Robert and I have both been married THREE times!

To each other! Gotcha!  

Today is the anniversary of our Civil wedding: May 30, 1995.  We had bought our first house and didn't want to live together. Andrew was our only witness.  If you are wondering why Andrew was our only witness then please read this beautiful post.  The 2nd wedding was our Protestant wedding on November 11, 1995.  Andy was our ring bearer.  Our third wedding was at our parish, St. Andrew (yes, I love that it's St. ANDREW) when I was brought into the church and our marriage was convalidated.  That was November 11, 2003.  Our friends Rhett and Kathleen, who were our sponsors and witnesses for our Catholic marriage, gave usa card that said, "If you have married each other 3 times you must be meant to be." 

So, to my Hunny, my very own Prince Charming (even when you are not so charming):

Happy 1st Anniversary of 13 years (feels like 30).

As always you are the

 love of my life, 

lust of my loins, 

guard at my back, 

fabulous dad to all our kids, 

an amazing provider, 

our stalwart supporter, 

my best friend, 

my sexah lovah, 

secret joke sharer, 

coffee co-addict,

and God-given soul mate.

I will forever be the nagging pain in your butt who spends too much money.

"I know you of old" (wink)

Sending  waves of love your way.

Love forever, 

Your Hunniest of Bunnies

Happy Anniversary to Me

Today I celebrate two momentous occasions: my marriage to my hunny and my coming into the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. The first took place 12 years ago. The second, 4 years ago. I am very happy about both decisons. Here is the picture taken on our actual wedding anniversary which was also the day our marriage was convalidated and I was brought into the Church, November 11, 2003. (The wedding was 11/11/95). Andrew came into the Church the following Easter Vigil, April 10, 2004.


In the top picture are our (A list...private joke) friends, who were also our sponsors.
Left to Right: Rhett, Andrew, Sean (Rhett & Kath's ds), Fr. Adam, Robert, Me, Deacon Lloyd, Claire (Rhett & Kath's dd and Andrew's best friend) & Kathleen.

In the bottom picture is just us: Robert, Me, Autumn, Andrew & Ben

Hall & Oates

Okay, I hated these guys in the 80's, but I think the following was a cover they did (or maybe it was their song) either way it seems to fit an aspect of my life:

You've lost that lovin' feelin'!
Whoa that lovin' feelin,
You've lost that lovin' feelin'!
Now it's gone, gone, gone!
whoa, whoa, whoa!

Hey, I guess it can't last forever? :-(

G'nite

Love is where it's at.

Okay, so Autumn is in an early Lindsay Lohan phase. She started watching the remake of Parent Trap and is now on to the remake of Freak Friday. I, personally, loved both of those remakes. I imagine she'll want me to track down the Herbie (the Lovebug) remake Lohan did too. It's a shame that Lindsay, herself, seems so messed up. She's got a lot of talent. But that doesn't mean much...really? If one doesn't have their priorities straight and/or they possibly had a family modeling messed up values, all the talent in the world won't save one from loneliness, despair and sinful choices.

So, I won't feel guilty that Autumn is having a Movie day. Coz even though, Lohan, personally, may be trying to figure out what is most important in life, the girls she's playing, in the movies Autumn is watching, are girls who find out what IS the most important thing in life, which for a young girl , happen to be a loving family life. Everything good can flow from that.

I am in a Scripture & Papal Encyclical study at my Parish. It is a 4 year program for Moms and there is one for Dads. However, at our parish, there weren't enough dads to form a group (kinda typical huh?) . Anyway, I digress. In Familia, we are studying encyclicals written by Pope John Paul II (the Great). He constantly reinforces the Truth that the family IS the domestic Church. The family is where IT all starts. IT being LOVE. This is why it is so important to work at having a loving marriage (which is no cake walk!). My kids may blush and turn away when Robert is kissing me or I am giving him a welcome home from work hug. But they are lucky kids. They know their parents really love each other (though, unfortunately they've heard the arguments too) and that nothing will change that. How can I be so sure? Because Robert and I, finally got our priorities straight. God comes first. God is love. Real love. Demanding love. But, of course, the best love.

In the "Letter to Families" section 14, JP II writes:
14. The Love which the Apostle Paul celebrates in the First Letter to the Corinthians -
the love which is "patient" and "kind" and "endures all things" (1 Cor 13:4,7) -
is certainly a demanding love. But this is precisely the source of it's beauty: by
the very fact that is is demanding, it builds up the true good of man and allows
it to radiate to others. The good says Saint Thomas, is by it's nature "diffusive".
Love is true when it creates the good of persons and communities; it creates
that good and gives it to others. Only the one who is able to be demanding with
himself in the name of love can also demand love from others. Love is demanding
It makes demands in all human situations; it is even more demanding in the case
of those who are open to the Gospel. Is this not what Christ proclaims in "his"
commandment? Nowadays people need to rediscover this demanding love, for
it is the truly firm foundation of the family, a foundation able to "endure
all things". According to the Apostle, love is not able to "endure all things" if
it yields to "jealousies", or if it is "boastful... arrogant or rude" (cf. 1 Cor 13: 5-6).
True love, Saint Paul teaches, is different: "Love believes all things, hopes all
things, endures all things" (1 Cor 13:7). This is the very love which "endures all
things". At work within it is the power of God himself, who "is love" (1 Jn 4:8,16)
At work is also the power and strength of Christ, the Redeemer of man and the
Savior of the world.



That is "the" kind of love Robert and I stumbled upon (thanks entirely to God's grace) a few years ago, and amazingly love each other more, because of how demanding love is, instead of less. So, I guess that is what is wrong with the real lives of those like Lindsay Lohan...too much superficial love. The "it's all about me" kind of love. Which really isn't love, but lust for things, people, experiences. JP II takes about real love being the "gift of one's self for/to others". The fake love is about what gifts one can give to oneself. Isn't it interesting that you can empty yourself for God and others, out of love, and feel so FULL...yet, you can acquire "people, places, things" all day long and be left feeling so entirely EMPTY? Well, I want to feel full. I want my kids to feel full. And they will only feel full if Robert and I love each other and love them with the kind of love God wants...then maybe (with a lot of hope and prayer) they will grow up to have what poor Miss Lohan is missing...authentic, demanding, wonderful LOVE!

Peace out,
Rach