Leave Pics

So, the girls and I have been thoroughly enjoying Paul's time off and Paul has made it a priority to spend some good, quality time with each of his girls on their own.

Eva had the opportunity to go on not one, but TWO daddy dates last week.

And, we were able to go to Philadelphia as a family.

And, I've got a project in the works inspired by her. Once it's finished, I'll be sure to post pics!

**all photos by Paul. To see better quality photos go here.***

Leave

Paul is on leave.

He's on leave for a month and the girls and I are so excited. We have big plans. Plans to RELAX. Plans to take a few trips (we're going to Philly tomorrow) and plans to spend a little time with family.

But best of all, plans to be together, AS a family.

I love Leave.

Different Perspectives

DC is our go-to spot. It's close. It's interesting. Even if you went every Saturday for a year, you wouldn't be able to see all there is to see.

This past Saturday, we were bored. We'd been stuck inside because it. is. COLD outside. Like, way cold. Like, this Florida/Hawaii girl can't take it, kind of cold. And windy. Unbearable.

Why we chose this particular windy, freezing Saturday to drive down to the National Arboretum is beyond me, but we did.

Paul really wanted to see the original columns used for the Capitol.

We drove up, parked and took turns getting out to take our pictures. No...one set of pics is not sufficient. Here, I'll show you why...

These are Paul's pictures:

**You can see way better quality pics at his Flickr page here***

Do you see how he loves the wide angle, artsy, edgy shots? Well, he does. Paul will almost always go for the wide angle lens. Even when he's taking pics of our kids.

Funny, huh?

Me? Well, I prefer the more intimate shots. Close ups. I will almost always go for my telephoto lens. I love it. The details. They speak to my anal retentive ways.

See what I mean?

Still, I appreciate Paul's wide angle perspective. Because it's about more than his photography. Paul has the innate ability to see the big picture in life too.

Not like me, who sometimes can't see the forrest for the trees. I get hung up on details. I obsess over teeny tiny insignificant things.

But don't get it twisted...I can appreciate the big picture too when necessary!

Breakfast with Daddy

Paul was able to sleep in Friday morning and go to work a little late due to his office Christmas party Thursday night. The girls and I all enjoyed the relaxed morning and the extra time with him. So much so that Eva and Izzy wouldn't even give him any elbow room at the breakfast table. Izzy insisted on being in his lap while Eva had her placemat squished so close to Paul's plate that I thought for sure it was all going to end up on the floor.

The neat freak in me was tempted to make Eva scoot over and have Izzy give her daddy some room...

but Paul seemed to be enjoying the closeness just as much as they did...

so I grabbed my camera instead :)

A Picture Worth 1,000 Words

As you know, Paul and I went down to Old Town Alexandria a few weekends ago. We happened across this couple a few times during our stroll. I guess they were on the same path we were.

Army uniforms in and of themselves are not an unusual sight for me. In fact, they are very much a part of my every day. Even though Paul is in the Air Force, we are stationed at an Army Post, and therefore, are surrounded by a plethora of Army uniforms. However, to see a uniform in a place like Old Town is unusual and somewhat out of place.

I was immediately intrigued as the grey and white shades of digitized camouflage flashed across my line of sight and I zeroed in on a man and his love. I never got a look at their faces but the way he held her was so endearing to me.

Usually, when in uniform, you are to restrain your affection to a quick kiss and holding hands. But this guy couldn't keep his hands off of his girl and it melted me. I don't know what their situation was, but the way they interacted suggested that they were really trying to treasure every moment together, as if a separation was in their near future.

It's one of the duty hazards when in the military. You're bound to be separated from the ones you love at some point for training, or a deployment or temporary duty or something. Military wives have to come to a place where we accept this an inevitable and deal with it. I've had to deal with it before and I will again, I'm sure.

However, this tortuous aspect of military life does make you appreciate your every day with one another all the more. Just the simple act of waking up next to Paul is something I take joy in. Not in a "make-him-breakfast--in-bed-everyday" kind of way, but in a "I-feel-safe-because-he's-here-next-to-me-and-alot-of-other-military-wives-don't-have-that-today" kind of way.

I guess that's why this couple plucked my heart strings in such a special way. It seemed they were really valuing the moment together, whether or not an impending separation was in the works.

I'm in Love

Paul came home Thursday evening with a smirk on his face. This always causes me concern. It usually means one of two things...he's spent money, or he's made plans and not informed me of them until I only have enough time to shower and scrunch some palmade through my hair.

He said something about being able to enjoy the "fruits of his labor," which made me roll my eyes and urge him to just get it over with and tell me what he did. He pulled out a computer mouse. One of those Magic Mac Mouses that he keeps talking about. I shrugged my shoulders, pretending to be unimpressed and said, "Oh, that's all?"

It wasn't. He insisted that I go out to the car and grab "the thing" he left in the back on accident. I looked at him like he was nuts. "You go get it," I retorted. The smirk came back. "You have to go get it, " he prodded.

I rolled my eyes again and made my way to the front door where I slipped my toes into my tennis shoes and didn't bother to slide my heels in after. It was raining...so I, of course, rolled my eyes yet again and made sure to push open the screen door with enough force to make an irritated scene.

I ran awkwardly to the van with my toes all curled up inside of my shoes trying to keep them from slipping off, and pulled open the back door with a bit of curiosity mixed with a lot of "this better be good."

And it was.

My birthday isn't for another week. But Paul and I really stink at waiting for the actual holiday to give one another our gifts.

This has been on my Christmas/birthday/anniversary/Valentine's Day list for a long time.

And now, it's mine.

Ain't she a beauty?!?! Gotta love Martha Stewart Blue!

Thanks Paulie. I promise I'll enjoy this gift almost as much you'll enjoy all the yummy things that come from it!

Unexpected

Paul and I took the girls down to Theodore Roosevelt Island in DC yesterday. Paul and Eva had been there before and he was eager to show me all of the sights. I was eager to finally get our Christmas picture out of the way and we agreed that Teddy Island would be the perfect spot for our portrait. No, no you won't see it in this post. I'm saving it for the Christmas cards we plan to send out in a few short weeks (my head is still reeling that it's already the 9th of November!).

Anyway, as we loaded the girls into the stroller and began our leisurely stroll through the trails of the island, I readied the camera eager to capture every fleeting color of fall. We stopped here and there to snap a quick shot and we eventually captured our family portrait. Once we had accomplished the perfect pose, the pressure was off and we eased our pace even further to take in the sights and unusually warm air.

The girls were tired and therefore somewhat quiet during our Sunday walk and Paul and I fell easily into conversation. We shared a Bosc pear and I embarked on my usual ritual of trying to convince him why we should get a dog. He chuckled and mumbled something about my persistence. I don't know why but all of the sudden I found myself thoroughly enjoying the time. We weren't alone, we weren't on a romantic date and there were no roses or the sound of Tony Bennet playing softly in the background. It was me and Paul and our little family and we were talking about how much we liked photography and taking trips as this one. I looked over at my husband more than a few times with pure satisfaction in my gaze. He really is my best friend. I really do love being with him.

We walked some more and came to a platform that looked out onto the swamp. The only thing separating us from the murky waters were two thick ropes that connected to sturdy wooden beams. I dazed. I looked closely at the worn ropes and this is what came to my mind

"Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist. A cord of three strands is not easily broken." -Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

It was a wonderful excursion with with an unexpected twist. I fell in love just a little bit more with the man I married.

Lord,

Thank you for this man that you've brought me. He's patient and kind, firm and steadfast. He's an amazing father and a bosom friend. Thank you for the trials that you've walked us through. They've only worked to grow us together and to more tightly form the cord of our marriage. Thank you Lord, for my best friend.

Amen.

Happy Birthday Paul

Today is Paul's birthday. He wouldn't want me to tell you. But I am.

He's 29.

There are no plans to celebrate as Paul is not big on his own birthday.

BUT, I may or may not have something in the works :)

Aaah Marriage...

**Actual e-mail conversation that took place not 10 minutes ago**
(some remarks deleted for I am married to...well...a man...)


Me: So, what are we doing tonight?

Paul: Dunno, babe. I'm open for suggestions

Me: are you totally against seeing Julie and Julia? It's playing at the Egyptian at 7 and Columbia at 7:20.

Paul: YES. That is a girl movie all the way. I'm pretty there isn't one [man] in the whole movie.

Me: Yes there is. The main character is married. What about (500) Days of Summer?

Paul: Who's in that?

Me: Zoey Deschenal, but she's not the main character, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is...it's supposed to be Juno-esque as far as the cinematography goes but it's a different story line...obviously.

Paul: ju-NO. H2, GI Joe, Final Destination. All good films!!!!

Me: Paulie..I do NOT want to see some testosterone charged, gore fest on our anniversary. So, I'm out of options.

Paul: Halloween 2. Michael Myers!!!

Me: um...you're crazy. So...then we seriously can't agree on anything. How about let's just
go grab dinner, walk around for a bit and head home?

Paul: You know you DID pick last time.

Me: yes, and I appreciate that you let me pick last time (although I don't even remember what it was we saw) but this is our ANNIVERSARY, not just any date and I want to watch something meaningful IF we watch something at all.

Paul: Something meaningful? What's meaningful about Julia Child?! Ooh,
look at me! I'm a 6'9 white woman who made soup!

Me: (silence...no typing...there are no words to even respond to this)

Paul: Where do we eat? Dave & Buster's??

Me: Seriously?!?! DAVE AND BUSTERS for our anniversary?!?!? Try again.

Paul: They got games and stuff

Me: (cradles my face in my hands and laughs out loud in front of the computer.)

September 3rd

Wow, even as I write this post, I discover that Paul and I have NO pictures taken of just the two of us this year. I don't know whether or not that's sad. Is that sad?

Well, we can remedy that tonight for sure, because we're going on a date! Yep, a real date. Dinner, movie, quiet conversation without having to bend over and pick up a kicked off shoe or a crayon every 5 minutes. We'll just gaze into one another's eyes through the whole dinner and spout off romantic things that would put Shakespear to shame. At the movie, maybe we'll sit in the back row (wink, wink) and it'll be just like when we first fell in love.

Okay, maybe my expectations are a little too high. In reality, it's quite possible that the only thing we'll talk about at dinner is the girls. I'm pretty sure that I'll miss them about an hour into the date and have the strong urge to call the babysitter just to inquire that they're still tucked safely in their beds. At the movie, I can't promise you that we won't have just paid $20 for us to both take a nap...but we'll most likely be holding hands the whole time, so that's not all bad...right?!?

Paul and I celebrate 5 years of marriage today. Five years ago today, we drove up to the Santa Clara County Courthouse and said "I Do" in front of a JOP and our dear friend Eddie.

No white dress, no flashy photographer, no cake or bridesmaids...just two people in love and completely devoted to spending the rest of their lives together. I cried, Paul's voice shook, we were both so nervous (I tried to put his ring on the wrong hand) but so sure that we were doing the right thing.

It's weird...5 years has gone by so fast but then I look at our lives now and the family we've made together, the life we've established for our little family and I wonder how we could've accomplished so much in such a short amount of time. It's by God's Grace that's how! God's grace and some amazing people that He's put in our path to be our voice of reason when we needed it. Some incredible examples of couples who've conquered complacency and indifference in their own marriages.

Unfortunately, we've known many couples in our short married life who chose to go their separate ways after a few years of marriage. I'm sure that considering how Paul and I met, and our somewhat short courtship, many of our peers probably thought that Paul and I would cave under pressure. But here we are, still going strong. We've had our hard times, and there will be more to come, I'm sure of it. But we're more committed than ever to keeping our marriage strong and our family intact. We've grown up a lot in the last 5 years, we've had too...but I'm glad to say that by God's grace and guidance, we've grown together.

Happy Anniversary Paulie. I love you dearly. This past year, as things around us have seemed to spin out of control and our world got a bit shaky, you stood strong and fearless and gave me something steadfast to hold onto. On the days when it's just felt like too much, you've allowed me to cry and mourn all the while reminding me of how blessed I am to be living this Life More Abundant. You've grounded me, given me the boost I needed when I wanted to fly and I'm so happy to have you by my side, my best friend.

You're an amazing father and it almost makes me chuckle. When we first started dating, I wasn't sure how fatherhood would suit you, but you've taken on this role with such commitment and fervor. You're an awesome daddy to our little girls. You're affectionate and attentive, calm and firm. At the end of the day, when I'm praying over the hearts of our daughters, I can earnestly thank God for blessing them with a daddy like you.

So Paulie, on this our 5th anniversary, I say I love you. I love you more now than ever. I love being your wife. I love that you accept me as I am (whatever that looks like from day to day, or moment to moment) and you long to see me reach my goals and be as content with myself as you are with me. That gives me such strength and confidence and I love you for that.

Happy Anniversary Paulie.


***PS I'll be posting the Giveaway winner later this evening...around 7ish...before we go on our date :)

A Week in Pictures

Okay, so I know last week was a total loss as far as blogging goes. I'm sorry about that, but Paul had to go TDY and he took the camera with him. Plus, between potty training Eva, Izzy taking her first steps, trying to prepare for a Friday night Pampered Chef show with my sister in law, Anna, and just being a single mom for a week, I didn't have much time to sit down and blog.

And although I'm back now, I remind you that I have not had the camera so all I have to share with you is pics from the week before Paul left and a few that he took while he was in Washington state last week.

While he was there, Paul got to visit with two of his nephews that he hasn't seen in quite some time. Justin is a firefighter out in Spokane and so he gave Paul a tour of the station and even let him don the infamous garb. Of course, when Paul relayed the story to me, he did so in a very matter-of-fact fashion, but I saw that twinkle in his eye and heard the satisfaction in his voice. He had, for a moment, gotten to explore that boyhood fantasy of being a fireman!

Justin, the teacher...

Can't you see the satisfaction on Paulie's face?
Doesn't he look so adorably happy?

Paul also got to spend time with Justin's brother, Adam and his family. Adam has a little girl that is only 3 weeks older than our Izzy and Paul says that little Ashlyn is quite the cutie pie! I can't wait to see her for myself and introduce her to Izzy...her second cousin, would it be?!?

Anyway, Paul returned with vague stories about SERE but some wonderful descriptions of Washington. So wonderful, that I've been secretly looking at houses online. Don't get too excited about that...looking at houses is my way of daydreaming. I've also looked at houses in Australia, Spain, New York City and Forks, WA...er...I mean...Seattle...yeah.

So that' all for today! I'll post pics up from our Zoo trip tomorrow! But as for now, my coffee cup is singing to me. I need to fill it so I can get my morning started!