An Evening Out......

Ahhhh....a peaceful evening out for a few hours, but sadly not with my husband!  I met with some homeschooling girlfriends for dinner last night and it was so refreshing!  We really didn't talk much about our homeschools, but we did get a glimpse into the "real" women that we are apart from teaching.  You know sometimes its nice to know more about your friends and not just the things you have in common.  I was surprised by so many things that were shared, but more impressed with the way each lady handled themselves in each situation.  I have a much greater respect for each of them and now I know a little bit more about who they are and how God has used them.  It was a wonderfully enlightening evening!

Although my dear husband was at home watching our precious children (and a few extra), I did so enjoy the time away, but missed him dearly.  I wish there were ways to find time away with him.  It seems that we never make time to go anywhere just the 2 of us.  We are always too busy serving the other one that we forget to serve our marraige.  Surely someday we will see that we need to stop serving each other with restful times away from the children and chaos of our lives to realize we need some time together.

Will you love??

Ahhh....the peace of freshly fallen snow.  Isn't it beautiful?  It started snowing here late yesterday afternoon as I drove the 2 oldest arrows to their sleepover at a friends house.  Earlier yesterday we made sure to pack extra clothing just in case the snow actually arrived and they needed to stay an extra evening.  Well, I'm sure the children must have been ceaselessly praying because we awoke this morning to 6" of snow here in our town.  The town where they are got at least 4".  They are having a blast at their friends and I am missing them terribly.

The youngest 3 arrows woke early and wanted to play in the snow.  "Let's make a snowman!"  The snow is too fluffy for that, it doesn't pack well at all, it kinda crumbles.  So that didn't work.  Our youngest arrow lasted only a few minutes before screaming his head off!!  He had had enough and wasn't taking it anymore.  In his defense, it was still sleet/snowing, the wind was blowing and it was cold out there!  We sent him inside while the youngest girl arrow decided to sled down the driveway with Daddy pulling her.  Well needless to say, 2 times and she was done and ready to go inside.

After getting the younger ones settled inside, I continued to take some pictures of the beauty surrounding us.  I am always so amazed at the snow, I mean think about it.  Every single snowflake is different!!!!  No two are alike.  I can't even begin to imagine how that is possible, can you?  There is 6 inches of snow in my yard, all over my neighborhood, all over the town I live in, surrounding towns, up to surrounding states!!!!  And NO TWO SNOWFLAKES ARE ALIKE!!!!!!!  What an awesome Creator we have, how immeasurable His love for us.  He shows us His divine power through His creation and we see it everyday, but do we stop to think about it?  Really?  I often see, feel and experience these "God Moments" or "God Thing" and I am still constantly in awe of Him and all He does.  Are you?

Another thing I am in awe over is the way that God has provided for me throughout my life, whether I professed to be His child or not.  He has always cared for me, loved me and molded me to be the woman He wants me to be.  I am forever grateful and indebted to Him.

Today marks a very special day for me and my husband.  It was 17 years ago today that we were united and made into ONE.  I married my best friend, my soul mate, my help meet, my lover and friend.  At the ripe age of only 19 I thought I knew everything and I thought there was no way I could love anyone more than I loved my new husband on that day.  God has grown me in so many ways.  Not only do I love my husband more today than that day, but my heart has been blessed to love 5 Blessed and Earthly children and 1 Heavenly Child I have waiting.  I can't explain the love that one has for a spouse, but I can

tell you that it is far beyond anything you could ever dream or wish for.  These little beings have been given to me to care for, mold, instruct in the way of the Lord, guide to know Him, and protect as best as I can.  How can your heart hold so much love for one person, let alone 6 more????  Only God can fill your heart and make it stretch.  I don't feel by any means that my heart is stretched to its max.....I have sooo much more to give, My Savior, my husband, my children, my family and my friends.  Oh how grateful I feel today to have been blessed beyond all measure.

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and may have strength to height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all grounded in love, comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and the fullness of God.  Ephesians 3:14-19

 So I leave you all with this question.  How are you loving?  Are you loving to your fullest extent or are you with holding from your Creator?  Will you not give to Him freely the love He has promised you, that He gave you in the first place?  I will choose to LOVE today and always.

Happy Anniversary My Love.  Thank you for 17 wonderful years together and May the God Peace grant us many more years together!  I LOVE YOU!

Show Us Your Wedding Dress....

It's wedding dresses this week at Kelly's Korner. I hope you all enjoyed last week's birthday post, so here we go again.....wedding dress style! I have been married for 16 years now, so we have no digital pictures, only what we have scanned or in an album. These are a few of my favorites! My dress was very stylish at the time and YES...I was very young, only 19!!! It was the happiest day of my life, I married my soul mate, the one that God had chosen just for me and the one I will spend my eternal life with.
This is after the wedding, after the pictures, we were able to breathe a sigh of relief!! We were both very nervous, but God calmed our hearts as soon the ceremony was over and we have enjoyed everyday since this most precious day.

Ahhhhhhhh, sealing the commitment with a Blessed Kiss! Wow, he still makes me weak in the knees!!

Now to take the garter for some fun!! :) Here is where you get the best look at my dress. HUGE puffy sleeves, long sleeves (since it was January) and the veil was as long as my dress! I don't know what I was thinking....it kept getting caught in everything, just like my very long and wide dress! Hee Hee

It was a wonderful day, but I can still remember the hectic running of trying to get everything done in time. I remember shopping with my mom for my dress and finding the perfect dress (aka, the one I wore) for $393.62!!!! That was a steal! I don't even want to imagine if I had to find a wedding dress these days! I would probably have to take out a small loan. LOL


I still have my wedding dress and I am not sure that I will give it to any of my girls...since I watched the movie, "27 Dresses" which is hilarious, but I have 4 girls!! Can they possibly leave it in tact enough for the others to use it too? I think it is just a permanent keepsake for me now. Anyway, since I am sharing these photos, I should tell you a bit about the groom. He is a handsome, faithful, well grounded husband and I love him more today than the day we married. There are so many things I would love to say about him, but that is for another post! Ha Ha, you will have to just tune in later!

Anyway, thanks for stopping by! Hope you enjoyed a peek into my past. Leave me a note so I can see where everyone is from! And THANK you to KELLY for opening the doors and windows of the blogosphere to me and my friends!

Enjoy the pictures!!

A 2nd Honeymoon!!!!!!

Let me just say that I was totally swept away yesterday by my dear husband. He planned childcare for all 5 children, reservations for dinner and an overnight stay in an undisclosed area. He came home early from work, our dear friends came over and he swept me off for a romantic evening. It was the most romantic thing in the world!! He took me to Winston Salem, NC and we stayed at The Brookstown Inn....this is where 16 years ago we spent our very first night as a married couple!! It was so nice, nicer than I remember and so relaxing. We checked into our room, freshened up a bit and then he whisked me off to dinner at Meridian. It was right across the parking lot from the Inn, so we walked and quickly I might add because it was cold! We sat down to a wonderful meal....we both agreed it was the best meal we had ever eaten. Hubby got the Grouper and I got the NY Strip....both were equally delicious and melted in your mouth. Hubby also got this brown sugar pound cake with blueberry topping and ice cream. It was GREAT, very sweet, the blueberries were so fresh and the ice cream was sooo cold it hurt your teeth, but was creamy. I give it a 15 out of 10 stars! After dinner it was back to the hotel, with no kids, no computer, just the 2 of us and CABLE TV!! OK....I know that sounds very lame, but we don't have cable TV, we have bunny ears, so it was a real treat to watch some of the shows we used to adore. We watched Ace of Cakes, and flipped through I don't know how many channels...great fun. The next morning we got up, checked out and headed to Old Salem. We walked around looking in different shops, we ate at the Tavern Restaurant, then walked some more. We found the bakery and brought home some goodies to eat. Then after shopping and walking we returned home, refreshed, happy and more in love than the day we married.

I can not tell you how wonderful our weekend was, there are no words. It was so romantic, so spontaneous, full of adoration for one another, selfless, and completely unexpected. It is moments like these that I get teary eyed thinking of all my many blessings. I am married to the most wonderful man in the world, made just for me. No matter what, he adores me....no one else....ME!! I am so thankful for him, my love, my help meet. Thank you dearest husband for the most wonderful weekend. I will cherish the memories always! I will cherish you even more!

To our dear friends that watched our kids.....WOW! You knew all along, but never let word slip of his plans. Thank you so much! I am in awe of your selflessness! I will feel forever in your debt and I will do anything for you! I only pray that someday we can return the favor. It isn't everyday that you celebrate the joining of 2 lives becoming one and I pray that we can rekindle that love for you, as you have done for us. We are so grateful and thankful for you and your family. Thank you!

16 years ago today......

16 years ago today I married the man of my dreams, my soul mate, my best friend, my better half, my help meet, my love, my everything. God has blessed me with an evenly yoked marriage. My husband is the head of our house, the spiritual leader of our family and I honor him today. I am so blessed to call him my husband. He has been a strong influence in my life, as we have been through many trials together. He has blessed me with 5 children and given me the opportunity to stay home and teach those children. He works so hard everyday to provide for us and he never complains. He has such a sweet and giving spirit at all times, he doesn't ask for much in life, just simple obedience from his children and love of his wife. So, today my dear husband, I honor you with a prayer from my heart and all I ask is that God hear my heartfelt prayer and grant you everything you deserve.

Dear Gracious Heavenly Father,
I thank you for the gift of marriage and the gift of unconditional love. You have granted me both things in a man that you created all for me. Before either of us came to be you knew we were meant to be together, evenly yoked according to your will. While I look at our past and see the sinners that we are, yet I see the mercy and love you have for us, your children. Lord, I thank you for saving us from the pit of death, saving us for each other and for granting us so many wonderful years together. Lord, I sit here in awe of your works...your wondrous power...your faithfulness to us through so many trials and I thank you for each of those trials. I praise you that we are where we are today only by Your grace! May You Lord, always be first in our marriage and in our lives.

Today Lord, I thank you for my help meet, for the love he has for me and the love I have for him. May our love continue to grow stronger everyday only by Your power. Lord give us the strength to continue the good work you have started in us. Lord, we trust You to guide our ways, give us wisdom, provide our every need and lead us where You would have us go. Thank you for the 16 years we have had together and may you bless our marriage for another 60 years, if it be your will. Help me Lord to always honor my husband...daily, not just today. Help me to always see what a blessing he is to me and make him feel special. Help me to not burden him with trivial and meaningless tasks, but lighten his load as he provides for our family.

Thank you for our 5 Earthly blessed children and our blessed child in your care, may you guide our ways always and forever. May the life and marriage that we continue to live only bring Glory to your precious name. For it is in Jesus' name that I pray, AMEN.

Dearest Husband, I offer this prayer as a gift to you, for you are the best gift, a gift from God, which I am truly thankful for! I love you more today than the day we married. May God continue to grow our love. Your Bride, Kassandra

Date Night....

Well, for the first time in a LONG time my husband and I enjoyed a "date night" last night. Every Friday we have our dearest friends over for dinner with their kids. We always eat way too much food and play games late into the evening. Last night plans were a bit different. Our friends had it laid upon their hearts for my husband and I to go out just the two of us for dinner and they would feed, watch and play with the kids. My dearest husband took them up on the offer and made plans for our night out.

He made reservations at a place here in town called Jeffrey's. It is a beautiful upscale restaurant for our area and the food is fabulous!!! We ordered Shrimp and Grits for a starter...it was on the menu as an entree, but our server said the chef would be happy to do that for us...we just wanted to try it as it was seasoned with honey and curry. Let me tell you it was DELICIOUS! Blessed Hubby had Tuna "Sashimi Grade" Cajun Style, a house salad with peanut and ginger dressing and pumpkin caramel cheesecake. I had the Nine Ounce Fillet Mignon, a house salad with Raspberry dressing and a triple layer chocolate cake drizzled with raspberry sauce.

OH MY GOODNESS!!! I can certainly say that I have NEVER had food that good. It was wonderful, now the fact that I didn't have to cut any ones food or take anyone to the potty in the middle of the meal may have increased my enjoyment level. However, the best part was spending time with my wonderful, serving, humble, handsome husband. Being with him last night, just the two of us reminded me of our courtship, the reason I fell in love with him, the attraction I have towards him, the way I feel when I am with him, the joy I find in his jokes and how he sings to me when no one else is around. All those things and more are the reason I fell in love with him and last night I feel like that love was rekindled.

So, to our friends....thank you can't express the gratitude I feel in my heart, but I do thank you so much for watching all the kids so we could enjoy each other again. We want to do the same for you all as well. I see now why it is important for couples to have this date night....maybe not every week, but WOW, it will stir up that affection that God has called us to have with our spouse no matter the years you have been together. So, I sincerely thank you from the depths of my heart.

To My Dearest Husband,
Thank you for taking me out, for loving me for who I am, for putting a sparkle back in my eye, for rekindling that romance. I love you so much. I don't know how you do it, but you still make my heart skip a beat, you still give my butterflies in my stomach when I think of you and you bring tears of joy when I see how you have blessed me beyond all measure. I love you my darling. Thank you.