10 years- Times flies when you're having fun!

I have had in my mind to post this for quite a while and wanted to do it on Friday which is the 10 year anniversary of the day I married the man of my dreams.  However, since I know the next few days are going to be crazy and include a little romantic get-away with said man of dreams, AND the kids actually took a nap today (are you noticing a trend here in the nap to blog ratio? I am.), I decided to go on and do it today.

I talk about my husband all the time.  As much as people will let me without literally rolling their eyes so hard that they fall out of their chair- you know who you are.  I had one of my... I am taking a literal pause because I don't know what to call the guys in my Sunday School class that I "teach." I learn as much from them as they accidentally and by the grace of God learn from me... hmmm... Well, one of those of the female variety asked me with accusation in her voice if he really was as wonderful as I say he is "ALL THE TIME", and the answer is, "YES!"  Sorry for those of you who are throwing up now. Those who are starting to hate on me... I'm sorry. I didn't do anything to deserve it.  I don't know why I was chosen to get to be his wife, but I am so glad and humbled that I was.  I think it is because my mother-in-law is so great- I know! Now I have even more of you angry.  I better move on.

I really started thinking about writing this post when following our Girls' Bible Study one night a friend of mine texted and asked how I knew he was, "the one."  Here is what I told her... in way more words :)

About a 2 years after we started dating, ICC- winter 2001

#1- He was who he was ALL THE TIME.  That blew my mind.  At the time I felt surrounded by people who played different roles depending on the situation, and I would be lying to you if I told you I was any different.  I thought that was just how things worked.  They/I talked, acted, and made decisions based on who was around, who would find out, or whether or not you would get in trouble. I justified it by several things whether it be not wanting to hurt anyone's feelings or make them uncomfortable to "don't ask don't tell" to "what they don't know won't hurt them." He wasn't self-righteous (see below) or abrasive, just Brandon.  Sweet yet mean, funny Brandon.
I have learned that the word to pin on this is he was a man (yes, at age 16) of INTEGRITY and it drew me to him long before I was interested in him romantically. He still is.

#2- He's cute.  I mean, have you seen him? And he is hilarious... in a mean, sarcastic, too-smart-so-I-don't-get-it-until-the-next-day kind of way.

#3- He has been the spiritual leader of our relationship since before there was one.  The whole reason we started dating was because I needed a ride to church.  He added me to his route- he was already picking up a few others.  I just happened to be dropped off last every time even though looking back it added quite a few miles to his trip to do it that way... oh, to be young and stupid...

#4- He had a relationship with God unlike any I had experienced.  We hear in churches all the time now how Christianity is about having a relationship and not a religion. It was not like that way on back in 1998. My experience with church was that you had a standard you were expected to meet. A quota of sorts.  I was so confused by it all and he made it simple.  When he talked about God (and he did quite often), he talked about Him the way you do a real person. That blew my mind. Again, something we hear in every contemporary Christian song and practically every sermon these days, but it made me stop cold in my tracks and really look at my "relationship" with God or lack there of.  And this is when I was still dating someone else.  Now, to be fair, I will say that it wasn't just Brandon that caused that, God was showing Himself to me in lots of awesome and intimate ways (yes, even I have secrets and personal space believe it or not!), but Brandon was my favorite.

#5- He has protected me in every way possible. Spiritually, physically, emotionally... I am in tears thinking of how much stress and praying for me I am sure I don't even know about because he is such an awesome protector. If you don't know me well, then I might need to tell you that I am a very independent and... strong-willed woman- to be polite. I did not take kindly to this when we first started dating, when we were first married, during my time in graduate school, when we first had children, for the last few years, or last month when we were looking at houses and I threw a little hissy fit (yes, I am from Mississippi) when he didn't do things the way I wanted because, "He didn't have a good feeling about it."
As a matter of fact, he probably has no idea how much I recognize and appreciate the way he protects me and our sweet family judging by the way I act. I do.  I need it in spite of myself and am grateful that burden does not fall on my shoulders.  I would not carry it so well.
He started this early on- asking permission from my parents if we were going to be out late instead of having me do it, letting me know quite awkwardly and embarrassingly BEFORE our third date that he had made a promise to God to be a man of purity what that meant for our physical relationship- a night that I still giggle at when I think about and am forever grateful for, not telling me how crazy he thought I was acting until I figured it out for myself.  He made and still makes me feel safe.

#6- He cares about what I care about.  He doesn't just listen when I talk (see below), he truly becomes just as compassionate about said topic as I am!  More so sometimes.  There have been times when I want to just call it quits because I am tired or bored or whatever, and he won't let it go! I wish I could say the same. I have tried for the life of me to like Arturo Sandoval, Wynton Marsalis (I had to look up and correct my spelling on both of those!), or who-ever else he is saying, "Gah-lee" at on YouTube and the best I can muster is a polite smile. How does he put up with me?!

#7- He listens when I talk... and I talk a lot.  God love the man, I wonder constantly how he keeps up.  I am a crazy person with circular logic and warp-speed articulation.  Even still, he makes me feel as if I am on stage holding a microphone under spotlight.  He makes his world stop to just listen to me. And what is crazy is that most of the time I am just rambling incoherently about something insignificant and he has a million things to do.  I love this man!

#8- He is so humble.  I think, if you can't already tell, that he is one of the most amazing people God has ever created.  He is smart (like super smart, like I think I am pretty smart, and he makes me feel like I need a new processor or at least some more RAM), hilarious, an amazing musician, and have I mentioned he is cute!! He does so much for so many.  I used to wonder how he was able to be and do all that and not demand more recognition, until I learned his secret.  He doesn't do anything for me or anyone else.  He serves God everyday in every way. Chew on that one for a little bit.

#9- He is the epitome of a "servant-leader." He is self-less, always looking for the needs of others. And he is definitely a leader meaning he has people that follow him. He doesn't make excuses, he fixes it. He leads by example never expecting anything from someone else that he himself wouldn't do or require of himself (there is that integrity thing again). He has never in my experience of him demanded anything of anybody including myself- well, except the kids- They don't know what a treasure of a daddy they have just yet.  They will soon.

#10- He makes me proud.  It feels good to say, "This is my husband." "This is the daddy of my children." I can't imagine being married to someone I had to make excuses for.

This is not to mention that now I can add to list "amazing daddy," but that would require a whole other post. I could also add "will of steel." Maybe next month when the kids nap at the same time again...

I am sure I have forgotten something I will regret later, but you all get the picture.  He is not perfect, no man is, but in every way...  He is just good. So good.

Happy Anniversary B!  I love you more than you know!
I am grateful and blessed to have you!
Kristy Laine

Jesus Paid It All

Today Norah learned about debt.  It started with our usual pretend play- first with me eating my cereal and drinking my coffee at a French cafe' with waitress/princess Norah, then with a quick trip to the grocery store with our new pretend money (I printed it at home).  She has had a fascination with money for quite a while which is wonderful for teaching counting by 10's and 5's, grouping, etc. ...and today "debt."  I don't know why I used the word debt today.  I only remember using it once instead of my usual "bill" or "owe," but it stuck with Norah- as does thousands of little things that I never notice.  She amazes me.

Later in the morning, while I was fixing lunch- yes, right after the snow angel conversation if you watch my facebook- Norah started humming, "Jesus Paid It All."  I didn't think much about it.  Grady Scott had actually been singing it earlier, probably because it has been in the regular bedtime ritual lately. You don't ever know what I am going come up with.  When Norah got to the bridge she started singing, "Oh Praise the One who paid my debt..."   and stopped cold.

"Mama, what's debt?"
"Well, you know just like when you go to the grocery store and pick out the food you want to buy?"
"Yes."
"What happens next?"
"They ring it up and tell you what you owe."
"That is your debt for the groceries.  You have to pay for the groceries."
"What debt did Jesus pay for? Our sins?"
"That's right.  Because we sin, we owe a debt.  Except this debt we cannot pay for with money or anything else. There is no way we could pay for that sin.  Only Jesus could."
"And that is why He had to die on the cross- but He is ALIVE!!"
"You got it babe."
*singing* "Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow."

Now the snow angels make sense.

Thank you God for blessing me with such a sweet, sweet spirit in my house we call Norah Bailey!!! And thank you dying on the cross to pay my debt!!!

Here's a video of the arrangement she was singing if you are as in the mood to have a worship session to music as I am!