Happy Birthday, Dear Hubs!!!

If you would like to join other bloggers on this Wednesday walk, visit Lynnette's site for all the details.

Today we are celebrating his birthday for the 23rd time together!!! WOW!!! That makes us sound a little bit old, huh??? YIKES!!!

Today's memory is of that very first shared birthday...his 18th! Man, we thought we were hot stuff! I also don't have too many memories of that evening.
I, unfortunately, don't have any pics of that birthday...this one is pretty close to it when we went to Six Flags that summer.


We went to dinner that evening with his parents and Grandmother to a restaurant off of Stemmons Frwy...Mother Tucker's. Does anyone remember this one? The food was really good....that I do remember well!!!

We had only been dating a few months but already realized we were falling in love, and those around us knew it! Just a couple of months after this, we literally began talking about our future...together!

My gift to him that evening? Why 18 kisses, of course! Too bad he hasn't let me continue that tradition for many years - something about how it would take too long!

I love birthdays and my desire is that everyone notice and make a big to-do on my special day! However, oppisites do attract and his desire is for the day to pass quietly and shared by only those closest to him. So today, that is what I am trying to do...this is my big to-do for the day!!!

To my dear hubs...I love you. You are such a precious part of me and I am privileged to be your wife and share in your daily life. I pray today that you will be blessed and that in the year ahead, you will continue to seek God's will for your life, family and business.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow....like my wonderful 41 yr old husband!!!

God's girl, Pamela

I'm not sure what to title this. I'm not yet sure what all I am willing to share with you! Is that a horrible confession?

Yesterday was my 40th birthday. OOOOOHHHH! I really don't like saying that! I enjoyed being in my 30's! Oh, but I digress!

I'm not sure that it can be explained, but my sister and I have birthdays just 3 days apart and somehow as adults it seems very important for this one day to be extra special for us! We try to do it for each other, but there just seems to be something missing when my immediate family 'forgets'! But, I am tired of looking so childish about the whole day, so I determined in my heart to make yesterday good, myself! And of course, with God's help, it was an absolutely beautiful day!!!

As I was taking the girls to school, there was the most awesome sunrise! I told the girls it was my kiss from God, my gift for my birthday! It was truly gorgeous, lots of gold, pink and purple in the sky against the backdrop of blue...what could be more beautiful than one of God's creations?

I decided that for dinner, I wanted to have a nice, candlelight dinner! It was really neat! This was only the second time in our marriage that I have used my china...which you can see here. I thought it was beautiful! It really filled up the feminine side of my love bank and dear hubs didn't snivel at all!

This is just not his thing and he would really never think to do this for me, so if I want to have a candlelight dinner, I need to do it for me! And that is okay! God did not give my family to me to make me happy, He gave me the ability to lean on Him and find joy in the smallest of tasks! Or the prettiest of tables! Or the most beautiful sunrise! Or the embrace of my dear hubs and girls!

It turned out to be a wonderful birthday! Bunny really enjoyed the dinner; romance is something she craves even at her young age!

Now on to other things; I have been reading Churched and I got to a point that brought up some really painful memories. Most of it has made me chuckle, even laugh out loud and have to read a portion to my family! But then, I hit about midway and the Lord just really let me know in no uncertain terms that I need to deal with some memories! I hope to get back to the book soon!!! I have a feeling this will not be the only place I have to stop for awhile!

Bunny has a long day ahead of her today, it is a pre-UIL band competition. If they make it into the finals, they don't plan to be home until 11pm! We have not yet heard where they are in the standings but I will let you know in the next week. They have our town's Band Fest on Monday night, then actual UIL competition on Wed. Busy week ahead for her!

DD1 is enjoying her presidency of the Christian club at school! For the next few weeks, a couple of her officers will be giving the lesson so she has had time to work on European History this weekend! Next weekend, they are planning a party for the Christian club to get everyone together off of school grounds and hopefully get to know one another better.

Thank you for continuing to pray for my girls. It is really neat to see how God works in their lives. They are so different and His love towards them is tailored just to fit their needs, just like the rest of us!

I guess I really have no scripture to share today. And as far as what all I did tell you, I also deleted the first half of the post...it was just not good, it was not from God! I really want all that I share here to have His stamp of approval! I desire to encourage you in your walk with our precious Savior.

Hope your weekend is awesome!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow....

God's girl, Pamela

This big ol' house

As I mentioned in my post below, I love my house! It was an answer to prayer 12 yrs ago and holds many memories of love, laughter and life. It is also BIG! The girls were small when we moved in and I wanted a place they could grow up in. Now, don't get me wrong, by current Dallas standards, it ain't so big...not even 2,000sf. But it is big enough for us!

However, the girls are at camp this week so it is just hubs and I wondering around in this big ol' house....and it seems HUGE!!! The puppies aren't too sure what to think about it all, they are just happy to always have a seat in the living room! (up on the furniture!!!)

See, yet another reason to be thankful for my house!

Another reason to be thankful today...it is hubs 40th birthday! I thought it would be our first one alone since his 21st but now it looks like after Miss PD goes home, we will have dinner with his parents. That is okay, though, since we didn't get to on his 21st...we were overseas!

I remember the first of his b-days we shared together, he was turning 18! We went to a really nice restaurant with his parents and Grandmother McCurdy. I also gave him 18 kisses for that birthday! Not sure that he would sit still for 40!!!

I am always amazed at the amount of time we have actually been together, and it is only by God's grace. Both of us came into this marriage with some really buried secrets, and those secrets almost tore us apart at the seams.

If you are divorced, I want to let you know that God's grace covers your situation when you give it to Him! I know there are times when there really is no other way...or when a spouse wants out, no matter what pain it causes others around them. I am only telling you my story, not the way it should be.

My story hurts! I can only love this 40 yr old man by the grace of God. If I held a grudge, I would not be here! I remember one day just desperately asking God if He still loved me, because I knew my hubs didn't and I no longer loved myself because life had worn me down!

You already know how it turns out, God did not leave us in the desert of pain. It was not instant deliverance, we had to walk through consequences of our sin and had to learn to truly love one another and live together. It took years! Thankfully, hubs is patient and a bit selfish...you see, he never wanted out of the marriage, he knew where his blessing was! It was me that could not stand the pain. Me, that could only see the walls between us. Me, that had to call upon God just to make it through an hour.

I really did not intend for this blog to be so long! I hope you can now understand a bit more about how thankful I am for the wonderful man God gave me. We began dating in Mar of '86 and married in Dec '88. We have lived in two different countries, 3 different states, 4 if you count the one overseas, and lived in 9 different cities. God has been faithful each step of the way. GOD IS SO GOOD!!!

I pray that you have and will continue to find God faithful in every area of your life. Sometimes, it hurts! But nothing in my life compares to the hurt Jesus felt on the cross, I'm sure. He knew not only rejection, but horrible physical pain as well. He has already walked the road set before you, He only asks that you follow him. I am so preaching to the choir, I am still learning this truth myself.

Be blessed by the mighty hand of God today!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow....

God's girl, Pamela