This old house

 

Is our new home!

 

Moving day isn't until July (God willing)
but we are crazy busy just trying to prepare.
We are really excited to start making memories
together in our new place.

Even more though...
I'm just grateful to have a home, freedom, food
on the table and a wonderful family
 to share it all with.

 xoxo

eight years

married.

to the best guy on earth.

and here's why

1. no matter where i go with you,
it's always a great adventure

2. you love to play with your girls

3. you walk humbly in your greatest accomplishments
(plus you're still sexy when you're bald)

4. nothing will stop you from putting
forth your best effort (even the
supervision of a five year old)

5. you're always happy to watch the kids

6. your family is your greatest joy in life

7. you make beautiful things with your own two hands

8. you're not afraid to dream big

You inspire me to be a better person.

I love you to the moon and beyond.

"If you live to be a hundred,

I want to live to be a hundred

minus one day so I would never

have to live a day without you."

~Winnie the Pooh~

birthday love

 

It's been eighteen years since I first met you.
It was at that very moment I first felt true love.
It was the day that my world was completely changed ~
I was given a purpose beyond myself.
Only eighteen myself when you were born,
I had no idea what it meant to be fully
 responsible for another life. 
But I purposed in my heart from that very day
that I would give you all that I had.
You would be my first priority.

And now here we are.
Your childhood has come and gone
in what feels like the blink of an eye.
I look at you as you prepare for graduation,
college, life on your own and my head swirls
with visions of:

sit & spin on the kitchen floor
beeth-oven
hairbrushing tears
dance parties
pedicures
movie nights
lonnnggggg talks
sunrise walks on the beach
popcorn & milkduds
thriller dance
young life
heartache
doritos
france
& so much more

I look at you now and am amazed
at the young woman you have become.
You have a heart of tenderness,
and a beauty that runs deeper than
any photo could portray.
There is a spirit of giving in you
that is felt by those around you.
You are gifted with the ability
to draw others to you,
and to love on them in the
way they most need it.
You bring joy to the hearts of
those that know you best,
those that call you family
and those who call you a friend.

Today I celebrate who you are
and who you are yet to be.
May you always know the love
I have for you
wherever you go,
whatever you do,
even when we disagree.

You will always be my first true love.

mom

Daisy

Our pastor's daughter is once again

battling cancer in her little body.

For the third time.

She just had surgery to remove

 a tumor today which also resulted

 in the removal of her spleen.

And through it all the Merrick family is

Trusting

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the LORD:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease. He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

(Psalm 91:1-4 NLT)

I ask you, if it is in your heart,

to join our entire church community

in prayer for this dear family.

To find out specific prayer needs

click the link on the side of this page.

Love to you all.

What a difference a year makes

March 2011

  

March 2012

Was looking back through photos today
remembering what a little bundle
our baby J was...
and what a firecracker she is now.

Reminscing the yesterdays.
Loving the todays.
Pondering the tomorrows.

The little things

 

My Mr. and I got to get away for a couple
of days to one of our favorite places.
We hiked.
We ate.
We found ticks....yuck!
We befriended cows.
We ate some more.
We enjoyed one another's company...
Without kids.
It was fun!

And I was reminded once again
why I love this man so very much.

Look out for the salami

Our little miss has been filling me with

laughter over the past week with her

incredibly inventive vocabulary.

Earthquakes have been the main topic

that are occupying her thoughts right now.

She's been worrying about them quite a lot.

So last week when she brought it up

our conversation went a little like this:

LM: I keep feeling like an earthquake is

happening

Me: Why is that?

LM: Because it always feels like my bed

is shaking at night

Me: We haven't had any earthquakes lately

that I know of

LM: Well I guess an earthquake is better

than a salami.

That would be really bad.

Me: What's a salami?

LM: It's when the water comes up

onto the land.

I like salami.

But not that kind. 

I'm gonna miss this age.



vessel of love

As much as I adore these beauties,
being a wife and mother
can be a frustrating and challenging
task at times that sometimes
leaves me feeling haggard and worn out.
I have had my days of exhaustion,
anger, worry, fear and tears.
ANNOYED.  Boy, can I get annoyed
by my children (and occasionally my husband too).
But the gift I have received in knowing
these precious people I call family
outweighs the hard times a hundred times over.

I am realizing that usually the rough days
are that way because I allow the pettiness of
circumstance take center stage.
 I do not want to be a mother, wife or friend whose
days are dictated by circumstances.
I want to set my sights on what is higher
 than life's daily ups and downs because those things will
always be present and many times out of my control.
I have a choice to live in joy or to live in the
fleeting moments of a world that is everchanging.
I can choose to be a vessel of anger or love.
A vessel of bitterness or forgiveness.
A vessel of harshness or gentleness.
I choose the latter. I will fail at times~without a doubt.
And on those days I will ask for forgiveness,
readjust my focus once again,
dust myself off and move forward.

The fact that God has entrusted me with
these lives to love, serve, guide, discipline,
forgive and learn from is an enormous gift.
One that I would never exchange or return,
because they were wonderfully made
that I may enjoy and delight in who
they were created to be.

Hope you are enjoying the people you love today.
Everyday.

"If you have only one smile in you
give it to the people you love."
~Maya Angelou~

twenty twelve

Oh how I am filled with excitement for this year!
So much to strive for.
So much to live for.
So many people to love.
Big changes are coming.
I can feel it.
Opportunities for growth
and new found wisdom are awaiting.

Will there be trials?
Without a doubt!
Will there suffering?
For sure.

Yet...
I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
I will tell of all the marvelous things
you have done.
I will be filled with joy because of you.
I will sing praises to your name,
O Most High.
Psalm 9:1-2

...and peace will be mine.

Wishing you joy and peace in this
new year from our family to yours.

xoxo

baby love

November 2010

How does one year produce

this much change,

this much beauty,

this much growth?

December 2011

feeling blessed more and more

each and every day.