands
The most common public touch is hand holding. It’s a universal symbol of caring, tenderness and security. Studies have actually been done showing that holding hands can reduce stress, for both men and women. This probably is linked to the fact that holding our parents’ hand made us feel safe.
What you come up with for the public arena will be a great baseline for how you touch at home. Gentle arm touching as you pass in the living room, a surprise kiss in the kitchen, or footsy at the family table. It is in and of itself a way to feel connected again.
4. Reminisce
Spend the evening rereading those those old love letters. Revisit those places you used to go or those first in your relationship ....first date, first kiss, where you became engaged etc.
5. Talk
One waitress recalls, being able to pick out the couples who had been married for a long time….they weren’t having as much fun as the couples who were just dating. I remember that the older (meaning in their 40’s!) couples didn’t talk or laugh so much. I remember that during the lunch rush, these couples would read separate sections of the newspaper and not speak at all! And when they did talk, they didn’t lean into one another, hold hands, or stare into each other’s eyes. I remember thinking that this would NEVER be me. I would never allow my marriage to become silent or dull.Well, I do understand some of this now, and I can appreciate it. Reading the paper over lunch isn’t such a bad thing. HOWEVER, almost always, my husband or I will find some nugget to share with the other. For instance: “Oh, Dear, look at what our president said now,” I might say to him and continue on to read the quote. We will then have a short conversation about our frustrations with our government before we go back to our respective reading material.
I also understand that, as the years pass, speaking isn’t so necessary. We know our spouse so well; we don’t need to have the conversation. In fact, why would we need to rehash our conversation about the President? We both know where the other stands on this. Right?
Perhaps not. Perhaps this is a relationship black hole. Once you skirt the periphery of this kind of assumption, you are in trouble. The hole sucks you in faster and further until one day you turn around and realize that you and your husband just don’t talk anymore. Not only this, you don’t even know what they think anymore.
It’s a TRAP. And a tricky trap at that. We can be talking to each other all along, and still find ourselves losing the essence of one another. The tricky part is that we get caught up talking only about the minutia of life: schedules, remodeling, fixing the car, daycare, bills, TAXES, cleaning, new purchases, etc…. Of course, in order to keep our lives in order, we must talk about all of these things. However, it is my contention that quite often it is in place of real communication.
I bring all of this up as part of my series to recapture “that lovin’ feelin’”. As I have on my other “lovin’” topics, it is helpful to think back to our dating days. What did you talk about then? You didn’t have the house or the kids or the cars or TAXES back then. Most likely you talked a lot more about your dreams, your plans, what you liked/disliked, how you felt.
The hope here is that these talks will spark other talks so that when you go out on that dinner date, the waitress might just see two people completely engaged with each other. After all, it is a lot easier to gaze into each other’s eyes, and hold hands over the table, while talking about your dreams than it is while talking about the bus schedule….
6. Weekend Getaways
Stress in marriage and everyday life can add up quickly. It will benefit your marriage if you plan occasional weekends or even a day away ..... just you and your spouse. You will soon find this such a blessing that you may decide to start a small fund just for these oasis of R&R. (Phillip & I specifically recommend the Marriage Matters Retreat) Find something that fits your finances and pleasures.
This concludes another view from our marriage!
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Thursday, August 16, 2007
The Beauty of Love
“Is there anything more beautiful in life than a young couple
Clasping hands and pure hearts in the path of marriage?
Can there be anything more beautiful than a young love?”
The answer is given.
“Yes, there is a more beautiful thing.
It is a spectacle of an old man and an old woman
Finishing their journey together on that path,
Their hands gnarled, but still clasped; their faces seamed,
But still radiant; their hearts are physically bowed and tired, but still strong with love and devotion for one another.
Yes, there is a more beautiful thing than young love .
Old Love.”
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Monday, August 13, 2007
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