Be still my heart

One of my all-time favorite shots of Phia. Every time this photo pops up on Daryl's iphone, I melt. These years are going by so very quickly! I pray every day--even in the midst of chaos--that I treasure each moment, each giggle, each kiss, each grubby little hand, each tear, each picture-just-for-Momma because all too soon it will be gone and they'll be grown.

Daryl and I enjoyed a few laughs today reminiscing on the difference a few years makes. Nine years ago March 3rd, after a fun-filled day at the Whitaker Science Center in Harrisburg, Daryl asked me if I would like to date him. I replied, "Sure. I'm game." I knew that night that I would marry him. Sounds crazy, I know. But true. Even after our one-and-only fight when all seemed to be lost, I still knew in my heart that he was it. I knew that God had put us together from the very beginning back in 1997. And I've never been more thankful for anything in my life.

I may sit one day and write "Our Story" if for no other reason than I'm a romantic, I love reliving our dating days, and its a great story...and I'm certainly not biased or anything.

I think the biggest reason to write it is its a personal testament to the hand of God at work in my life.

Every time I think of Daryl, I thank God. Our realtionship is a personal reminder of the blessings that come from seeking and following His will for my life. Its a blessing that I do not take for granted.

So here we are nine years, eight in business, seven (and a half) married, six kinds of crazy, five+ acres of our heaven-on-earth, four kids, three moves, two people still crazy in love, and one dog later and I don't want to take a moment of it for granted.

After all, Daryl's famous line to ask me to date was "if we left college and never gave us a chance, he felt he'd miss out on a golden opportunity"--I couldn't agree more. There is so much I would have missed. I'm simply grateful that "missing out" wasn't a part of the plan!