a day of gratefuls.

From the time I woke up this morning, my cup was overflowing. I was keenly aware of how this day expands beyond just my relationship with my husband, and into how grateful I am for all the relationships in my life the Lord has blessed me with. It has been on my mind all day - how rich am I!

 This network I have - the support system in my husband, from my dear friends, my beautiful mentor, the young women in my life who are like my sisters, my mom and dad: I am rich. My amazing in-laws who deserve so much more than to have the "in-law" attached,  the families I have nannied for that still are a big part of me, I have thought of them all today, and wanted to hug each and every one of you. 

So today - on a day set aside for celebrating the "ONE special person in your life" I am celebrating them all. Don't get me wrong, I am extra aware of the special man I have in my sweet husband today - but I am so thankful for this perception of "my net" and how grateful I am for the love of my Lord in putting all you in my life. 

happy valentines day. 

love + commitment

Well, as it's Valentines day, I am overwhelmed with all the love going around. :) So I thought I'd share a few things about commitment that have been standing out to us lately. This past weekend, Jared and I had the honor of attending a dedication for two special little girls. Their mommy and daddy are very special to us, close friends and solid examples of a Godly marriage. When they asked us if we would consider taking on the role of Godparents for their girls, we were so honored. We have the ability to invest in these girls' lives spiritually as they grow, and we will not take that lightly.

As I was thinking about the responsibility and joys of what our role in Aubrey & Emma's life looks like, it brought me to think about not just how much we need to love them, but how much commitment is involved when you are a special part in someones life. I'm not just talking about husband/wife relationships, but also friendships, coworkers, extended family... it takes work to maintain healthy relationships! In my attempts to be the best wife I can for Jared, I hope I never forget that I should also be praying over, investing, and remembering how important all the other relationships in my life are.

I so desperately want to be a good wife. friend. worker. listener. daughter. homemaker. carer. Is it all attainable? I want every facet of my life to show that I am invested, and that what I am doing matters to me. Because what I do matters to the Lord. It is for Him that I work. listen. be a friend. care. love my husband. And that takes commitment! I am praying this valentines day that my "love" spills over into all areas of my life, and that it shows itself in my commitment. Ryan & Mindy, Aubrey & Emma, we love you, and we are commited to praying for you as a family.

But... it's still a romantic day. And even as I'm feeling the depth of this "high bar" called commitment, it still gives me smiles when I saunter into the bathroom to find the small things like valentines roses and a love note from my romantic husband.

Happy love + commitment day friends!

Collosians 3:12-17
"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. "

loving.

it's been awhile, i'll admit. much has been going on here as jared and i have made the transition back across the country. we've taken plenty of walks in the cooler weather, drank a fair share of spicy chai tea, smothered the dog with lovin, and are essentially trying to settle. more to come on all that i'm sure. for today though....

i'm loving....

* my doodle dog
* creative fall decor
* wispy grasses and nature walks
* spicy chai tea from trader joe's
* yellow maple's
* my family
* my amazing hubby
* traditional fall decor
* that cute face

happy monday everyone! hope you find some things to love today.

Favorite season.

Fall in Minnesota. Ok, so maybe I'm half cheating. It doesn't look like this here in West Virginia (but it did last year at the MN landscape arboretum), so I'm getting my kicks from old pictures of what REAL fall looks like. Takes my breath away every time.

One of the things I am always reminded of in the fall, is how thankful I am that I grew up in a place where the changing of the seasons actually meant something. I have traditions I remember, memories of the warmth of home, and changes in the weather and the scenery that invoked excitement and new activities. I simply love this season. And the main reaason is because it reminds me of home. Plain and simple - fall is home in Minnesota.

On that note... stay tuned, as Jared and I have some pretty awesome news regarding both fall, and Minnesota. But for now, I hope you can enjoy this wonderful change of season and all the meaning it brings to you!

I love him

Despite the buysness that has been our life lately.... when I step back, I am reminded at how wonderful it is to go through all that busyness with a rock solid best friend.

This is "Fat Patty's." A hole in the wall - college town hangout - that probably lives up to it's name health standards wise - but was (literally) the single best burger I have ever eaten in my life. What the Cheesecake Factory is to cheesecake, Fat Patty's is to burgers. Never seen so many styles! My burger happened to be called the Vampire Slayer. Oh yes, it was infused in every way, shape and form with garlic. I don't know that my husband would have called ME his best friend that night. ;) But it was worth it....

*We were blessed to have a visitor with us this night as well! My best friend Jena was in town!!! She will be making her east coast trip route back our way this next week so a blog on our adventures will come then. We will definitely be having some.

So, on a much lighter note than last time, I am SO rejuvinated when I can spend time with my man. :) He is everything I need (in this earthly life), at times when I can't be it myself. We have grown so much in these past weeks, and I am truly blessed to have a husband like him. Truly. Blessed.

One Year

July 10th was a great day. Hard to believe that it was already one year ago Jared and I stood before a few hundred of you and promised to love each other un-conditionally. I'll give you an update: we love each other MORE! This year flew by, and definitely brough with it it's fair share of challenges and upcoming changes, but I couldn't be more thankful for the spouse God has blessed me with!

We spent the day in many wonderful ways. A new favorite restaraunt of mine called Crave, in downtown Minneapolis pamered us with the (BEST) salmon I have ever had, a (HUGE) steak for Jared, and (FREE) blueberry and peach crumble for dessert. (It never hurts to ask...) We had a nice leisurely 2-or-so hour dinner and just enjoyed talking about last year. So fun to remember!

It was a gorgeous evening out.... we strolled around downtown and ended at the Hilton where we were going to stay for the evening. I love hotels downtown. It's almost enchanting to see the tall buildings all lit up from your window. Definitely doesn't happen everyday! And I'll say it again, it NEVER hurts to ask. We recieved so many upgrades just by telling them it was our 1 year wedding anniversary. As we did on our wedding night. :) Not cheating the system... just asking. :)

A huge breakfast awaited us the next morning. And we ate up because we spent the day at Valleyfair! I had been asking/telling Jared that I wanted to go with him sometime for the past year or so. So a day of fun awaited us for our anniversary! We picked one of the hottest days, conveniently, and although we practically scorched ourselves, there was hardly anyone there! And that means NO lines. But they knew what was good for them... we drank tons of water, applied tons of sunscreen, spent tons of time at the waterpark, and rode one ride too many. Finishing with  "Steel Venom" pushed us over the edge. We were both walking wobbley after that long day!

Unfortunately, we walked into the park to discover the camera battery dead. :( So no pics of our dizzy eyes and sunned faces. But we had such a fun weekend of relaxing and celebrating each other. The Lord has blessed us so significantly with each other, and for all that's to come, I know that He will continue to help us grow even closer together.  

To the next year!

With Jesus

As some of you already know, Jared's Grandpa Jack went to be with Jesus this past week. No more sorrow, no more pain! However, it has left a hole in the family, and he will be greatly missed. I was so fortunate to be able to spend time with him while becoming a part of the Johnson clan. He and Grandma Barb would come out to Storden to visit in their RV. Although I never drove with him, I hear that there was never a better RV driver than Grandpa! I was warmed by his care and his love for me, even though I was such a new addition to the family. Jared and I, on more than one occasion, have spoken about how THANKFUL we were that he was able to make it to our wedding in July. His joy over that was written on his face and in his laugh. It is a special memory for us!

Being blessed with wonderful grandparents is a gift - I not only have them myself, but I have gained! I feel blessed by the love they have shown to me, and the love I already have felt for them as grandparents. Grandma Barb gave me a special gift for our wedding day... a beautiful pair of earrings that I  had noticed months earlier. And every time I look back at pictures, it is a small, but significant reminder of the love grandparents have for the grandchildren.

I know the love that Grandpa Jack had for ALL his grandchildren, it was overwhelming. And I feel so blessed that I was able to be a small part of it. A glimpse into the hearts that loved my husband... there is nothing better. I ask for prayers for the whole family - specifically for Grandma Barb, as well as Jared's mom, Chris as we look back on, and thank the Lord for Grandpa Jack. We are headed down to Arizona tomorrow through the weekend to celebrate his life. Praise God from whom all blessings flow - the Lord has given and the Lord has taken away... BLESSED be the name of the Lord! We love you Grandpa Jack!

Hold tight to the hand of Him, whose love will comfort you!

Romans 15:13 "May the God of ALL hope, fill you with all joy and PEACE as you trust in HIM, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit!"

**All photos in this post copyright/courtesy of Fishtale Photography**

How we did Valentine's

It was the best love day we have ever had! On top of it being all nice and spring-like outside, both Jared and I were really excited to spend a special day set apart for the specific purpose of celebrating each other and how much we love each other! And I think we would both agree, the day was definitely set apart! You know how sometimes everything you want/had planned to happen just kind of falls into place perfectly, (even though you were preparing for it not to) and at the end of the day you reflect and think, "wow, that all couldn't have gone better!" Well, that's how our Valentine's day was for us. I know it won't always happen, and I'd be foolish to live under that high standard mindset, but for one day, I am so thankful it happened.

We had decided to spend the first part of the evening in. Both of us simply love our "home time" together, and I wanted to do some cooking for my husband on our first Valentine's day! I spent the day in the kitchen, loving every minute of it! That joy just encompassed our whole day - even in the preparation time for me. I kept thinking about how thankful I am for Jared and how much I wanted to celebrate that. When that kind of JOY really hits you - you take it all in. Our menu for the night was a baked chicken penne in a tomato cream sauce, fresh roasted asparagus, and a new decadent favorite... jumbo chocolate caramel salted cupcakes! Say that 5 times fast! The cupcakes took up a good chunk of my morning, but they were SO worth it. Jared and I have never tasted homeade frosting like this before. It was the softest, fluffiest, melt in your mouth, goodness ever. One of those "never lose" recipies!

Did I lick every beater and spatula I used? Yes. Was it a good idea? Not really. Was it totally worth it? Heck Yes.

Add a pastry bag...



Then a little caramel & sea salt and.......
Taaadaaa! I made these!

When Jared got home, dinner was ready to roll, it all smelled marvelous, and I had another beautiful decoration to add to the table! There is just something about red roses on Valentines day, istn't there?

And our dinner was absolutely delicious! Both Jared and I are Italian fanatics, so a classic cheese chicken pasta made us both happy! It's comfort food. :) We added some healthy sides and a small dose of champagne, and celebrated!

And... the gift I wasn't sure when it would happen.... CAME TONIGHT! Probably the cutest, most thoughtful present I've received. (no, it's not a dog. hehe) This takes the (cup)cake!! Check out my  husband - before and after!

So, why did we break his "streak" you ask? (In case you weren't aware, this is the first - yes, first - time Jared has ever gotten his hair cut at a salon. I felt like a mom of a 1 year old at their first hair cut taking all these cute pictures of him!! :) Before I came into the picture, Chris (his mom) would cut his hair, and now I do.) So breaking the streak - Since his hair was so long, he figured it would be a much cleaner affair to have someone else do all the cleanup rather than us in our kitchen. A-GREED. It was such a fun, spontaneous trip, and a huge treat! I did like his long hair, but it was just time. A truly sacrificial Valentine's day gift, and one that created such a fun memory for us!!

Post-haircut, we decided to drive as far north as it would take to look at the stars outside the city lights. It was a clear night, and so fun to just spend time in the car driving, talking, driving, just the two of us, to cap off our night. A very late night picture was in order when we got home - I wish we would have taken one earlier when we were both more awake/looked more awake(!), but I guess we were just having too much fun! I hope you had a blessed Valentines Day! We are so fortunate to love - and only because HE first loved us!

Celebrating.

Yesterday, Jared and I joyfully celebrated our 6 month anniversary! Neither of us can believe it has already been half a year that we've been husband and wife. Everyone tells you time only goes faster once you're married.... and so far we believe them! We celebrated with a quiet (favorite) dinner at home - turkey burgers and greek salad - then went skating at Centennial Lakes, capping it off with scrumptious dessert at Maceroni Grill!

I love ice skating with Jared. He continues to get better every time we go :) and I love watching him! Thankfully it was a really pleasant evening. It was lightly snowing and there was no wind, so it made for a very fun night. On top of that, there were hardly any other people there, so we got a chance to have it almost all to ourselves, goof around, and enjoy each other!

We are excitedly looking forward to many more months of the Lord's faithfullness to us, the JOY of marriage together, and the fun fun times that we have. (Laughing definitely brings us closer... even if it does involve my adorable  husband on ice skates.)