Handmade Valentine's R the BEST!

*We are just going to hope that when Kevin comes home, he doesn't backtrack through the 'ole blog! heehee! If he does, I'm going to be in BIG trouble!! But, I happen to know through the grapevine that at least 3 of my letters have been shared with the entire camp. So...all is fair in love & war! LOL!

Here is my Valentine on a handmade "card" & I couldn't have asked for a better one!

Dear Lori -
I've thought about this letter all week. How do I explain to you what you are to me? I'm really not sure I can. You have stuck by me through my spiritual (and almost financial) bankruptcy, and you've brought me here where you've saved my life. I came here to salvage my life, but Jesus has restored it and given me a future. A future of hope, prosperity, joy, contentment, and love. I owe it all to Jesus and you.
I want to always put your needs above mine and serve you the rest of my life. I know what our future holds, and it is some good times. We'll have a rough patch from time to time, but that's when we seek and trust God and we can't lose. You are my world. You are my gift from God.
I love you whole heartedly,
Kevin

I just wanted to share this glimpse into our personal journey through alcoholism to show anyone who may need it - there is HOPE! They have to be ready and most of the time, they have to lose everything. Kevin did - if I would've bent just an inch, he wouldn't have gone to John 3:16. He didn't want to go in the beginning. It was too long. My advice to anyone dealing with an addict is don't cave. Stand your ground. You can love them and still be firm in what you know is right. I was able to talk to someone today about John 3:16 and their struggles with an alcoholic son. It confirmed to me that THIS is what Kevin & I have been put here to do with our lives - our purpose to help others overcome and give them HOPE. Without hope, we have nothing!

4th of July Weekend

Between us and the neighbors, I think we had a pretty good display of fireworks! Kevin was like a kid in a candy store when we went in the firework tent! I mean...look at how his eyes lit up over the silly chicken firework:
We had a cookout with the neighbors, and then my cousin and her family came over to watch and enjoy the fireworks. We had a great time! We had sparklers and Roman Candles for the kids, and then plenty for the big boys to stay entertained.
Look at that mess we made in the road behind Kayce...it was ALL worth it!
For anyone who missed fireworks on the 4th, here is a video of the last one we lit...our grand finale...it only lasts about 45 seconds. If you don't watch for any other reason, watch to listen for Kevin's excitement in the background..."hey" booomm....booommm "hey". hee-hee!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Really - Kevin and I aren't "celebrating" Valentine's day until Saturday because I had class tonight, and he has to work tomorrow. BUT, when I walked in the door from my crazy Valentine party at school followed by two parent conferences...look what Kevin had for me! I LOVE tulips...tulips and sunflowers are my absolute favorite flowers! He really is pretty awesome! And, on Saturday, I am taking the day off from school work and master's work, and we are going treasure hunting or junking - whatever you want to call it when you hit a bunch of flea markets in one day! We love us some flea markets! :-)
At school, we had an ice cream sundae party for our Valentine party. The kiddo's were HYPER all day. All of you teachers know how it is...on party days, we should just come to school for the party and go home. It is impossible to get anything else done. To make it even more chaotic, it was casual for a cause day (where they pay a $1 to wear whatever they want instead of their uniforms). Let me tell you, uniforms do make a difference in their behavior b/c anytime they don't have to wear them, it is a wilder day!
I am so lucky this year, my parents and kids are awesome...look - I got even MORE Dr. Pepper for Valentine's day! I love it! Boyfriends and husbands of teachers have it easy on Valentine's day b/c we get so much chocolate at school! ha!

And...we get to keep being a kid - look at these Valentine cards...they are so much fun! I am like a kid b/c I still love to dump them all out at once and read them! LOL!
Hope you all had a great day!