Surprised By Love

Photo Credit Sincerely Liz

I used to participate in a weekly blog link up that offered a prompt every Wednesday.  One week we had a prompt inspired by a series of books, Six Word Memoirs. The idea is that you share your story in six words.  It’s not as easy as it may sound. How on earth do you sum up your entire life in six little words?

Surprised: by love, by motherhood, by happiness.

That is my story. 

I was 21 when I met my husband. I had no desire to be married. In fact, my entire relationship goals for my senior year consisted of wanting to go on a date, just one date, which I didn’t regret the next day.  I had shared this goal with my best buddy before we parted ways the summer of 2005. He rather sarcastically pointed out I might have more positive dates if I actually, you know, said yes to a date once in a while. So, it was with my friends snarky comment ringing in my ears that I agreed to let some guy I had just met buy me dinner after our first shift together waiting tables. 

The whole thing was a bit of a whirl wind. We met on a Monday night August 29^th, 2005. We ended up hanging out every night but one that week.  Looking back we both admit to the fact that there was no real interest or physical attraction after the first night we met’ however, for whatever reason, we kept finding excuses to hang out.

A drink with friends.

Back-to-school dinner at my house.

A new movie at the dollar theater.

Helping his buddies move.

Two weeks after our first meeting he asked me to be his girlfriend.

On our first date he told me he was falling in love with me.

Two days later he said he wanted to marry me.

A week after that he said “I love you” for the first time…..Four  hours later I told him I loved him.

Friday December 9^th, 2005, with my parent’s blessing, he asked me to be his wife.

My husband is a sales man. He has been his entire adult life. Sometimes people ask him if he is  any good. He usually smirks a bit and tips his head in my direction, “I talked her into marrying me. You tell me.”

Some women may find this insulting, but I personally find it hysterical. Seriously, how on earth did he talk me into marriage in the three short months of knowing him? The answer is not a short one. I don’t have space here to describe how he went about winning me over. It was a million things. And when you put those millions of things together, I felt more loved then I had in my entire life. How can you say no to persistent, gentle, instant?, self-sacrificing love? Maybe some are strong enough to walk away from that, but for me, saying yes was the only answer.

I wasn’t looking to meet someone, or get married, or settle down, or have kids, or move into a southern suburb and become a stay at home mom. But that’s what happened.  It has been eight years since I met my husband (seven since we got married) and each step of the journey has been a huge surprise to me. But the biggest surprise is the overwhelming contentment, happiness, and joy that have come into my life as a result of his irresistible love.

Maternity PHotos

I have no idea how it happened, but SOME HOW I never managed to post my maternity photos. I'm not a big fan of photos of myself, but I knew that some day I would look back and wish I had at least a few photos of me pregnant. I realize that couple maternity photos are more common with a first than a third, but Josh and I hadn't have photos taken of just us since the wedding so we wanted something a little more romantic. We will do all the cute family shots once baby is already here.

When we decided to do the pictures I knew there was only one person I trusted to make me look amazing even as pregnant as I was. My good friend Liz is the talent behind Sincerely Liz Inc and beyond that is just a beautiful person. She did our photos last fall (which I just realized I never shared either!) and I LOVED them.

My favorite thing about Liz's work is that she really captures the moment. It doesn't feel stiff or canned to me. She is so natural and comfortable that it let us be ourselves and goof off and I feel like that comes through in the pictures.
There are a ton more photos, but I tried to keep it down to my absolute favorites in this post. Thank you again so much, Liz. You are an amazing photographer, but an even more amazing friend. My life wouldn't be the same with out you!

Coffee Date

We've had a pretty mild summer, I really can't complain. But I am going to complain any ways. This week has been miserable. Super hot and even more humid. It rains every couple days but that only makes it worse and more humid and I sort of feel like I"m living in a jungle. I was not cut out for tropical weather. So, if we were to have coffee today it would probably be a VERY large very COLD frozen Mocha, because the heat is making it even harder to sleep than before.



If were were going to have coffee I would probably tell you how much time we have spent inside lately due to the heat. Especially after we thought I was in labor on Monday. That was interesting. I went out to lunch with friends and the contractions got so intense I couldn't drive myself to my mother-in-laws so my friends had to drive me. Turns out it was a false alarm, but since then I have been staying out of the heat and I'm afraid to go any where alone!



I've also been increasing my water in take (like I could really drink any more). I feel like a beached whale to be honest, but I know it's healthiest for me and her so lots of water and rest it is.



I would probably also go on and on about my baby sewing (which I haven't really started) I got it all cut out, now I just need to assemble which I am hoping to do this weekend since the two big girls have back to back sleep over this weekend!



I would also probably tell you about my recent obsession with bracelets and painting my nails. My friend Jennifer got me hooked on Julep I am not a big subscription box person, but I figured I would try it out since you get the first month free!! I fell in love and now find myself doing my nails weekly if not more often! (Shameless plug if you sign up put in my code 16294817 if I get free stuff I'll host a give away here since I can only use so much nail polish).



I would also tell you how I am on the search for the perfect planner for the school year. I've used this planner by Orange Circle Studios. But of course what I REALLY want is an Erin Condren life planner and have shamelessly been entering every giveaway I can find in hopes of actually winning one.

I would probably tell you over coffee how ready I am for baby to be here. How I actually feel like I sleep better those first few days home then I do the months leading up to baby. I would tell you that I"m trying to be patient, however by using this time to get some sewing done and staying on top of the house so it's clean whenever she does make her appearance. I would tell you that I am tryign to even use the awake time in the middle of the night to pray more and how I am praying for the Influence Conference this fall. It breaks my heart that I can't go, but I know I can still be part of what God is doing there by praying for the those hosting, speaking, and attending. I would ask how I can pray for you in the middle of the night when I'm laying on my side listening to the drone of the window unit and the crickets.

Linking up:
Here for coffee date
and
Here for Instafriday.

Goose Turns Four

My beautiful little Goose turned four at the start of the month. I know I am horribly late on this but I thought I would share a few pictures from the day.



Hubby's brother works for a local rental company so we were able to get the bounce house and tents for free. YAY!!!!! We did it at my in-law's for space reasons and my Mother-in-law did an amazing job decorating. The cutest lanterns and bunting and all from the dollar store!






We were so blessed to have so many friends and family there to celebrate with us. My sister and her husband surprised us and drove four hours to be at the party. I love being close enough to family to see them so often. And of course love having his family, and my brother living close enough to see weekly, or even daily.


I love watching these two girls together. I didn't have a sister close in age so it's so special to see their bond and friendship. Your sisters are your first best friends.

Goose helped make her own birthday treats. So much fun to watch her in the kitchen. She wants to grow up to be "a good cooker".

And, because I know it's important for my girls to look back and see me in photos, and because some day I will a record of this baby bump, I even let myself get in front of the camera once or twice. :-)

Shop Re-Opening!

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So I have very slowly, but very surely been working on re-opening The Goose Beary Shop. Of course we will have to take a bit of a break when baby comes, but I'm excited to be back up and running and hope to keep adding so we are well stocked for the Holidays. Thought I would share a bit of what I have been working on.











Been working on dollies as well as items for my JoyLeanne Line. It's been a lot of fun to be back designing, dreaming, creating, and sewing. Hopefully I will have more to show soon! Is there anything YOU all would like to see? Let me know in the comments.

Book plates.

 



 







I've been having fun play around with photo apps today and made up some book labels. I think they would be super cute printed out on some nice card stock packaged with a glue stick, pen, and a book mark or some washi tape. Feel free to print them out for your own use and have a great weekend!

 

** I used elements from the A Beautiful Mess app as well as a background from the Rakuga Cute app to create these.

Summer Fun

I am part of an awesome, local mom's group on Facebook. Those ladies are really some of the sweetest more helpful ladies I know. Even when we don't see eye to eye on parenting issues it is, for the most part, a low drama group of women who genuinely seek to lift one another up. The past few weeks there have been a LOT of posts about things to do with kiddos that are free or low cost.  I thought, to make life easier for them, I would compile the ideas here so there are all in one place. If you aren't local a lot of these may not work for you, but this may at least give you an idea of things to look for near you!



Low Cost:

Morning Movies at Movies Ten. Their movie list can be found here.

Morning Movies at Regal Movie Theater. Their movie list can be found here.

Free Kids Bowling at AMF bowling ally. (I have this on the cheap list since you still have to rent shoes).

Sheetz for slushies. (You can get the small ones for $0.99 with a sheets card)

 



 

Free (or close to free depending on what you have around the house)

Splash ground at Riverside Park

Interactive fountain at River Front Park.

Sprinklers in the yard.

Kiddie pool in the yard.

Squirt Gun Fight.

Make Popsicles

Construction paper, a magazine, and a glue stick will keep kids busy for HOURS!

Glow stick bath.

Play Dough out side (way easier to clean up)

Make a tent in the back yard (or front yard, or basement)

Make no bake (or preacher) cookies.

Barnes and Nobles has a children story hour every Wednesday at 11:00 am and Friday at 7:00 pm.

Go to the Library.

Pick a topic and learn everything you can about it.

Finger paint in the bathtub.

Fill up buckets with water and let them splash around/paint the side wall or deck ect.

Draw with Chalk.

Blow bubbles.

Make cards to send to family.



 

Special Occasion Ideas

If you are looking for something a bit more exciting, but still some what reasonable, most of these activities can be done for less then $10.00 per person.

Splash Valley Water Park in Roanoke.

Amazement Square in Lynchburg. (Hint check out The Clutch Guide for a 2 for 1 coupon!)

Hill Cats Game. (Their web site if FULL of discounts including kids club which allows kids to attend all 70 home games for free, as well as dollar pizza nights and Half Price Tuesdays.)

Mill Mountain Zoo.

Fun Center Putt Putt.

Funquest (Has tons of specials on roller skating, the indoor jungle gym, and laser tag all summer including a Christian Music night and $1.99 Mondays)

Bounce About.

 

*Be Sure to join Groupon. Typically you can get



 

READ!!!!

Join the Dig Into Reading program.

Read If You Give A Mouse A Cookie and make cookies.

Read If You Give a Moose a Muffin and make muffins.

Read a book about Johny Apple Seed and eat apples (or color apples or something with apples).

A great list of books to read to your daughters this summer from Virginia Sole Smith. (I must also add the Betsy Tacy books to this list if you haven't read them to your little girl yet it MUST go on your summer reading list)

Ten books to read to your 4-7 year old by Sarah Bessey.

Check out Our Cultivated Life for a tutorial on how to make you own summer reading board game!

 

Pinterest

Here are just a few links I discovered on Pinterest that sounded like fun!

Sewing Cards by Handmade Charlotte

My entire pinboard of printable paper dolls.

These Sponge Balls  by One Charming Party so sound much better than waterballons!

 

Make Your Summer Bucket List

These are few of my favorite fill in yourself bucket lists available for printing at home to fill out with your own ideas.

Bugs Bucket List

Simple Bucket List

Summer Schedule Ideas

Color Your Own Bucket List

Summer Bingo Board (Great for vacation)

 

One other thing I always do is give my kids each a note book at the start of the summer. For older kids this is a great way for them to keep track of their summer adventures. For mine (4 and 5) it turns into more of a place for them to put stickers and glue stuff, but it still helps keep them busy.

I'm still working on setting our summer schedule and bucket list. Abi just got out of school and most schools don't get out till tomorrow so I'm giving myself a week or two to figure it out. But once I do, I'll be sure to share what we are doing this summer.