To Read on the Journey

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

the details

hi all. 
i miss you. 
the other day i mentioned to michael that i haven't spent much time with my friends- the ones that live in the computer- and that i miss them. miss you. 

you know how when you don't talk with someone for a while, you don't always know where to begin? do you pick up where you left off, fill them in on what's been happening, or both?  
do you ever let doubt seep in and think, 'oh they don't really care to know the details of my life anyway?' 
i've been thinking that...
but then i realize i care about the details of your lives.  really.  i like you that much.  i want to know that you had beautiful family photos taken, and that you were a bridesmaid in a beautiful wedding at a library!  i want to see the people you love that you visited in oklahoma, and i want to know what is stirring in your heart.  i want to see what you wore wednesday because you are adorable. and  you, well i just need to hang out with you here in blogville for a bit {real life would be better}.  i want to learn from you all 40 things you have learned in your 40 yrs of life!  from you i really need to be encouraged to do Christmas on purpose this year too.  you, well you i just need to see because you are too far away and i miss you terribly.  as for you and you , i have noticed you haven't been around for a while either. it's okay, but come back soon.  and no i didn't forget you, you, or you. i am so fond of all of you.

knowing how i feel about you got me thinking maybe just maybe you want to know what's been going on with me too. 

well, here ya go...

i had a birthday {the same day as her}.  i am 30-old now {which by the way is one year younger than 30-oldest}.   my husband took the day off.  he made me this for breakfast.
{photo taken in instag.ram}
s'more french toast! i created it when we went camping this summer {it redeem camping}- french toast filled with marshmallows and chocolate, drizzled in maple syrup, and sprinkled with powdered sugar-  INSANELY GOOD!  {birthdays are guilt free eating days. i wish it was my birthday right now}.

after breakfast we ran away from all of our responsibilities and traveled a couple hours north to knight's ferry to take family photos on the historical knight's ferry bridge.
you might remember that michael and i celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary in september.

this bridge is where he asked me to marry him {*swoon*}

i wanted to have  a 15yr photo of us there now.

a  snapshot of how our life has changed since those moments on knight's ferry bridge when he was on bended knee asking if i would be his.
i'm glad i said yes.
so glad.


{and yes, noah is my oldest. yes, emilie (14.5 months younger) has surpassed him in height. all noah wants for Christmas is a growth spurt} 
 
after michael took the photos {which was comical; set timer, run back, pose, repeat}
we went to oakdale- "the happiest place on earth"- and had dinner at one of my favorite childhood restaurants, farrarese's. 
it was good to run away together, the 5 of us.  to ditch the house remodel, the packing to move, the home-school, the work, the 3 side jobs.  it was necessary to remember Who we live for and all He has given us in each other.

we have a tradition on birthdays to give blessings {which reminds me i have needed to post about this and do a give-away for some time.  remind me.}  with the weight of our responsibilities and my weighed down attitude accompanying it i wondered if my family would have words of affirmation to speak into my life.  they did.  emilie wrote hers in a letter. wanna see!?! okay.

she loves me and sees me and reminds me of who i am even when i forget. *love*

in move-in news this last week outlet covers and vent covers went up.  woohoo!  bedroom doors were hung {is that right, do you hang the doors?} 2 days ago. exciting times.
jessica is hosting her pintertest kitchen tomorrow {holla!}  my kitchen is currently the epitome of a pinterTEST.   as soon as i am done with this post and the kids are done with school, i am heading to home depot {for the trillionth time this month} to purchase my 3rd gallon of gray paint for the kitchen. {white cabinets on top, gray on the bottom... idea from pinterest.  pinterest may be the death of my husband}.

as for other details- like most of you- i too am gearing up for the Christmas season.  this year however is going to be grace-Christmas, because i am going to need a lot of it {i usually do, i just don't recognize it}!  i'm going to practice {in excess} being okay with things not being the way i desperately want them to be in my o.c.d./perfectionist head.   the usual advent planning and intentional heartfelt gifts are likely not going to happen this year. that is okay. it's okay because Jesus is more than enough for us this Christmas {every Christmas. every day}. 
God already planned the most magnificent advent {coming, expecting}, and gave the hands-down most heartfelt gift 2000+ years ago in Jesus.   grace- Christmas is going to cause me to let go of trying to out do Him {like i could} and instead embrace and enjoy the Savior, Immanuel God with us.

Merry, Merry!




19 comments:

Kathleen said...

I have been missing you all week!! Actually found myself thinking "how IS that move going for Denise??"

So happy you had a wonderful birthday. May this year be filled with blessings...I know you'll be sure to share them too.

Kathleen said...

And forgot to write...GORGEOUS photos!! Such a beautiful family.

Linda Z said...

I've missed you! I LOVE this post!! These photos are so perfect!! I love everything about them and the sentiment behind them. I need one!! :)

I can't wait to see how all your amazing project turn out!! And I'm glad you are giving yourself grace for Christmas!! :)

Thea Nelson said...

I SO hope we can catch up at Christmas! How do you feel so heart-connected with someone you've seen in person like 3 times? It's so God to do that!

Unknown said...

you give blessing in abundance.

Chrissy said...

Love all the photos! Can't wait to see the pics of your house as you finish projects. : )

Denise said...

Great post: Personal, Witty, Honest, Heartwarming. Reading today's post made me think of opening a letter from a dear friend.

Paige said...

I, for one, LOVE the details. Thanks for sharing.

Your family is gorgeous!!!

paige

grey rose (they/them) said...

i miss YOU.
i love these photos!
hooray for birthday french toast treats. yum.

p.s. is it weird that i just woke up and can't sleep and your blog was my first stop? praying for you right now. love you. so much.

Janna said...

Seriously some of the most gorgeous family photos of all time :) I've missed you too, btw. And thank you for the reminder that Jesus is enough because I've been all stressed out that I'm the only mom who hasn't made a crafty advent calendar yet!

{cuppakim} said...

JESUS IS more than enough this Christmas.
AMEN for that TRUTH denise!!!

Happy Happy HAPPY Thirty-old birthday. :) So happy to know you in your middle upper thirties and now as a thirty-old.

Which is similar to a thirty-year-old. Which basically means we are the same age, right? :)

Can you family photos be even more gorgeous? As I was looking at them on my phone this morning I was like WHOA denise got an AMAZING photographer. And THEN i saw that it is your husband.
AND EVEN MORE amazing is that they are self portraits!?!

Incredible.

That barn is beautiful.
What an awesome Ebeneezer to have.

Gallery Canvas those shots, ASAP.

Kristen said...

emilie's note - tears. she is awesome. i love her.

your family pictures... crazy cute. i can't wait to see what you pick for your christmas card.

i can't believe you didn't talk about my cookies. ha! j/k

i miss you and need to hear your voice. life slow down. hurry up with your house so you can relax and enjoy a chat :o) i know you are working so so hard. i can't wait to see pictures of the finished product.

you are the best. i love you!

Anonymous said...

i totally love your blog. i have been missing my blog friends too. i am having trouble balancing my time lately. and i want to blog every day and read blogs every day and ugh....sometimes it just doesn't happen :( regardless though...i love stumbling upon my favorite blogs on a day like today. your family is precious. you are too. love you!!

grey rose (they/them) said...

hello.
i came to read this again, especially that last bit.
excellent.

love you.

Gina said...

your pictures are wonderful! and I'm so glad that you are making progress at the house....it's great to catch up and was even greater to read the letter from your daughter. my prayer is that my girls would be able to say the same!

Laura said...

Denise.
I am madly in love with you.
I almost want to kiss you on that bridge.

Seriously...thank you, thank GOD, you stopped by my blog, because discovering your world is a GIFT to me today.

However, I would like you a whole lot more if you were uglier, and had a really unfortunate looking husband.
Your family is the most beautiful group of human beings I ever seen. Honestly. The good looks are out of control. If I were on that bridge with you, I might throw myself off.

Happy Advent to you...can't wait to read more...

forever folding laundry said...

I love this post!
Love your pictures - they're gorgeous!
And love your words in the last paragraph.

You have had so much going on,
and it's nice to 'see' you again!!

-keri

Simply Sara said...

umm...i miss you soooooooo much.

i wish i had more words.

you are one of my favorites.

i love the details of your family.
of your life.
of YOU.

your pictures are gorgeous.

that bridge is amazing.

emilie's letter made me cry.

when things settle a bit in your new place can we skype?

cuz' i need to see you.
talk to you.
hear you.

love ya and miss ya!

Karri said...

Thanks for popping by my blog! Love love love these photos and the meaning behind the location. And the Christmas shirts you made your girls, too (even though one is too old to wear it).