2 years down. decades more to love.

i should start out by saying...

to my handsome husBENd-

you're the best.  i'm crazy about you and know {with confidence} that the Lord has specifically called us to marriage.  i am beyond blessed to have you as my partner & you are such an encouragement to me. thank you for showering me with grace.  Jesus in your life spurs me on daily.

your loving wifey-

jen jen

this past weekend ben & i spent our days celebrating our second year of marriage.  i can't believe how it has flown by.  i've basically figured out that we inadvertently picked the most splendid weekend of all weekends to begin our marriage.  on our wedding day is was sunny, warm & beautiful.  not hot.  warm.  gorgeous.  our first year anniversary was warm-er.  hot maybe if you were in the sunshine {rather than the shade}.  still perfect out.  no rain, just sun.  this year {third year in a row} september 6th and all the days surrounding it have been blessed.  perfect for walks, for picnics, for adventures.  perfect for weddings & for celebrating marriage.  my favorite surprise is that we did NOT get married on labor day weekend {we didn't want to take up everyone's holiday}, yet for the past two years we've been blessed to celebrate on labor day weekend.  that means an extra day off work / school at our house.  perfectly unplanned bliss.

i had originally hoped that we could go out of town together for our anny but it didn't really work out in the budget so we had a stay-cation celebration and a weekend-long date {which was also...perfect}.  we get run down being so busy, so cutting out traveling & just spending good ol' quality time was just what we needed.  a gift.

on friday my office had a photoshoot for our website {which i'll share more on later} so i was wiped out. exhausted.  super fun day playing outside with all of our friends, but i couldn't have been more tired when i got home around 9 pm.  my loving hubby picked me up a hot-and-ready {i know we're romantic}, ate together & snuggled.  i love nights like that.

saturday, is already starting to be a blur {i really must start blogging immediately after events...i don't want to miss one sweet detail of our weekend!}  i believe we slept in a tad and began planning for our day together.  we wanted to go to breakfast together.  we knew that much.  waffle house giftcards from my boss who thinks he's funny...check.  waffle housing we will go.  before heading out benny set up a couple's massage for us in the early afternoon.  ahhhhhhh!  we decided not to go to the most luxurious of places but it turned out to be just right for us.  i loved that chunk of our day.  even if the knots in my back ached for days after being "deep tissued".

upon returning home, i snuck in a quick nap {naps were a consistent part of the weekend}.  then we hunkered down to watch the big university of kentucky v. louisville football game. we cheered on our wildcats to a victory & it was great. 

we also had the pleasure of having our dear friend, jenna, watch the game with us / edit a bundle of pictures from that before mentioned photoshoot she shot. {a few shots to hold you over}...

{if you want jenna to take pics for you get at her HERE}

i eventually got cleaned up for the day and got to go to dinner with my hubby.  we didn't go anywhere special, just olive garden, i had been wanting chicken fettuccine for months & it was yummy.  we were surrounded by screaming toddlers which wasn't a highlight but the meal & the conversation were perfect.  it was late but not too late so we stopped by joseph beth {a book store} to wander around.  we love book stores.  we left empty handed but we didn't really need anything in the first place.  while there i also figured out that no one makes a planner perfect for me & that i can easily make my own tutu's.  well, not tutu's for me but for babies.  they had them for sale at the shop and it would be so simple.  someone have a girl!  i will tutu your baby!

sunday was another gorgeous day.  surprise, surprise...i told you it is the most perfect weekend of all the weekend's.  we hopped out of bed and headed off to church.  we really struggle going to church so i was pleased to get to go together.  they had the founding pastor of the church {who preached for 40 years there} come and talk to the congregation.  saying he is hilarious is an understatement.  he looked like the old man from 'up' and this guy had jokes.  he also was humble & has a huge heart for the Lord.  it was really neat to hear from him.

from there we got mcflurries and headed to a local park together.  we sat in the sun on a blanket.  it was sweet.  we talked & laid.  i was dressed for fall so after the sun beat down on me for a bit i was ready to go.  i didn't want to leave but i didn't really want to melt either.

{mini photoshoot}

my parents were having my grandparents over for a late lunch and we were able to go to that too.  i loved getting to visit & that ben was able to be there too.  the evening wasn't so eventful, it was more like real life & less like part of date weekend.  but you gotta do what you gotta do.  ben had a bundle of school work to do & needed to complete his application for the college of education {praying for his up-coming interview!}.  i wasn't feeling all too hot so i read, watched tv & fell asleep on the couch until it was time for bed.  

monday was our actual day o' love!  the 6th marked two whole years of marital bliss.  it's so neat to see how the Lord is growing us through this relationship.  it isn't always easy but it is always a gift.  my heart is so full.

i woke up to donuts in bed, knots from donut days, my favorite.  my hubby knows me & my love for breakfast sweets well.  i could eat a knot a day but i won't.  one of my favorite times that ben & i have together is laying in bed together in the morning.  i truly cherish it.  it isn't often that we get up at the same time or that we don't have to immediately get up & be somewhere.  i love just to be in our puffy covers and spend the morning together.

benny also brought me beautiful flowers.  see beautiful.

after a bit ben started to feel like a dizzy mess, so we took that opportunity to indulge in a giant nap.  yes, hours of napping.  ben was sad that we slept a chunk of the day away but i didn't mind.  i really like naps.  especially naps with my husband.

last year {for our 1st anniversary} we went out for a fancy dinner.  this year we decided that we'd try our hand at our own fancy dinner.  meal made by the brzinski's.  i was a little scared because i really don't cook but ben agreed to be the grill master & i tried to be the queen of sides.  ben grilled steak, scallops & shrimp.  YUM!  the steak was marinated in something that my mom gave to me in a packet.  i don't know what it was but it was good.  and for the seafood i think ben just melted butter, added garlic powder and brushed it on.  he works wonders on the grill.  i made corn, muffins, wild rice & mashed potatoes.  all was a success besides the taters.  it was my first time ever making them and i failed :(  i know what i did wrong though so perhaps i will learn from my mistakes & try once more.  if you just read the above you know we didn't really need potatoes anyway.  we had enough food to feed a party of 6 or more.

we lit candles, prayed & ate together with a smorgasbord of homemade goodness.  it was really a delight to spend the evening with ben.  and i got to wear an apron.  win & win.

to finish off the night we danced together, rented a movie and snuggled up.  the best.


what a great weekend date!  i loved every relaxing, fun, humorous, romantic moment of it.  husband, you bring me such delight.  thank you for treating me like a princess.  i pray that our life together is an encouragement to you too.  i'm so thankful to walk through life with you! HEART.