9.10.2013

Silver

Silver Anniversary....
25 years ago today
I married my best friend.
Wow, time has flown by!


French braid, white pumps and baby's breath.
That's my mom in the green dress. She looks so pretty.


That cake! Really, someone should have told me that cupids and huge red roses do not make for a classic cake. But at the time I thought it was beautiful.


A handsome Seaman in his dress uniform.


Look how young we are!
The start of our life together.
You can read my letter to Jeff here.


Happy Anniversary Sweet Jeff
I love you
xo


PS. Does anyone else feel like 25 years means grey hair and horn rim glasses?


9.09.2013

Apples & A Gentlemans Farm

Saturday was a gorgeous day.
It was the first day of sunshine and warm weather in over a week.
We had record rainfall the few days prior.

It was a perfect day to spend with my dear friend Tami 
picking apples and enjoying the peace
and quiet of their little farm.







They have 4 cows and a goat.
I just love cows. 
They have beautiful eyes and I love to hear them moo. 



Tami planted 2 huge gardens. This one is full of veggies and sunflowers. 
They had to put an electric fence around it because the
cows think its a buffet.


You can find these home made bird houses all over their property. 
Don't you love the branches attached to the outside?
They are always full of birds in the Spring.



This is Tami's daughter, Jessica.
She just graduated high school and earned her Associate Degree at the same time.
She also just returned from spending most of the
summer with Children of the Nation in Sierra Leone.




More of the cows. They are Jessica's babies.



I took Izzy out to the farm with me. 
I thought she would like to run around.
She had never seen a cow or chicken before.
The cows were not impressed.


Do you see that faint line above?
That would be the electric fence wire meant to keep 
the cows in the pasture.
In my attempt to get a super cute up close shot
I nearly killed myself.
Ok, Ok, maybe thats a little dramatic.
But I didn't know it was there until I rested my arm on it!

Tami felt so bad as I began to cry and laugh at the same time.
It seems her husband had just increased the power hours before.
Yep, it was nice and hot.
But I got the cute close up shot of the calf above.
So worth the drooling & tingling left side.
Ok, Ok, more drama.
But it did hurt, y'all!


Moving on.
This is an old grape arbor. Its pretty cool to sit under.
It is loaded with grapes.




On the back side of their property Tami planted another garden
for pumpkins and squash.
The dots of orange are popping up through the green.
It really is starting to look like Fall!





After picking apples we went spent our time out on the deck
peeling and slicing apples for apple sauce.
We also used my seal-a-meal to pre-package apple pie filling.
You just put an entire recipe for apple pie filling
into a bag and seal it up!
Later, when you want a pie or apple crisp you defrost 
and its done. Except for the pie crust, of course.
Just that easy!



Isn't this a lovely place to sit and relax on a hot late Summer day?



I also wanted to mention this beautiful artwork!
Tami's grandma painted the following pictures.
Tami treasures them more than ever because her grandmother
 recently passed away. She was in her 90's.
I think they are incredible!



She painted these portraits from photographs of children in
Sierra Leone. 
Tami is the Sponsorship Coordinator for COTN.
Both Jessica and Tami have been able to meet the many
children they sponsor there.



Thank you sweet friend for the fun day at your home.
I can't wait to make a pie with the apples!!
xoxo
PS.  Izzy says she is sorry for leaving you "presents" on the carpet
and that she will have better manners next time!!



9.06.2013

We Won't be Shaken!

  • Today I am posting a link to a beautiful song 
    that I would like to dedicate to our men and women
    who serve our country.

    May we all continue to support and pray for our troops 
    and our Nation.

    Behind every uniform is a person with a family loving and waiting for them to return home.



    To hear the song, click on the link below.







9.04.2013

Dear Jeff... Life as your Navy Wife....

Dear Jeff,

I remember it like yesterday.  The day I saw you in your pink Oxford shirt and Wrangler jeans.  Playing pool across the room.  I watched your every move, the way you talked, the way you laughed. And I knew, I knew deep within my soul that you were the one. THE one I would spend the rest of my life loving. Loving and longing for, missing and needing more than anyone or anything else in my life. Our souls intertwined at the moment our breaths met in our first words. Simple words spoken a hundred times. "Would you like to dance"?  In your embrace I knew I would spend my forever with only you.

So young. We were so young. Barely 21. You, just out of basic training, a Seaman eager to see the world from a Navy ship.  No car, and barely the clothes on your back. I wasn't interested in your material belongings, I wanted your heart, your smile and your sweetness. At only six weeks of dating we promised to marry each other the following year. I remember waiting for you as you were deployed most of that year. I wrote you every single day, numbering each letter and package. We had no Internet, no cell phones and no easy way to reach each other. Looking back it was incredibly romantic. Penning our hopes, dreams, and desires to each other and waiting WEEKS to get a response. We fell deeper and deeper in love within those letters. They smelled like the ship you were on.  A salty metallic scent that reminded me only of you. Even today, 26 years later, that smell takes me back in time to my longing only for you.

Our first homecoming was like nothing I'd ever experienced before. A pride I never imagined. Standing on the pier watching the ship on the horizon get closer and closer. Balloons and welcome home signs. Happy patriotic music playing in the background. Newspapers and TV camera's waiting to document the happy reunions. This community of people were a family. A family I wanted to be a part of. I remember the moment I saw you, tears of happiness, and how the newspaper captured our first embrace. You've kept a photo of that moment framed on your desk since.

Just weeks after your return we were married. The wedding was simple. We wanted to just go to the Justice of Peace, but the people I worked with wouldn't think of it.  So, in the gazebo of Jacksonville Beach, Florida, we exchanged our vows 25 years ago this month. An unusual wedding that deserves a story of its own. We just wanted to start our life together!

Over the years we have had easy times and challenging times. It wasn't easy when you had to deploy days after our first son was born, or years later when we lived states apart so we didn't have to move our kids during high school. You've been my rock so many times, a quiet strength that's held me together, especially when my dad passed away. I love you more now than I did on that pier 25 years ago.  The difficulties and sacrifices have given our love depth, endurance and hope. Our happiness, laughter and good times as a family out number the obstacles a thousand times over and I am so grateful for that! I wouldn't change a thing, except maybe the hair styles, because it's all worked together for good.

This month, as we celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary, you are once again deployed for our country. I look forward to standing on the pier with the other military families celebrating your safe and happy return.  Your "Welcome Home". I am proud to be a military wife, YOUR military wife.  I long to be wrapped up in your arms again, sharing stories of our day, and kissing you good morning and good night. I miss the smell of your cologne lingering in our room after you've gone to work,  your shaved whiskers in the sink and waking you in your recliner to come to bed late into the night. I especially miss your cooking and the way you bring me coffee in the morning. But more than anything, I just miss your presence, you. Because home will always be where ever you and I are together.

Soon you will be retiring,  our home will be an empty nest and our life will change once again. But, honey, one thing will never change. My commitment and love for you. Always you.

Forever Yours,
xoxo
Jodi





9.03.2013

Sand & Sea...Cannon Beach, Oregon


A gorgeous day spent with my son.
Our day in pictures.






















xoxo
Jodi

PS. Jordon took many of the beach and flower pictures. 
Didn't he do a fantastic job?