Love Day

Valentine's day is a favorite of mine.  It comes in behind Christmas on my favorite holiday list.  I love red, pink, flowers, girly stuff....so Valentine's day appeals to my senses!!  However, as I often remind my husband...I don't like gifts.  I see my husband and his devotion to our life as the greatest gift he could ever give me.  Every year though he freaks out that he should be buying me a gift...I LOVE that guy!!! Our life and our family is full of so much love!  Anyways, with the pictures for today....I kept the theme of LOVE....!!  (not all pictures were taken by me....these go way back).  

Our dating days....I was so head over heels for Jason.  I would have married him after one day of knowing him. 

Our first Christmas.  A funny story....we were broke newly weds.  I was still in college working part time and Jason was supporting us on a not so thick income.  I wanted a designer Christmas tree.  Big, full, over the top....but the money just wasn't there.  I bought this tree at Walgreeens for $20 and my sweet momma bought and gave me some decorations and helped me make it beautiful.  From then on, I learned such a wonderful lesson, that you don't always have to spend a ton of money on something to be in LOVE with it.  I loved my first Christmas tree.  And we used that $20 tree for about 5 years!!  It had a great return on investment!

 

Jason and I were engaged in June of 2002 and Married in September of 2002...we married on a tight budget in a sweet little ceremony.  We didn't have the money to have engagement pictures made....so after our first year of marriage my honey, suggested we have some pictures made.  A man named Kevin Jairaj took them and I am so glad we stepped out and made the decision to have pictures made.  I cherish them and my pre-baby body!!! 

So first comes LOVE, then comes MARRIAGE, then comes...

A BABY.....

In 2005, God introduced us to a whole new LOVE...a baby girl...named Preslee Jearene!

As you can tell in this photo, her daddy was smitten from the moment he laid eyes on her.  I labored with Preslee for somewhere close to 20 hours....with 3 long hours of pushing...I was introduced to one of the 3 greatest blessings I could have.  She has been strong willed and passionate from the start, but the love we have for her is so deep! You other parents know, that there is no proper way to put into words the amount of love you have for your children. 

In 2007, we were introduced to our son....Spencer Tate.  

Spencer is compeltely a "momma's boy"!!  No shame in that!! He would protect his momma and sisters in a second. He has been since the beginning a laid back, chill, easy going, loving life type of kid!!  His best friend for the first 2 years of his life was his paci!  I LOVE him so much.  

Apparently, Jason and I thought our love banks were full after the birth of Spencer...we had no more room for love.  Then 4 years later, God gave us Brooklynn Ray and over filled us with LOVE!

Every time I look at this picture of the older kids meeting their baby sister for the first time...I smile.  Not just a normal smile, but that goofy, love tank full smile.  They were so happy to have her.  She has added so much joy and love to our life (and maybe a little bit of terror...LOL).

 Remember friends, fellow Lovers of something....It isn't about how much you do or spend on Valentine's day, but about how much LOVE you show everyday.  My husband (wise man) said that if a man only makes an effort on Valentine's day to show his love...he failed the other 364 days that year.  

And we must all be mindful of the ultimate sacrifice of love shown to us by God when he choose His own Son to die on the cross so that our sins could be forgiven.  John 3:16 says, "For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in his shall not parish but have everlasting life."  We love because He first loved us...John 14:6.  I owe everything I am and everything I have to God.  I pray that through my photography, blog, relationships, children, everything and anything in my life....that Christ is glorified.  

Happy Valentine's Day.....