The ties that bind

Our family of four went camping with my in laws last week. I must admit I went into it with much excitement for what could be and much trepidation for some potential social awkwardness. I am happy to report that many special memories were made. We had a lots of fun to include a bald eagle snatching my recently-caught trout right out of the water, skunks in our campsite and Alivia begging for a pony ride and then refusing to actually get on the afore-mentioned pony. But more than anything, I am grateful for the memories that were made. It was really special that Alivia and Koleson got to make some special memories with Grandma and Grandpa. It occurred to me this week that someday Grandma and Grandpa will be unable to do many of these types of physical activities with the kids. I wish I had gotten more pictures of the kids with them, but most importantly the memories were made. They got to teach Alivia many things about the critters we encountered. They were there with her when she got to experience many things for the very first time.

No matter what awkward moments might have been endured and the many more that have yet to be...we are family and that's a tie that binds. We are blessed to have a family that loves us and our children so.

After some review

So, after some soul searching and discussions about the plight of this blog of ours, Timmarie and I decided that we were ready to start out on a new adventure. Probably the biggest change for us is that we dropped our psuedonames and will be publishing pictures of our children's faces. I want this to be a place where I can be me. I am going to take some risks and use this blog to process as I walk this journey called life. If there is anything I ask of you, my reading friends, is that you would come here without judgement. Who I am today is, hopefully, not who I will always be. My God challenges me to be a better woman than I am today. Somedays I will be making progress towards that goal. And somedays I will not. I desire to be honest enough to chart that journey here.

Somethings I want you to know about me. I love my husband and children fiercely. I am a total mama bear if I feel as though someone is damaging them. I am relational to the core. I need people in my life. I love to travel, go to movies and most things chocolate.
Welcome to our blog.

One Side of Us

I'm not sure why we're so chicken to just get our own individual blogs, but we apparently are. Or maybe now it's just that it's tradition to co-author. Either way, here we are!

Dareth and I met through church almost ten years ago. We share a common love for conversations that jump around randomly, since neither one of seems to be able to maintain a steady thought process. The two of us also find ourselves waist deep in awkward circumstances on a semi-regular basis. We realize that we are the common denominators in that equation.

I'm a sanguine-ish girl who often feels like the 'other friend' in many friendship circles. This allows me the opportunity to go to Jesus with a heart that says, "Pick me." It also keeps a girl quite humble, and sometimes a little lonely. Therapists, have at those last few sentences...

I love being a wife to Chris, and a mom to Addie and Brody. I don't always reflect this well, but I am determined to keep on asking the Lord to make me the best mom and wife that I can be. I love to laugh, bake, and love.