Happy Anniversary Ricky!

Well, today is my anniversary, so it's only fitting to express my love and gratitude for Ricky.

It's been SEVEN years!

It's gone so fast, yet it feels like I've always been with him.

We talk all the time about how strange it is to be as old as we are, 

and yet we've only been married for seven years. 

For those who don't know, we met online. 

It's not something I would recommend for everyone, but we were lucky enough to have it be a great experience.

How else was I going to find my Southern sweetie?

I remember the first time we started 

communicating with each other.

I almost knew IMMEDIATELY that I was going to marry him.

I know that probably sounds CRAZY, but.....no one ever said I was normal.

And NO ONE EVER said Ricky was normal.

So CRAZY works for us.

We started talking, and I knew he was something special.

I could feel it.

I felt a sense of peace that I hadn't felt for a long time.

I felt a reassurance that I would have happiness again.

And I felt great hope that I might actually find someone who would love me and who would help heal wounds that had been so painful.

It was a crazy whirlwind of events and we
were married 7 weeks later.

I still look back on it and think, "WE WERE CRAZY!!"

But, I'm so thankful that we were both willing to take a leap of faith.

Especially Ricky.

He was a single dad with 6 kids and he took it very seriously.

When we made the decision to get married, I remember thinking, "Thank you Ricky."

There are a few moments in life when I have felt
that kind of gratitude.

It was a feeling I'll never forget.

I was so grateful for the chance to share my life with him.

I was so grateful for the chance to have him be a part of Keely's life.

And I was so grateful that he was willing to trust me enough to be a part of the lives of him and his children.

I will always be grateful for that.

I will always be grateful for him.

He has loved me.

He has helped heal my heart.

He has been patient as I have tried to figure out 

how to be a mom of so many.

He has helped me to be a better person and encourages 

me always to be my best.

He is always willing to see me in the best light.

It's wonderful to be married to someone like that.

It's hard to feel bad about yourself when you have someone who lifts you up and encourages you every day.

So this is for you Ricky.

Thank you.

Thank you for doing the dishes.
Thank you for cleaning the truck for our dates, just because you want it to feel special.
Thank you for letting me warm my cold feet on you.
Thank you for the funny little dance you do.....and for the way it makes me laugh.
Thank you for changing my oil, fixing the toilet, repainting the house, building the coolest bunk beds and for making my waffles extra cripsy.

Thank you for giving me the chance to share my life with 9 amazing children, who are my whole world.

Thank you for the consistent example of someone who takes the higher road and does the right thing, even though many times it's the harder choice.

Thank you for loving me. All of me...flaws and all.

Thank you for loving my Keely and for making her your own.

Thank you for being someone I can trust and admire.

Thank you for making me laugh...and for letting me cry when I need to.

Simply put, thank you for who you are. 

You are the reason for my happiness.

Happy Anniversary.

My Kindness of the Day?

Ricky took me camping this weekend for our anniversary. 

And these two sweet friends came with us.

What's kind about this?

Well, this is only the SECOND time my sweet friend 

has EVER been camping.

I think it's safe to say it's not her favorite thing.

And then there's also the fact that is was freezing!

But, she came any way and I'm so glad she did.

Such good friends.

Such good times.

The Dentist.....Gone Horribly Wrong.

Many who know me, know how much I LOVE going to the dentist.

not.

I. Hate. It.

I feel the anxiety building for days.

As a child, I had some rough experiences, and some bad zingers!

You know the ones.

The ones that shock you to your toes.

And then you cry.

Finally I learned the beauty of gas at the dentist office.

Such joy.

Such peaceful, wonderful joy.

Until the numbing medicine wore off and I got another zinger.

As I got older, I was told that I was metabolizing the numbing medicine too quickly.

So every time they lovingly numbed the spot, it ALWAYS wore off right in the middle of the drilling!

Well, recently I went to the dentist.

Being older and wiser, I asked my dentist to PLEASE make sure that he REALLY numbed it good.

I basically begged.

I asked him for the good stuff.

The REALLY good stuff that I KNEW he had.

This time, my amazing, wonderful and very gentle dentist told me he used the strongest stuff there was.

.... and ....

ZING

It still wore off.

He was shocked.

I was not amused.

So he got that bad-boy numbing stuff out again and I could tell he was REALLY saturating my poor gums with it.

Needless to say, it worked really well.

A little too well.

Complete paralysis on one side.

Complete.

From the top of my head and down into my neck.

For hours.

MANY hours.

HAHAHAHA!!

If you cover one half of my face at different times, you will see two very different emotions!
Pure joy.....and pure shock.

So funny...and a bit disturbing.

hahaha!

And if that's not entertaining enough, I've decided to swallow all my pride and attach a short video that Hannah took.
I really think the laughing gas or numbing stuff made me a little high or something.

Sorry it's sideways. :)

VIDEO

So.....

currently I LOVE my dentist.

LOVE him.

No zingers after my lovely numbing cocktail.

Not a single one.

A Happy Heart: A Happy Home

On her way home from college, Hannah drove through Laramie, Wyoming. She found the house I grew up in and took a picture for me. I've looked at it a couple of times since putting it on my computer. 

My mind goes all over the place when I look at it. 

My parents raised 10 lovely little kiddos in that house. Granted, it also has a basement, but even with a basement, it was not a big house.

But, it was our home.

And I loved it.

What I love more are the memories that come flooding back to my mind when I think about my life there. I look at the front yard and I remember countless summer days of weeding my mom's flower beds. Actually, they were the 'mounds', and I thought they were beautiful. I remember lying on the grass during the day and staring at the big blue sky and finding shapes and animals in the clouds. 

I look at the garage door and remember waking up really early and rushing to the garage to see if my dad was successful on his hunting trip. If he was, there would be a carcas hanging in the garage. I don't remember ever really thinking it was gross. I just remember feeling really proud of my dad and excited that he got something!

I look at the gutters running along the sidewalk and remember floating anything and everything we could down them. We made boats out of leaves, twigs, etc. 

I see the front door and remember grabbing the screen door and yanking it open as I ran inside screaming at the top of my lungs, as my mom chased me with the hose. Surely I could outrun her. And I did. I made it safely inside. Only for my mom to open the door and squirt me anyway, breaking all the rules. Such a funny mom.

Just inside that front door was the piano. The piano that I dusted every week. The piano that I practiced on every week. It sat in the living room where my dad created his funny home movies. The living room where we watched Dukes of Hazard and Fantasy Island. The living room where I got my beautiful bleach bottle bride doll that my mom made for me one Christmas. I'd never seen anything more beautiful.

I see the parking spot on the left and I immediately see the blue and orange Volkswagon bugs that zipped in and out of that little space. And I remember snow storms that would blow snow drifts to the top of those cars.

I look at the yard and it seemed so much bigger back then. It looks so small now. We had water fights and snowball fights. We searched for bugs, we laughed and we played hard. I never remember it feeling small.

I look at the spot where the sidewalk out front meets the one that leads to the front door. I remember standing in that spot with a broken heart as I said goodbye to that little house when we moved to Seattle.

I look at this picture and I'm filled with gratitude for parents who turned this little house into a warm and loving home that always felt big enough.

It has made me think about our house here. 

Ricky built it, which makes it very special to me.

It wasn't built for nine kids, but in spite of being just a bit cozy, it's a wonderful home.

I can't tell you how much I love it.

Seeing this picture of my old home has turned my thoughts to my kids. I hear them in their bedrooms laughing with each other. I hear them chasing each other down the hall.  I watch the light fixture in the living room downstairs shake as the boys wrestle each other upstairs right above it. I watch them outside as they pull logs up to make seats and have a tea party. I watch as they climb the trees, and then sit up there and read. They are building their own memories. As they get older it's fun to listen to them as they laugh about things that have happened in this house over the years. Their memories are just as special to them as mine are to me. And I love that. 

When I look at the picture above, it really isn't all that impressive. It's not a big fancy house. It's not even that pretty to look at. But, in my mind, it is one the BEST houses around.

Anyone can have a house.

But, love is what turns it into a home.

I love the homes that I grew up in.

And I love the home I live in now. 

But what I love most is who I have had the blessing of sharing these homes with.

That will always make my heart happy.

Simply Sunday: My Birthday

Well, it's official. I'm another year older and it was a wonderful birthday.
Can I just say AGAIN how wonderful my family is?
Ricky treated me to a wonderful dinner out and my kids were very good to me.
Every year I get the best homemade cards from them and to me, they are treasures. A lot of our kids are boys, so they don't tend to be all mushy and gushy like us girls. But when they make me a card, they always try their best to communicate what they are feeling. It's such a special treat and I keep every single one. 

Having birthdays in the middle of your life is an interesting thing.

On most days, in my confused brain, I still feel like I'm 18. 

My memories from growing up are still so vivid in my mind, and those moments don't seem as far away as they really are.

It's strange.

Emotionally and mentally, I don't feel 44. Some will laugh at that. But, I just don't. Not that I know what 44 should feel like. But, I thought that when I hit my 40's, I would have it all figured out. Because when I was growing up, the people in their 40's had EVERYTHING figured out! They were perfect in my eyes! 

HA!

Now I'm here and I see how ridiculously untrue that is.

While there are many things I'm still working on, there ARE SOME things that I've figured out.

My childhood myth: I planned my life. I knew where I would live, how many kids I would have, had my list of the PERFECT qualifications that my husband would have, and just KNEW that I would have the perfect life and that everything would go according to plan. 

My Reality: Life really, honestly is what you make it. It's not perfect. Things don't always go the way you plan them. And you have to be flexible, patient and accepting of your life to really be happy with it. There are really hard things that we'll go through. And I've learned that with each hard thing, I am a stronger, better person. I've learned to really be grateful that my life didn't turn out exactly how I planned as a child. It's so much better.

My Childhood Myth: I think I really almost believed that money grew on trees. I had awesome parents, who had 10 kids, and I don't remember doing without the things that were most important. If we needed something, it was there!
My Reality: As I got older, I realized that there was no magic money tree, but magical parents who made every sacrifice necessary to take care of the family they loved. And I love them for that. I WISH money grew on trees. But, I'm also surprised at what we can actually do without. It's been an amazing experience to have this many kids. Very difficult at times as we try to meet everyone's needs, but they ask for so very little. We have learned that wordly things don't bring happiness. But, these nine kids sure do.

My Childhood Myth: That I would marry a perfect man and that I would be a perfect wife. We would be in love, and live happily ever after.
My Reality: Well, I didn't marry a perfect man, but he is perfect for me. I am also not the perfect wife. But, I believe that I am perfect for him. We make each other better. We make each other stronger. And we make each other happy. But it is hard work. It's a choice we both make every day. Marriage is definitely work. It's requires constant focus and effort. But, I do still believe that I will live happily ever after.

My Childhood Myth: To be as valuable as others, I needed to be as skinny, have the best clothes, be as pretty as them, sing as well as them, be as smart, etc. etc. etc.
My Reality: That I am just as valuable and as loved.....just the way I am. I'm not the skinniest, the prettiest, don't have the newest, most stylish clothes, don't do many things as well as others, and I'm definitely not the smartest. But, I really like ME. I've worked really hard to be ME. And although I have insecurities like everyone else, I'm so much more comfortable and content being just me.

My Childhood Myth: I would be the PERFECT mother. I would never lose my temper. I would have fun crafts and games ALL THE TIME, I would cook elaborate fancy meals, I would be the perfect teacher of everything good and important, my kids would be perfectly well behaved, they would think I was the COOLEST mom EVER.....all the time. And in our home you would never hear a cross word, because I, the perfect mother, would know how to solve all things.
My Reality: Well, it's just that. It's reality. There is no perfect mother. And I am no exception. But, I love the chance to try to be a really good mom. I have days where I do better than others, and other days when I feel like I totally blew it. My kids have challenges, some of which I know how to help with, and others that I have no clue. But, I try every day. And on some days it's really hard. Harder than I ever thought it would be. But, worth it. Soooo very worth it.

So, although my reality is so different than I pictured when I was growing up, it's wonderful. It's challenging, it's hard, it's filled with many things I have to struggle to figure out, but it's also really great. My life is filled with happy and joyful moments that balance everything out. If I let it. I'm grateful to have been on this earth for 44 years. It's been a crazy 44 years, and I hope I have many more. 

It's been a very happy birthday.

I'm so happy I'm here living this crazy life!!

I Love...My Marriage

I Love My Marriage

It's been a yucky strep-filled couple of days, but we're all starting to feel human again.

When I'm sick, I tend to think more emotionally. Maybe it's a girl thing. I don't know. That combined with my month of "love", has had me thinking about my marriage. When I'm sick, my sweet husband is always so good to me. No matter how much he has on his own plate, he always makes time to take care of me and takes over my responsibilities until I can manage again. Needless to say, he has A LOT on his plate right now. So, watching him juggle everything has filled my heart with gratitude and love for him.

As I write this, I think of some of the people I love most in this life. They are going at this crazy thing called 'life' alone right now. So, when I write about my marriage, I want you to know that I'm aware of you. I have been there. And I hope that by reading about my life, you'll realize that good things will come. There is always hope. And there are still REALLY GREAT cutie-cuties out there, just waiting to find you!!

When I think about marriage, I think about hearts, flowers and big smiley faces ALL THE TIME!!

Because marriage to Ricky is PERFECT and NEVER EVER hard.

hahahaha!
 Ohhhh...the beloved gut giggles begin...

While I have a very happy marriage, it is not a perfect marriage.
I've learned that there is a difference.

I've seen this quote a lot lately and I love it.

"I am satisfied that happiness in marriage is not so much a matter of romance as it is an anxious concern for the comfort and well-being of one's companion. Any man who will make his wife's comfort his first concern will stay in love with her throughout their lives and through the eternity yet to come."
-Gordon B. Hinckley

Isn't that powerful? And aren't the Hinckley's the cutest? 

I love it! It reminds my of my own sweet husband and what he's done for me this week.

Marriage will NEVER be easy ALL the time. It's not supposed to be. 

I believe that it's full of challenges, tricky things you have to work out, and just plain hard times.

But I also believe that those things are so vitally important.

When I think about my marriage, I think about how much I have learned from the challenges we've faced. I am grateful for those things. We've had to face a lot of things together, and we are stronger because of it. 

As I've thought about that quote, I've thought about how I do as a wife. How wonderful would it be to always make Ricky's happiness and comfort my first concern? I would like to think that I always do this, but then reality sets in and slaps me hard, and I realize that I can ALWAYS improve in this area. That is my goal right now. To make sure that I find ways to let him know how much I love him. Sometimes I get so caught up in taking care of the kids, and the house, and everything in between, that I sometimes feel like I don't have enough left to give to him. I know you girls know EXACTLY what I'm saying here. Because we all do it!

But, in the end, he is the one I'll have left.

So, right now I love things that help me focus on my sweetie.

Like the month of "LOVE".

If you are reading this, then maybe we can do it together! Let's share the love with our cutie-cuties! It doesn't really take much. Just a little bit of time, some extra attention, but mainly it starts with the thought of wanting to love him even more.

And wanting him to know that.

So, Ricky......if you are reading this.....know how much I adore you.

I have learned a great deal from Ricky. One of the things he always says is that it's a CHOICE to love someone. And it's a choice you have to make over and over again. There are no perfect spouses. There are no perfect marriages. There are dreams of a perfect spouse and a perfect marriage, but then that darn reality sets in again and you realize that it's just like everything else. It requires work, forgiveness, patience, a willingness to listen and to learn. It requires more giving than taking and a great deal of love.

I am grateful for a husband who lives those principles and contributes so much to my happy marriage.

We're not perfect... 

But, we sure are happy.

I love him...because I choose to.

And I'm so happy that I've been smart enough to do so!!

I LOVE YOU BIG DADDY!!

I Love...My Friend Cathy

I Love My Friend Cathy!

Now just take one good look at her face and tell me 

she's not absolutely beautiful.

The best thing about Cathy is that she's just as 

beautiful on the inside.

(her husband is equally wonderful)

Why Cathy out of all my amazing friends?

Because 11 years ago, I got a phone call about a darling little 15 month old baby girl who needed a family.

And that phone call happened because of Cathy.

Because Cathy thought of me, I became a mom.

My first miracle.

And I can't tell you how much I love her because of that. 

When people do things like that, it isn't just a normal feeling of gratitude that you have. It is almost a sacred feeling of overwhelming gratitude. It's hard to express. When I stop and think about being Keely's mom, I always think about Cathy.

And I'm always grateful.

Love is about thinking about others. It's about being aware of someone else and what is important to them, what is hurting them or what their struggles are. It's about reaching out and trying to make a difference. 

Cathy did that for me. 

She knew my heartache and my desire to be a mom. 

And she loved me enough to think about me 

when this sweet little baby needed a mom.

I love you Cathy.

I always will.

My Mom and Dad

It All Began With Them

I love this picture for so many reasons. Mainly because it represents the beginning of my family. And since my family is something I cherish above all else, it makes me very thankful that they decided to get married! They raised 10 kids and now they completely spoil 37 grandchildren.

I couldn't love my parents more.

Aren't they adorable?!

They have given me so much more than life.

They have taught me by the power of their examples. They have taught me to believe in myself, but to also believe in the goodness of others. They taught that it's always better to put someone else's needs before your own. They taught by example that you give until you don't have anything left to give...and then you give some more. They taught me to have faith, not just in myself, but in a very loving Father in Heaven who knows me and is always there. They taught me to laugh, when I wanted to cry. They taught me to forgive, when I wanted to be mad. They taught me to never give up. Never give up on myself, never give up on others, and never give up on trying to do better and be better. They were patient with me, even when I didn't deserve it. They forgave me, even when I didn't deserve it. They have always seen the very best in me and expected the best out of me! 

They are everything to me.

Look at those faces! They are completely lovable!

One of the most valuable lessons my parents have taught me is how to love. They have taught that loving someone is hard. It sometimes comes with really tough challenges. But, they taught that you don't give up. I am so very thankful that they never gave up. When I think of my dad, some of the first thoughts are of how much he cherishes my mom. He absolutely loves her. From my earliest memories I have always known that about him. There's a saying, "The greatest thing a father can do for his daughter is to love her mother." His willingness to always show that has been a powerful force for good in my life. And my mom. Well, anyone who knows my mom knows she's just good. She is loving and kind and it's all mixed up with a bit of sassiness. She has been an exceptional mom. A mom I will never be able to measure up to, but I have fun trying every single day.

They are my heroes in every possible way.

Thank you Mom and Dad. 

I love you.

Hannah

I thought it would be fun to start introducing our crazy kids! Since it's the week of Hannah's birthday, I thought I'd start with her.

so...

Heeerrrre's Hannah!

Where to start...

Hannah is the oldest girl...a fact that she is very proud of. :) Being the oldest is also something she takes very seriously. Being one of the oldest in a big family is hard in many ways. Especially if you are the oldest girl. But, Hannah has handled it with a bit of her own Hannah magic. From day one she has played a critical role in our family and has cemented a very special place in my heart.

Back to the beginning...

After a couple weeks of talking to Big Daddy on the phone and on the computer, we decided it was time to actually meet. So plans were made, a ticket was purchased and it was all set in motion. I was excited and nervous at the same time. When I got off the plane, I made my way down the FOREVER LONG walkways in the airport...getting more nervous as I walked along. Then I saw him. But, he wasn't alone. He had brought back-up!! NO FAIR! That was the first time I met my sweet Hannah and I'm so thankful that my first memories of this experience include her.

Hannah had no idea what to do with me at first. I've tried many times to put myself in her shoes and have tried to imagine what it must have been like at the age of 12 to have a new stepmom move in. I instantly felt a deep love for Hannah and in a strange way felt very connected to her. It's hard to explain, but it felt as if she had always been in my life. She has been much more than a daughter to me. She has become a treasured and beloved friend. She is someone that makes me feel like all is right in the world when she is around.

What are some of my favorite things about Hannah? I literally could talk your ear off for days about that question. I will do my best to describe her. Since she is away at college, my emotions feel very close to the surface, so bear with me if I get a bit too mushy.

I do have my box of tissues right here, so I'm ready to go.

...sniffle, sniffle...

HANNAH

She is a hard little creature to describe. She is unique in so many ways and doesn't really fall into one category. She is gentle, sweet and compassionate, yet she is a force to be reckoned with and is incredibly strong willed. She cares deeply about the people in her life, yet she doesn't let what others think about her dictate her actions and choices. She's goofy and quite hilarious (at least I think she is), but she can be very serious and contemplative. She will lay on you, hang on you and have no regard for your personal space, but she requires her own personal space or she goes crazy. (heeheehee..I love you Hannah). She is really, REALLY fun to scare, but she's also REALLY good at scaring me. I don't like that part so much.

Remember I mentioned that Big Daddy was gullible? Well...so is his daughter. Actually, that is an understatement. She is REALLY gullible. And I have completely taken advantage of that...many times. Come on! We all have to have a little fun in this life! Right?

Well, one of my favorite tricks I played on Hannah involved our sweet little Luke. When we sat the kids down to tell them we were having a baby, we talked to them about names. As a joke, we told them we were going to call him Dwight if it was a boy. Well, through the whole pregnancy we had Hannah believing that his name was Dwight. At the beginning of my baby shower, Hannah ran up to me and said, "Veronica! You need to let everyone know his name is Dwight! They have Luke written on everything!" 

AHH-HA-HA-HAAAA!

Needless to say, I still have a hearty gut giggle when I think about that. 

I know! I'm so mean!!!

Hannah is absolutely wonderful! She is a loving sister, she is a total daddy's girl (she's just like him in MANY ways), she's a great listener and someone I always feel safe talking to. She is patient and forgiving. She is adventurous and is never afraid to try new things. She has great courage and there is nothing I can think of in this life that will ever be able to hold her back from accomplishing really great things. She is my favorite chic flick buddy, especially Pride and Prejudice...ahhh...Mr. Darcy! 

I think she's beautiful in every possible way. 

How could you possibly not agree?

Hannah, I love that you sing at the top of your lungs. I love that you are confident, yet humble enough to recognize that there's always room for growth. I love that you believe in people and in life. You make me laugh harder than anyone (except for maybe Dad) and can make me cry in an instant. I am grateful that you love your Father in Heaven. And I am grateful that you love Dad the way you do. It has been fun to watch you figure out your own life and to learn to make really good decisions. You have been responsible and cautious about the right things, and that has been a great example for your siblings. Thank you for making the choice to make room for me in your life and in your heart. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for deciding that I was worth a chance. I miss you more than I can express and love you more than I ever thought was possible.

That's my Hannah.

...thank goodness for tissues. 

Introducing Ricky!

Just looking at this picture makes me happy. I truly am a very lucky girl. He's everything to me and I love him beyond words. So...here's my introduction of my sweet, hilariously funny, incredibly charming and amazing husband Ricky.

Almost 8 years ago I went through a very painful divorce. It was the hardest thing I've ever been through. It made me question everything in relationships and I worried that it would change my ability to trust in someone loving me. I didn't want those struggles, but I guess it's just part of the territory. After a very lonely period of time, I made the crazy decision to get on the internet. I guess I just wanted some hope that there were still some good men out there. Being alone the rest of my life just didn't sound like a lot of fun!  I came across Ricky's profile and decided to say hi. That started it all. Seven weeks later, I was on a plane with my cute little daughter flying to Tennessee and we were married. CRAZY! We still laugh about it. But, I believe that there were too many little hearts on the line that needed stability, so we were just pushed quickly along.

He's a good ol' southern boy!

Ricky is a Tennessee southern boy, through and through. He loves turnip greens (YUCK!), leaves 3 black eyed peas on his plate on New Year's Day, knows how to work hard, loves his momma's cookin' (and so do I!), does the farmer's nose blow (I won't elaborate, but it's gross), has rock solid integrity and says it how it is. He's a wonderful father. He loves his kids and puts them first. He teaches them to be honest, to work and to not use the trials in life to become excuses. He expects them to behave and is a southern dad who's not afraid to be tough. Last, but not least, I think he's got the cutest little southern accent!

He's the BEST!

The best part about being married to him is what he has done for me. It's been helpful to be married to someone who went through the same heartache. He has understood all the little quirky things that come with divorce. He has single-handedly rebuilt my confidence, made life feel very safe again, and makes me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world. He has healed my broken heart. I have never felt more loved or cherished. He has been my miracle, in more ways than one.

He's FUNNY!

He makes me laugh like no other. When you tickle him, he giggles like a girl, he even howls if you get him good enough! Makes me laugh just thinking about it. He has these funny dances that he does. Don't ask me to describe them...it would be impossible. But, take my word for it, they would make you laugh every single time. He's gullible. He swears he's not...but he really is. I get him all the time. Most recently I had brought a baby home in a carrier (I was watching him for a bit) and told him I just found this baby in the parking lot. It only took a couple minutes to convince him and the worry and fret started to show. I know! It's mean! But, it makes me laugh so I can't stop! I promise, I didn't let it go on for very long. He has a very quick wit and there has not been one day since I've met him where I have not laughed. That alone is a great gift to give to your spouse! It makes life much more fun!

He's like my DAD!

He loves to build things and work with his hands and can fix anything, which is so WONDERFUL when you have a home with this many kids. Something is always breaking, needing repaired or getting worn out. He's great at math (THANK GOODNESS) and is the math homework specialist. Growing up I was always amazed that we could ask my dad ANY question, and somehow he always knew the answer. And Ricky is the same. It's like living with a walking encyclopedia. He isn't afraid to show his emotions (which I think is incredibly manly). He loves order and loves having a clean house. And he's not afraid to help to keep it that way. Most of the time when I'm cooking (if he's home), he is grabbing the dirty dishes and pans and cleaning them just as quickly as I'm done using them. He works hard in our home to keep it nice, and loves to work with his kids. I didn't think I'd find anyone like my dad, but instead I married his little mini-me.

He loves Heavenly Father!

This has been the most important thing to me. He loves his Father in Heaven and tries every day to do what's right. He is a godly man who understands the meaning of loyalty, integrity and virtue. He takes his role in our home and family very seriously and that has made me respect him more than I can say. He loves to pray with me...and for me. He also knows and understands the scriptures inside and out, which is so much fun. He loves to serve and is always willing to help when there's a need. I told you I was a lucky girl!

Well, that's my sweetie in a nutshell. There are a million and one more things I could say about him. Most important is that I love him, he loves me, and we work every day to make this crazy thing called marriage work.

He's Ricky...and he's all mine! :)

Hello!

Well, with the much needed help of some beloved sisters, I've finally done it! I've created a blog. I do believe I am one in a small handful of others who have not already accomplished this great task!

Why a blog? I guess I feel like life is going by so quickly. I'm a 43 year old mother of nine, who can't even remember my own name on some days. There are so many wonderful moments that happen in my every day life, and I guess I don't want to forget them. In a home of this many children, life is constantly throwing exciting new things at you, and in spite of all the chaos, I want to remember how very special my life is.

So...

Nine A Plenty.

A little history on my life. After trying for 10+ years of fertility treatments, I had the amazing blessing of adopting my sweet and very special Keely. She was 15 months old at the time and was my whole world. I always knew that I would love easily, but was surprised by the instant power of the love I felt for her. It was overwhelming. And my life of nine began.

After a heartbreaking divorce, I met Ricky. He had 6 absolutely darling kids that he was raising, and in a whirlwind of craziness, we decided to join forces! He informed me that he felt like he was done having kids, and I told him, "That's great! Because I couldn't help you if you weren't!" We thought seven was GREAT! So our blended family fun began.

One month after getting married, I started feeling really crummy. Eventually I took a pregnancy test, then ended up sitting on the edge of the bathtub looking at the results...POSITIVE. There's no way to describe my thoughts and feelings at that moment. I had fought so hard to be ok with the fact that I would never physically give birth to children of my own. There had been so much heartache and despair that I had worked through. And now I had 7! I thought life was complete. But...SURPRISE! I was pregnant and 9 months later, Luke entered the world and changed all of our lives. Our little bundle of joy was our greatest miracle. He healed hearts, he connected us all to each other and helped us to all feel like a family. So EIGHT! Eight was ENOUGH! We were busting at the seams in our home, but felt so happy and blessed.

Another surprise pregnancy ended in a very painful miscarriage. But EIGHT was still wonderful and was certainly still enough.

After a yard sale where all things relating to pregnancy and babies was sold...ANOTHER surprise pregnancy. I couldn't believe it. Nine months later, Lucy entered the world and again a little tiny baby changed our lives. She has been such a joyful little cutie. She is number NINE, and nine really is plenty.

Our family is not your typical family. We are blended. We have kids who struggle daily to deal with the effects of divorce. But, we have worked really hard to build a family that is strong, a family who loves one another, and a family who makes the best of what we have. And the best is pretty darn good.

So, that's my life in a nutshell. I love my nine. I have only given birth to two of them, but I love the other seven as my own. They are my greatest joy. And they are mine.

Nine a plenty...here we go.