Mid-July Updates

Note: I'm terrible at formatting this blog, and apologize in advance for any unsightly gaps, indents, etc. I may get the hang of this one day...

Fourth of July FAIL!
I was so looking forward to the two BBQs we were set to attend. Then I got the 24 hour flu bug that was going around. Gatorade and saltines do not make for a nice Independence Day celebration. I feel worse for Blake though, since he gave up his grilled meat to stay home and take care of me. We watched Minority Report and Nacho Libre (my favorite) and I'm pretty sure Blake cooked Spam for dinner...we grilled the next evening to make up for it. One plus to the day: Rory had a stinking cute patriotic outfit!

July also means that Rory was introduced to her first bottle and pacifier...big steps for our baby girl!

 Dedication
We've done some more hiking and had visits from family, and this past Sunday, Aurora was dedicated at church, wearing a gown made for her by her grandma...it was a special day!

Blake and I are reading this book, Family Driven Faith by Voddie Baucham, which is really impressing on us how there is no substitute for the parental role in a child's spiritual development. Books, conferences, retreats, youth group, and even pastors cannot take the place of parents who prioritize raising "sons and daughters who walk with God." What a huge responsibility- thank God for his grace!


Anniversary!
Two years ago, we never would have imagined that we'd have a child being dedicated the same day we would celebrate our second anniversary...so much has changed! I'm blessed to be married to a man who truly loves me for who I am (cliche, but true). He also loves me for who I'll be one day, and he's excited to be along for the ride! If I were an angle of 32 degrees, Blake would be an angle of 58 degrees, because we complement each other perfectly. He is my favorite person to share a lazy Saturday morning with, my favorite world travel companion, my favorite person to make fun of dumb vanity license plates with, my favorite person to worship with in church, my favorite person to do just about everything with except watch chick flicks and go shopping. Here we are on our first date (August 24th, 2006), our wedding, and our two year anniversary (dinner at Josephine's and an adventure to Bearizona!):

L

Last Exciting News:
I had a recipe published in one of my favorite cooking magazines, Healthy Cooking! I'll post the recipe here one of these days...I submitted it over a year and a half ago and forgot about it, so I was pretty excited when I heard they were going to print it in the August/September issue!
Very Last Exciting News:
Monsoon season has started!!!(!!!!) I love the rain THIS much!!!!