10 years come and gone

To my oldest of babies - Goodnight from almost 100 miles away. Joel and Sarah are off spending the night and all day tomorrow in Yelm playing with Troy, Reana, and baby Will. I'm VERY excited to spend the day with Allison alone tomorrow. I think she and I both need some time together to bond and focus on one another. Alli has been having some rough days and I have a feeling she's getting older and maybe needing some one on one time. I sure do love that little girl.

I turned 28 on Friday. I don't feel any older, in fact, I feel like I'm healthier than ever! 10 years ago I celebrated my 18th birthday just on the verge of graduating high school. Where was I spiritually, emotionally, and physically? Oh my, if I only knew how much growing up I had to do!! And I'm sure in ten more years I'll look back and think - if only I knew at 28 what I know at 38! I have a feeling the next ten years will pass by in a flash!!

So here are a few observations/predictions for my life in 10 years.

Sarah will be 13 (and a half) and Allison will be 10. Whoa...my stomach just flipped writing that down. I pray that at 13 and 10 my girls will be just as sweet and loving and will hold fast to their faith for strength during their teenage years. (Tonight Sarah and I talked about what she should do if she gets scared at Troy's house and she replied, "Pray to Heavenly Father!" then I asked what about if she was REALLY scared thinking she would answer 'get daddy' or something and she replied, "Pray some more!!")

Joel and I will have been married 14.5 years. By this time I hope that we've taken a REAL vacation alone together. Maybe a cruise. I'd love to go to Hawaii with him and just vegetate - although neither one of us is good at doing nothing. My mind tends to seize up with anxiety and Joel's whole world flips when he's not working on SOMETHING.

I predict we will be in the same house - hopefully our kitchen will be updated by then! I'd love to have our retaining wall and landscaping put in place.

When the girls are 10 and 13 they'll both be in school and maybe I'll have a part-time job. My jobs of choice at this moment? Petsmart or a bank or a grocery store. Being a stocker at Costco would also be fun! I don't want anything that would cause me undue stress while I'm not working.

We'll see where 10 years brings us with Joel's job. He says that he won't be there forever but who knows! We are treated very well there and Joel doesn't know what he would do otherwise...who knows!

Any more babies in our future? I'm very happy saying our family is complete. I love my husband and my girls. If Heavenly Father sees fit to bless us with one more it will have to be a miracle baby I think.

So here's to ten more years (and more!!!) of being a woman, wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, and most importantly, child of God.