Weekend Getaway

 

Last summer Dustin and I began dreaming of how we would celebrate our 10th anniversary. We hadn't done anything too exciting together in a long while, so we eagerly anticipated this excuse to do something big!

 

Little did we know just how big things would turn out!

 

David Judah was born just seven days before our 10 year mile marker! Not so great timing for a cruise or a trip to the Bahamas! But we still enjoyed a nice dinner to a local favorite on the day with baby Judah as a tag along. We didn't mind. Can you believe we didn't take a single picture? I think we were both in a sleep deprived state.

 

Well, to 'make up for it' we decided to go away for the weekend just a few weeks ago. It had been ages since we had done that and we needed it.

 

We had the hardest time decided what we wanted to do. We are pretty boring people, not too adventurous. But we finally figured out one thing we like to do together besides eat. And that is hunt for antiques! And we did just that.

 

We went to a tiny little town upstate SC and stayed at a B&B where they are famous for their breakfast AND antique shops. A perfect fit! Here are some snap shots of our weekend getaway...

 

 

 

The Main house of the B&B. This is where we had our breakfast. It was just a few minutes stroll from our little cottage. 

Our first night there we enjoyed looking around our quaint little cottage and a wonderful meal at a German restaurant, Oskars. They seriously had the best grits EVER!  We even attempted some frog legs, something neither of us had ever tried before. They were a weird combination of fish and fried chicken, quite yummy!

The next morning we got up bright and early (thanks Judah) and headed down for our much anticipated breakfast. Not only was it scrumptious (my mouth is watering) it was beautiful, which I loved and so appreciated. It's always been a dream of mine to have a B&B, so as to have an excuse to use fine china for breakfast every morning! I was jotting down notes the whole trip!





After our amazing breakfast, we began our hunt for treasurer's. We had a whole list of places throughout several different surrounding towns but ended up only making it to three places all within walking distance of where we stayed. It was so much fun. These are a few of our finds!

Our second morning, we enjoyed a nice stroll through their well manicured paths and another wonderful breakfast. Judah wasn't so thrilled about it (although you can't tell from the above picture!) so Daddy took him out on the front porch so that he wouldn't disturb the other guests and so that Mommy could finish her breakfast (and his!). I love that picture of them through the foggy glass from where I was sitting. He's such a good daddy.

 

 

It was a great time away, but not nearly long enough! We hope to do it again soon. And can you believe we still didn't get our picture together! Oh well. Maybe next year!

Happy Anny to Us!

I know you must all be waiting with bated breath for another 6 part Anniversary post. I am so sorry to disappoint. Yes, it is our 10th Anniversary today and probably warrants such. But alas, that ship has sailed and another has sailed in (we call him Judah) so this will have to suffice.

The other day I was napping on the couch. The older three were at Nana's and baby was snug by my side. I turned on a Netflix movie for some background noise, something I could sleep through. The cursor landed on Emma, a Jane Austin movie. Good enough.

I dozed in and out for most of the movie. At one point my ears picked up the monologue Emma was having with herself.

Emma, making it her personal mission to play match maker has found herself in a possible match with Mr. Churchill. This was what she wrote in her diary that night... 

"Well, he loves me! He was on the verge of telling me when his father burst in.

I felt listless after he left and had some sort of a headache, so I must be in love as well. I must confess, I expected love to feel somewhat different than this. I may determine how deep a love I feel through his absence."

As I laid there with my eyes closed, feeling the warmth of the little body next to me, I smiled. Laughed really. "Listless and a bit of a headache...??" Is that all love is?

No, of course not. I mean, he does give me a headache every now and then. And I'm sure I make him feel listless after a week of playing 'housewife'. But I'm pretty sure that's not the kind of listlessness or headache our dear Emma was referring to.

Thankfully, for those of you wondering, Emma does come to her senses, as much as a character from a Jane Austin movie can. She sees the irredeemable faults in Mr. Churchill (not to mention he was engaged to another anyway) and suddenly awakens to the love she has for the one and only Mr. Knightly. *Sigh*

HOW ROMANTIC!!

(gag)

So what does love look like 10 years later?

Love is ~

Watching your man rock a baby in the middle of the night.

Stretching across fuzzy heads to steal a kiss.

Your heart leaping just a bit when you hear the front door open after a long day.

Waking up to five loads of laundry folded neatly on the table.

That feeling of security.

Him calling to let you know he got a babysitter for tonight.

My head against his chest.

Catching him staring at me.

Long car rides of comfortable quiet.

Working it out.

Forgiving and being forgiven.

Holding his hand and still loving it.

Understanding without words.

Deep compassion for the other, even when you're hurt.

Crying at the thought of losing him.

Praying so hard.

Watching him hug the other little lady in his life.

Seeing the trash can out by the road.

Watching him play catch with my little men, their eyes glowing.

Text messaged pictures of him and the kids having fun on dates.

Him saying no to meetings to be at baseball games.

Conversations about nothing that mean everything.

The quiet "I love you's".

Smelling him while making the bed every morning.

Picking up clothes dropped on the floor.

Seeing him in each of my four children.

Looking forward to more of him...

If you ask me, that beats any silly Jane Austin movie!

Happy Anny, Baby! Can't wait for the rest of our lives...

Happy Birthday to my Man

We have celebrated many birthdays together over the almost 10 years of marriage

and the 5 years of dating before.

Never have I known what to get you. You'd think by this time I'd be better at it... 

So sorry that I'm not.

But even though I've never been good at gift giving, I hope you know how

much I love you and how thankful for you that I am.

God has brought us so far and has done such a beautiful work in our marriage.

I am thankful for your hard work and faithfulness to us. Thanks for not quitting.
I am so thankful for the way you provide for us, the stress you endure, all you have accomplished. You make me so proud. So very proud.

I love your sense of humor and the fact that I get you, when not many

others do. You make me laugh every single day.
I love that I learn more about you each day.

I love to hear your thoughts, to know what you are thinking.
You teach me so much.
I love your courage. You aren't afraid to do what needs to be done. Or say what needs to be said to stand up for grace and righteousness. You challenge me.

I LOVE that we are having another of us. I can't wait to see what he looks like.

I love that our boys look like you, walk like you, talk like you and love what you love.

Thanks for loving our kids. For changing diapers, for putting them to bed, for getting up the million times it take to make sure they are still in bed! For disciplining and talking with them.
For praying for them.

Thanks for making chocolate chip cookie bars and coffee every morning
and dinner sometimes when I can't. For doing our grocery shopping.

Thanks for hanging pictures and doing the things that matter to me, even if they don't matter to you. For telling me I'm beautiful when I feel like a beached whale.

Thanks babe, for loving me.

And for making me feel loved. You are the gift.
I love you.

Happy Birthday

Seeing the Good

I have been aching to write this post.

Before Olivia's letter, I left you with a heaviness. It is where I am and have been yes, but it is not ALL of where I have been or where I am.

There is so much more to it.

I feel strongly the importance of facing the hardness of life and the goodness of God and how they work together. I feel strongly the importance of talking about it. Being real and honest. Not pretending that there isn't, excuse my crudeness, crap to deal with on a daily basis. Such as difficulties in marriage, raising children, disappointments in life, sin ever-invading...

But I also feel strongly the importance of sharing the good that God has brought from it or is bringing. The gifts He gives us in the daily. Where and how He blesses. We are all so different, therefore the blessings look a little different.

We should never live in the past. But what a waste it would be to not learn from it. To appreciate the good, to recognize the blessings. To give thanks for what He has given. And to share with others.

Isn't that what we work so hard to teach our children? To be honest, to give thanks, to share?

So here is my sharing of some of the gifts God has given me this past year and my choosing to see them...

#1 I must first begin with my husband. Please understand, I am not trying to be predictable.  But I must say these words to him and I must share my heart with others, because I believe it's important.

I was reminded through my mother complimenting Dustin over New Year's, of how I just don't say it enough.

I think life gets in the way too often and we focus on the stresses and the not fast enough's and the not as I would have done it's... And we miss the heart behind the man. Our men. And instead of complimenting and showing appreciation, WE fall short and nag instead.

I'm not a huge 'nagger' (at least I wouldn't say so), but I do too often stay quiet on the other side of things. I just don't say thanks enough.

So, I am saying it now.

Thanks, Babe, for all you do for me and for the kids.

I know you say you don't do much, but you really do. A lot is found in the little. Especially over the last several months when I was down physically or emotionally. You stepped up, you took over and you didn't make me feel bad for it. You were the support I needed when I didn't feel like I could stand anymore, or take yet another blow. You stood up for what was right. You prayed with me. You took the kids, you made us dinner, you cleaned up the kitchen and did the laundry and put them to bed, so I could do what needed doing or not do. I don't think I would have survived well without you.

In the past, the stresses of life had a tendency to tear us apart, to divide, to cause strife and trouble between us. I am so thankful things are different now. Instead, we have come together and acted as a team. I am so thankful. You are one of my biggest blessings, and you shone brightly in the midst of so much darkness. And I thank you.

#2 I have been struck hard by the significance of the church in a believer's life. 'Church' has always been an integral part of my life. I don't remember a time when I wasn't involved in a local church. It's just the way it was. It was never a fight or a drudgery. I loved it. It was important to me, I wanted to be there, even as a young child.

But I don't think I truly appreciated how vital it is to a believer's soul.

When our pastor left, we were devastated. I think I mentioned before that I just wanted to close the doors for a while, take some time to mourn, recover in the silence, in the darkness. I was frustrated when the very next Sunday we were there, sitting on the front pew, singing, worshiping, and yes, crying. Can't I do this alone? On my bathroom floor??

I wondered how our assistant pastor was able to give the sermon he did that day. How the singers were able to lead the congregation without falling apart. How people walked about smiling and chatting, talking together as if nothing had happened. But that wasn't true. Not a single person in that sanctuary didn't feel what had happened.

Over the weeks that followed, as my mind continued to process and grieve over our loss, I began to see more and more. I began to understand.

It was something our assistant pastor said early on... "This isn't our church. These aren't our ministries. They are all God's and He doesn't need us to hold them together. That's His job." (or at least something close to that)

While I was laid up on the couch dealing with pregnancy sickness that one verse from Colossians kept coming to my mind.

He is before all things, and in HIM all things hold together. 1:17

And something else that struck me as I later opened my Bible to let that one verse roll over me, was the very next verse.

And HE is the HEAD of the body, the church; HE is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything HE might have the supremacy. v.18

There it was, all neatly packaged together. For me on those days of sickness and doubt and grief over my church. Christ was still at work and even working through our suffering body. Just as He was working through MY suffering body, knitting together new life inside.

#3 I have also been so encouraged by the true friendship and the sisterhood we have in Christ. Making friends has always been a hard thing for me. But last year I was determined to lay aside my insecurities and give it all I had. To share my life with others and be welcomed into theirs. What a difference it has made.

At my lowest points I was able to pick up the phone or shoot an email, to let someone know I needed prayer. And I knew they were praying. I was able to share in our Play and Pray group and I was encouraged and refreshed.

Recently my children and I did a short study on the different gifts God has given each of us. Spiritual gifts and what that means. It was fun hearing their thoughts on what kinds of gifts God gives us... We eventually made our way to the Bible to find out what these gifts were really all about. As I was looking through my Bible trying to find that one passage, I came across verses like these...

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ... 1Cor. 12:12

Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. vs. 14

If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. vs. 26

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. vs. 27

Again I was struck. Mostly by the simplicity of the picture of a working body, with arms and legs, head and shoulders, and yes, knees and toes... When a part of the body suffers, the whole of the body suffers, over compensating for the wounded area, protecting it and sheltering it from further damage. The smallest of cuts can evoke a sense of greatest awareness. We tend to it, we are more careful, move at a slower pace.

I was so thankful for the opportunity to see the working body of Christ. To experience those coming along side of  me. Picking up where I had to leave off. Tenderly caring for my wounds. You all have my deepest gratitude.

#4 Another true blessing was the gift of family. Like all families we have had our up's and down's. There have been times of pain and growth, hurt feelings and grudges, things left unsaid and things that should have been left unsaid... We all have those times (right?). We have not gone without our struggles.

 

Letting my sister 'go' caused a pain I hadn't before experienced. Oh there has been pain before, but this was different. It wasn't like a spouse or child or parent pain. It was a sister pain. But thankfully, good is coming from it.

The night before Javier, Cally and Elijah left, we all got together for one of Cally's favorite meals of mine... Beef Stroganoff and homemade bread. Javier wasn't quite sure, but I think he ended up liking it!

After the meal Javier started to speak. We were all taken by surprise at the intensity of his voice and the words that were coming from his mouth. They were words directed towards his family... his American family. These words did not come without reaction or response, because these words evoked healing. There were tears shed, understanding took place, forgiveness given and accepted.

Would it have happened if I had not been required to say good-bye to my sister?

The same night we were asked to release a sister, we embraced a brother.

God has a way of doing that doesn't He. Taking something, but then replacing it with another. So how can we only grieve? How can we not choose to see the good that comes from the deep pain...

#5 The little things.

And there are a million of them.  So I will spare you and not list them all here. But they are in my heart and in my book.

I am glad I can be thankful for-

Being able to do dishes, or having someone else do them for me when I couldn't.

For puppy-dog-boys

Words like "Bu-cept" (except)

Simple meals of macaroni (the gourmet Kraft kind) and carrots for dinner...

...and not having a husband that complains!

A girl who is eager to help and is really a help!

medicine for indigestion

Like I said, there are a million and I could go on for days. All these little things add up to great big things that are so helpful when you are trying to 'make it through another day'.

I just couldn't leave you (or myself) hanging on that one post... because it just wasn't all of the story.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

No in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Romans 8:35,37

A Tribute to Fall

Before we completely move onto Christmas I wanted to pay tribute to this past Fall with some of the fun things that happened in our family... 

We were excited to find out there was a little bean inside. It was fun keeping it a secret

for at least a couple of weeks!

We welcomed fall to our house with a chocolate cake and candles, why not??

The kids had fun dressing up for the annual Down Town Bay Street Trick or Treat. 

 

 Elijah growing up so fast!

 One of the highlights was welcoming home the "hikers", my brother Hunter and his wife Amy. They finished the PCT after 5 months of hiking.

I love seeing my boys and girl dirty! It means they've been having fun outside!

 We were thankful to make a trip to D.C. to visit some dear friends. While there we went to the 'BIG' Air and Space Museum. We found the plane that was on Levi's jacket!

And this plane was on Deke's shirt! And can you believe it, 

both of those were unplanned!!

I think Olivia's favorite thing was going to the Antique Store and trying on all the hats.

She's quite the model!

The kids always have fun in the kitchen creating new desserts.

It was fun seeing our baby for the first time!

Olivia sang her first solo in church last week

This is the baby at 14 weeks. Olivia is demonstrating

how big the baby is right now.

We had fun with our visiting friends from Knoxville, TN. We have missed them

since they moved this past summer.

Leave it up to Deacon and Olivia to find a stray or injured animal. This time it was a

cardinal they tried to nurse back to health... unfortunately the cat

found it the next morning! =(

The Qualls family has the wonderful tradition of letting the smallest members of the family mix up the famous cornbread dressing for Thanksgiving each year. Yes, we make them wash their hands before, but we have no control over the sneezes!

Dustin's been doing this ever since he can remember!

He was the turkey man at our house this year too! We hosted my family for Thanksgiving for the first time. It was a lot of work, but worth it. It was so much fun having everyone over.

The finished bird! And did I mention this was our first turkey too!

We had 20 people to help us celebrate, hence the second table in the living room. Thanks to my amazingly talented husband, he just happened to have an extra (beautiful) heart-pine table lying around his shop that we were able to use!

Some of the crowd in the kitchen and some of the food - that we are still eating!

The kids table!

My favorite nephew - look at that edible chub!

Yeah, he's got this chillin' thing down to a science!

I thought it would be fun to end with the E man giving us a dance!

A lot has happened this Fall. Many ups and downs for sure. But family, especially children help keep things constant and fun and definitely interesting.

I am so grateful for that and the amazing work God continues to do in our lives and hearts.

An Anniversary Post (6)

In lieu of our 9^th anniversary: A celebratory post, to remember, to give thanks for, to reflect and of course post pictures!

Wednesday, June 1, 2011 we celebrated our 9th year of marriage. It is still hard for me to say the words. Nine years! It is hard to believe...

We enjoyed a wonderful evening together in Old Savannah. It was fun trying a new, tucked-away place (17 Hundred 90). It is one of the oldest Inns and Restaurants in all of Savannah and supposedly the most haunted. It was fun reading about the history of the restaurant on the back of the menu and being 'introduced' to the ghosts we might encounter...! Thankfully we didn't. But there was a wonderful pianist we enjoyed listening to. And the food was amazing. The company was quite scrumptious too! It was great being able to have a conversation without being interrupted 27 times...

After they rolled us out of the restaurant, we strolled around River Street, taking in the sights and enjoying just being with each other.

We started walking back to the car to head home. I glanced down at my watch. It was only 8:30pm! Yes, a lot has changed in 9 years... we have forgotten how to stay 'out late'... it was getting close to our bedtime!

Thanks for allowing me to reminisce this past week. It has been so good thinking back over these last 9 years, remembering the good times and the things that made me first love my husband, reflecting on what God has done and where He has taken us. Through it God has brought continual healing to our marriage, more evidence of our Redeemer. I am thankful.

"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God."

                                                      Philippians 1:9-10

"Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."   Philippians 1:6

This is the promise I hold fast to.

An Anniversary Post (5)

In lieu of our 9^th anniversary: A celebratory post, to remember, to give thanks for, to reflect and of course post pictures!

Journal entry the morning of June 1, 2002:

"The day I have waited for for so long... I will be Mrs. Dustin Lee Qualls at the end of this day! Father, thank you for your provision and protection, for giving us patience, for meeting our needs. I ask you to be with us today in a special way. Calm our nerves and help our focus to be each other and the meaning of today. Thank you for your word, for conviction from you. Help us to become true imitators of you in every aspect of our lives beginning anew each day. I am so overwhelmed with joy and so very thankful."

Some of my favorite shots from that day. Look closely, some of you who were there may see yourselves in some of them!

At my parent's house with my girls,  preparing ourselves for the wedding.

Erin helping Ashley, on the deck, Cally my lil' sis.

With Daddy, trying not to cry. With Mom, you can see the nerves! The veil and the 'window picture'!

 

At Dustin's parents house, Denise helping Taylor, Gary assisting Dustin.

 

Tim and Rebecca (I would be in their wedding the following summer). Brandon and Jordie, Dustin and Jordan, Dustin with his parents Scott and Denise.

Daddy giving me away. He cried for a whole week after the wedding...

Lighting the unity candle, the kiss, our vows.

Mr. and Mrs. Dustin L. Qualls, the bridal party, the flower girls

Gary got us this awesome car to use for the day. It was a surprise!

 

Dustin's parents hosted the reception in their back yard. It was beautiful! The pics don't do it justice. Yes, we smashed the cake in each other's face - my favorite part of the day! A friend made our beautiful wedding cake. The bouquet toss, the toasts.

 

Our first dance (literally)

The sunset was beautiful!

 

The birdseed toss. We were picking birdseed out of everything for months afterwards! On the way to the honeymoon!

And here we are, 9 years later... can't wait to see what happens next!