The Perfect Fathers' Day Weekend

As long as I can remember I have been a baseball fan. When Rando and I met baseball quickly became the perfect date. Our goal is to go to every MLB stadium. We've been to 4 so we have a ways to go, but next summer we plan on hitting the west coast for our 10th anniversary.

We've introduced our kids to baseball by going to 2 Gwinnett Braves games with them, but they had not been to Turner Field yet. We were given tickets for Saturday night and decided this would be the perfect night to let them enjoy their first Braves game! The night was PERFECT! We fed the kids in the car and then made our way inside the stadium. Our seats were in Section 212, under an overhang, in the shade, and right on top of the action! Avery and Ryleigh did an incredible job! Avery's eyes were glued to the game and Ryleigh went back and forth between watching the game and people watching. Homer came by and gave Avery a five. Well actually Avery would only touch him with 1 finger. It was cute! Rando and Ryleigh caught a foul ball. This was both of theirs first foul ball (I can no longer say I'm the only one in the family to have caught one). On top of all of this the Braves won with a walk off homerun! It was very exciting!

I heard over and over again how cute and how well behaved our kids are! We are so blessed with happy kids that love to go out in public! It is like they know the difference between playtime at home and public behavior. I'm sure there will come a day where we will want to pull our hair out (probably about the time they're 2), but right now we are just taking advantage of having the sweetest kids! This made for a wonderful way to celebrate Fathers' Day! I am so blessed to have a wonderful husband that loves me and our kids! He gets down on the ground to play with the kids, changes diapers, feeds them, and pitches in wherever he is needed! He is a team player and I greatly appreciate him! Avery and Ryleigh light up when they see their daddy! Rando, we love you!


The kids tailgating



Full and ready to go



Our family ready for the game



My boys watching the game



Daddy and his kids



Ryleigh enjoying the game



Avery's face says it all - he LOVED it!



Ryleigh and Daddy with the ball they caught



All 4 of us after a great game!

Love...

"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all thinkgs, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails." 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

"And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13

"Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord." Ephesians 5:22

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her." Ephesians 5:25

I am so thankful that I know this kind of love! While a student at Shorter College (which became Shorter University yesterday) I met a guy that had a very interesting name. Well actually, my first encounter with him was while I was a senior in H.S. doing a college visit to Shorter. He had long curly hair and my comment in the car was that he had to be a friend of David Gordon (and he was/is... David knows I love him). This guy tells me now that he told a friend that he wanted to marry a girl like me. I'm not sure if that is exactly how it went, but I am very grateful it all worked out.

We had an interesting start. We both had dates to the sorority formal, but yet we started talking and then dating. We went on to the formal with our dates, but danced plenty that night. Just 2 weeks later we broke up, but couldn't stay apart more than 12 hours. On February 14, 1999 we began dating one last time (Rando says we broke up and got back together on this day so that he would be able to remember our anniversary). Our dating years were full of fun. Walks around Garden Lakes, climbing a water tower (shhhh....), 1/2 priced wings after 11 at Applebees, ministering together at Hollywood, and discussing our future dreams together.

On June 2, 2001 we became husband and wife. I can honestly say each day since I have fallen more in love with him every day! We have been through a lot, but I am so thankful that we are best friends and very RARELY have an argument. We've been through the scariest time for the US in our lifetimes - 9/11/01, living off of 1 income while seeking God for where he would have us serve, hard days at work, trying to have kids for 2 years, and so many more. Through each of these trials God brought us closer to Him and each other. I couldn't ask for a better partner in life than my wonderful husband.

The last 14 months have been an exciting journey. I love watching him be daddy! He changes diapers and feeds the kids with the best of them! He loves playing with the kids and making them laugh. They even already team up (4 on 1 - the dog included in that 4) against me! We share so many laughs. We still get time together too! We make every effort to have date nights and do things as a couple.

He respects me, understands me, and loves me no matter what! I am the most fortunate girl in the world! Rando, I love you and I thank God He blessed my life the day He brought you in it! I am looking foward to many more years! Happy 9th Anniversary!

Our engagement picture



Our wedding day



Our family of 4 doing what we love