Thursday, July 9, 2009

Catch-up...

July has been a fascinatingly busy month for the Dickinson family. As it is, I can't believe that it is July, but sheesh, the month is already half over! Crazy. This month has been filled with an anniversary - ours :), a trip to the safari zoo with family, pool time with friends, celebration of the 4th of July (one of my most favorite holidays), and a stop at the Salem Fair. Whew... and it's only the 8th of July?! Wow.

Here is a picture of Jonathan and I before heading out to a wonderfully fancy dinner. Don't we look like we haven't aged a bit nice? :)


We spent a fabulous evening out, chatting, eating a wonderfully slow dinner with at least 4 courses - and all without having Emma. Thanks, Uncle Joel for babysitting sitting in the house while Emma slept.

Emma and I also had the wonderful opportunity to travel and see Grandma, her 3 cousins - Brooke, Conner, and Noel, and Aunt Jocelyn. We first traveled throught the Safari Zoo - which I must say is a wonderful opportunity. I think it was so much fun. :)

Here are the four cousins - all together! Brooke, Conner, Noel, and Emma.

Here they are again, waiting for juice boxes!


My beautiful little girl is growing up...


And then we had the wonderful opportunity to have Jessica and her daughter, Olivia over for some pool time! Of all days, it wasn't quite hot out, but the girls had a time of it!



Emma!
Olivia!


And then, it was one of my most favorite holidays... 4th of July. The day we can celebrate our freedom and our blessings of being a free American citizen. Thank you for all who served to make this day a day of celebration!
To reminisce - here is a picture of Emma last year in her holiday outfit...

And here she is - one year later. So grown-up!
We then went down to Riverside to watch the fireworks! For some reason, Emma thought it was super cool to walk with her hands behind her back - so cute!

My two most favorite people!


And then yesterday, we took a trek over to the Salem Fair!



The reason we came - for FUNNEL CAKE! :)

Dadda thought it would be funny to put sugar on Emma's nose... "Really, Dadda?"

We have had such a fun-filled month of July so far. And to think there is more than half of the month to come. I love summertime!

Thursday, July 2, 2009

The fastest four years of my life...

Four years ago, on this exact date, I married my BEST friend and the LOVE of my life, Jonathan Brian Dickinson. As I'm typing this blog, I still am in disbelief that four years have come and gone. It'll be interesting to go back and read this on my 25, 50, and God-willing, 75th wedding anniversary. I know exactly what I'll be thinking... "Man, we look so young!", "Wow, if only I were still that thin!", and "Why didn't I tell Jon to cut his hair before the wedding?!" The reason I know that I will think those things at my 25, 50, and 75th wedding anniversary is because I'm thinking that NOW at my 4 year wedding anniversary! God has been so good to us. In the four years that we've been married, we've had our fair share of arguments, a normal amount of disgruntlement, and plenty of angry moments. However, we've been overly blessed with an abundance of love, joy, LAUGHTER, and time together. I will be the first person to say that marriage is not always a fairy tale. It's something that I've learned is the hardest and easiest thing I've ever done in all of my life. As hard as it is, it is a lot like motherhood. It's a hard job, but the benefits are more than a hundred percent worth it.

I'm so thankful that God placed such a wonderful, Godly, honest, funny man to be my husband for the rest of our lives. Thank you, Lord.








When you have to look away
When you dont have much to say
Thats when I love you
I love you, just that way
To hear you stumble when you speak
Or see you walk with two left feet
Thats when I love you
I love you, endlessly
And when your mad cause you lost a game
Forget Im waiting in the rain
Baby I love you,
I love you, anyway
Cause here's my promise made tonight
You can count on me for life
Thats when I love you
When nothing you do can change my mind
The more I learn, the more I love
The more my heart cant get enough
Thats when I love you,
When I love you, no matter what
So when you turn to hide your eyes
Cause the movie it made you cry
Thats when I love you
I love you a little more each time
And when you cant quite match your clothes
Or when you laugh at your own jokes
Thats when I love you
I love you, more than you'll know
And when you forget that we had a date
Or that look that you get when you show up late
Baby I love you
I love you, anyway

Heres my promise made tonight
You can count on me for life
Thats when I love you
When nothing you do can change my mind
The more I learn, The more I love
The more my heart cant get enough
Thats when I love you,
When I love you no matter what
Thats when I love you
When nothing baby
Nothing you do could change my mind
The more I learn, The more I love
The more my heart cant get enough
Thats when I love you,
When I love you no matter what
No matter what
-Aslyn