20 years

Last month on June 3rd we turned 20 years old.

20 years is literally a life time.

We looked SO very different 20 years ago. 

I was only 20 years old when we got married, and My Giant was 22.

Now in our 40s it seems a lifetime ago and at the same time like only yesterday.

We spent our anniversary going up the coast of Hwy 101 in our VW bus.

This was a bucket list dream come true for us, and around every corner we were reminded that our story is HIS story and that from start to finish HE (the lover of our souls) has been binding us together in this 3 stranded cord of beauty.

I remember the first time I saw him. I will never forget that moment as long as I live. It really was love or lust at first sight for this girl. I'm gonna go with lust because I had no idea what love was at 15 years old. Yea, purty sure it was lust but not the kind that is tainted by the world. The innocent school girl crush kinda lust. I haven't stopped lusting over this beautiful man who can paint a picture that should be hung in an art museum as well as build a beautiful cabin in the woods with a porch to sit and watch the world go by. He is just a man, but in a world when so many men have been weighed, measured, and found wanting ...  He is a MIGTHY GOOD MAN! For those of  you who want to read  more on our beginnings, the whole long lust/love story that really is a good one if I don't say so myself, you can go here : Hashtag MoNoSco But for today I want to talk a bit about what 20 years have looked like and I'm not going to leave out the nitty gritty stuff that we know all marriages are made of. Before I let you in to this most treasured corner of my heart and life beloved reader, know this; There are moments that I will never share with you because they are sacred.  In every life there should be moments that are kept under what the Jewish Rabbi would call the Chuppah !! This was and is a symbol that goes way back that signifies a set apartness from the rest of the maddening world. The couple stands under the Chuppah to declare to the rest of the world that this union is set apart and only they will know what goes on under the covering of the Chuppah. I love this tradition and have adopted it in my own marriage even though I'm not Jewish I recognize the value in this beloved act. There are moments of this relationship that I will never share with my best friends, mom, sisters, or anyone else who is trying to weasel there way into this most sacred spot. That being said, I will share with you that these past 20 years have not all been filled with wine and roses. 

There have been moments of total sadness, disappointment, frustration, anger, irritation and full on close to hate.  I can't say that I've ever hated Moses, but I have come close to feeling that scary disconnect with him and it's in these moments we have looked for help. It is also in those moments that I know the grace of God was/is at hand because neither one of us is opposed to being open about the fact that we have needed help.
We started our marriage with pre-marriage counseling and in the 20 plus years we've been together we have gone to counseling a couple of times, and I'm sure that we probably will go again. I'm beyond grateful that we both have been willing to be honest about that. I think it's SO important to realize in a relationship when you need help and don't be ashamed to get it.  Honestly, I don't know a single solitary couple who hasn't needed some kind of outside help to keep their marriage on a healthy path.
Why we don't recognize and celebrate the counseling as much as we celebrate the anniversaries and Valentine's Days I will never know, because to me that's when the real intimacy takes place.    So there is some of our nitty gritty. Now on to the mushy gushy. This is the part that everyone loves to read about, myself included. This is the part where I tell you when we had our first child, Emma I fell more in love with My Giant who was weepy over the sight of his brand new baby girl. This is the part where I tell you that not only do I love this man because he has fathered 4 children, but he has truly been an inspiration to me in many ways with how he takes the time to sit and have deep talks with our 4 kids.
This is the part where I tell you that sometimes when he gets dressed in the morning and he comes out looking all HOT and stuff, my little heart still goes pitter-patter! I love that he makes me breakfast on a regular basis. He makes me laugh so hard that I almost pee my pants on a daily basis.  Those are just some of the good things that I choose to stay focused on when we hit those rough patches. I know you've heard this and if you haven't then I'm happy to be the first place you read it, but 
LOVE REALLY IS A CHOICE I don't disagree with my mom often, if ever, but this is one of those times that after all these years I can honestly say that when she has said for years "You can't tell the heart who to love" I would have to disagree.
YOU absolutely can tell the heart who to love and you have to tell it again and again and again! Moses was my high school girls crush 24 years ago and he became my life's choice 21 years ago  and I'm choosing him again.

I'm telling this heart who to love and continue to love well.

It may have been lust all those years ago but it has grown into this beautiful thing. This amazing, wonderful, astounding thing called  LOVE.
And after all these years I'm beyond grateful that he is still my favorite, and that our love story is still ongoing, and I'm still a lusty hot mess over here for that man !!

THE GRAND OPENING

Today is the day. The day they've been talking about. The day they've been dreaming about. The day they jump in and change the world one art piece at a time. 

There have been countless phone calls. There have been so many, many texts. There have been tattoo conventions.

There has been laughter There have been prayers There has been planning and prepping. There has even been mopping.

There has been blood, sweat, and tears.
(Mostly sweat, not a lot of blood, and TEARS OF JOY)
All for this moment.

What an EVENT RENO NEVADA Please come in and support the arts ;)
945 West Moana Lane - Phone 775-209-1612

18 years

18 years.

18 years of love notes.

18 years of laughter.

18 years of morning coffee talks.

18 years of wonder.

18 years of memories.

18 years of  live music.

18 years of SNL nights. 

18 years of sleeping in on the weekend.

18 years of baseball games.

18 years of groceries.

18 years of cooking together.

18 years of laundry.

18 years of dreaming.

18 years of surprises.

18 years of  Christmas morning.

18 years of tenacity. 

18 years of long, deep, questioning conversations.

18 years of prayers.

18 years of forgiveness.

18 years of silly faces. 

18 years of hugs.

18 years of houses.

18 years of  VW adventures.

18 years of parties.

18 years of kisses.

18 years of sun.

18 years of rain.

18 years of loving you like nobody's loved you.

Happy Birthday To My Giant

40 years. My Giant is 40 years old today. I have known him, really known him for 19 of those years, so almost half of his life. And then I knew of him a few years before that, but that's a different story for a different day. Of the 16 years I didn't really know him I have had to piece together some of his childhood. I get some of those pieces from his dad,  A lot from his mom, some from his Aunties and Uncles, I got quite an ear full from his sister before she went on to be with Jesus(what I would give to get more from her now, and to hear her razz him about being OLD) and then of course quite a bit from his cousin Derek.
Today I want to talk about what I KNOW about TheMoses.
He is funny. He is generous. He is forgiving.

He is sincere always. He is never dull. He is a deep, deep thinker. 

He is strong.  He is resourceful. He is patient.

He is steady. He is a Christ Follower. He is a really good dad.

He is shy. (hard to believe but it's really true) He is smart, not just smart, but wise. He is fully present, but only in the spot he dwells.

He doesn't like the gym. He doesn't work out, but gets a work out from his LIFE everyday. He is a good Uncle.

He is a firm believer in asking questions and therefore has a few conspiracies under his belt. He has an incredible work ethic. He can fix anything.

He is an artist. He is a random facts library. He is a trustworthy man.

He is a teacher. He doesn't like to read books. He likes to watch documentaries.

He likes a lot video games. He is a pessimist married to THE ETERNAL optimist(we kinda make a good team) He is a carpenter.
He is a fall asleep when his head hits the pillow kind of guy. He is a REALLY, REALLY good cook. Really. He a terrible baker. (Sorry babe it's true though)
He is just. He is fair. He is a good friend.
He is a man of few words. He always has a side project going on or building plans in progress. He has a really good B.S. detector.
HE IS A GOOD MAN.
It's hard to put into words the measure of a man that has had 40 years. I would have to agree completely with MLKjr. on the quote below though, The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
These are only some facts, likes, and dislikes but to really KNOW a person you have to go to the heart and soul of a man. What is his heart and soul? What does he live for? What would he die for? What consumes his every waking moment?
In regards to his heart I can honestly say, that I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, Moses has a beautiful heart, one that is as big, as he is tall. He would like you to believe otherwise, but don't be fooled He is a gentle Giant. He would and has bent over backwards for family, friends, and even strangers. He gives even from a place of being in need, and as far as his soul look at his everyday life. He slaves away so that his family can live well. While he sacrifices we enjoy. While he labors we play.  I know what he lives for, I see this everyday at the butt-crack of dawn, o-dark-thirty he lives to provide. Not only is he living for us, but in some ways, no... in a lot of ways HE has had to die for us too. The dreams and aspirations that have long been in his mind have been pushed to the side under the weights of responsibility. 
He is a good man.
My Giant, You spent 20 years without me and   Now 20 years with me. Here's to another 20+20 maybe even + 20 more!! There is truly for you xo 

Say Cheese!!

Hello There Beloved Reader 

and

Happy Friday!!

I'm still going thru last years photos to find all my favs so if you are here for the Flash Back Friday link up I want you to know I haven't given up on that link-up, or my other ones Love/Hate and Letters To Pets, I just need another week off from them okay? 

I realize it's been a while and normally

I don't make promises so I won't promise you that they will be back next week but there is a really, really, good chance, I  mean really good, that they will be live next week and I do SO hope you can join me cause those link ups are like a party, and parties are only fun if there are people :) attending them. 

So please check back in next Friday. 

You're a good boss beloved reader.

Thanks for that extra week off.

That's why I still work for you.

You know what else I would work for?  

Cheese.

I'm gonna attempt to carry on two conversations with you beloved reader so stay with me.

One will be about what I would work for, and the other one will be about a variety of cheeses with the occasional olive thrown in for good measure. 

I will have this conversation with you while posting  S'more favorite pics. Oh wait. I just put a s'more in there and that was the topic from my last post .... so let's scratch that out shall we?

Focus Noël Focus!

CHEESE is my favorite food besides olives.

Cheese and olives, olives and cheese, yes please. 

I would work really, really, hard so that the rest of my days here on planet earth I could eat cheese and olives every day!

Fer Realz!

I would go so far as to say that IF I didn't have a job and had to stand on the side of the road holding up a sign in hopes of the kindness and generosity of strangers, my sign would read;

WILL WORK FOR CHEESE!!

But, thankfully I do have a job.

My job here as CEO of the MoNoSco house pays in hugs, kisses, "Thank you's and this kind of Cheese.

Cheesy GRINS!!

Cheesy Grins are a good paycheck as far as I'm concerned, what do you think?

( My Niece Last Minute Biscuit  aka  Sophia Adelle April 2012.

Now technically I wouldn't consider this smile a cheesy grin but I just love this biscuit so much that sometimes I will randomly just insert her picture on my blog so I can make it bigger and look at her cute lil cute face all day. So if I would rate this cheese it would be a mild chedda... say that with an East Coast accent)

What do you work for?

Olives? Cheese? Money, Money, Monay?

WHAT WOULD YOU WORK FOR?

(Moses Birthday January of 2012. Now in this picture My Giant is exhibiting what I would consider a kind of Swiss Cheese. Let me explain. It's got some holes in it because it's a forced cheese grin, ya know what I'm saying? None the less, I love me some Swiss cheese and I love my Giant. Can't believe he'll be 40 in a few weeks.)

I would work for High Fives and thumbs up too.

(Valentines Day 2012 Isaiah 7 years old. Now this cheese is a perfect Sharp Chedda with an olive on top even. He gets extra points in the cheese department because... well.... because he's Isaiah)

I would work for hearts on cheeks

or

Cheesy grins Cheek to cheek like the ones above and below.

(Andre and I, last year in February. Okay, now it's hard to rate your own cheese but I'm gonna try. I think Andre and I have kind of a mellow cheesy grin going on here, so I'm gonna go with an Altemburger Cheese which was described as being a mellow soft goat's cheese. Not sure where the goat comes in but I think we look kind of mellow and soft here, what do you think?)

I would work for trips to see the people you love.

( Emma, Chloe, Promise, Solomon, Niki, Isaiah and Samantha. Now this Cheese right here is like a Colby Jack cause it's all kinds of cheese mixed together and it makes me SO happy, So so so happy!)

I would work for kids having fun,

and 

Grown Ups playing hard!

(Me and my friend Andre again. This picture has got to be one of my all time favs from last year because this was Joy that came after much sorrow. It reminds me of the scripture Psalm 30:5 , "There may be weeping for the night but JOY comes in the morning." There's no cheese here. Just pure JOY!!)

I would work for time with a beloved friend.

I would work for family.

(Isaiah and Solomon down at Pike's Market in Seattle. This picture was taken in April when my folks came for a visit around Easter. Grandma Ellen bought the boys those very special hats. They are the creation of this guy Dan Gregory. Don't know if you have noticed but I live in a family of artists. They appreciate art and artists more than most, and art is the what I would consider the spice in life so I'm gonna go with a really good  

Jalapeno Cheese on this one)

 I would work for Art.

Some "Giant" Sized Conversation

This is a picture of My Giant and our niece Savanah at the Tulip Festival this past April. Can you see why I call him My Giant. He's 6'4 and well, a Giant. Do you see how he just carry's that almost 5 year old girl around with one arm? So hot! Wait, what were we talking about again? Oh yeah, And he has also learned a thing or two on this road called life.

My Giant is a really wise person. I would have said, wise guy, but I didn't want you to think this was a set up for sarcasm. No this is not sarcasm, but this is what I like to call a lil blaggin before my bloggin. You see, last night My Giant and I had a long conversation about deep, spiritual truths. It's what we do.

We didn't solve all the worlds problems or anything like that but we sure did try. At one point I found myself looking at him with deep respect,and thanking God once again, almost 18 years later for bringing this man my way, and for the wisdom that He has given to him.

Ok, I'm done blaggin(for now) about My Giant.

What did we talk about you ask?

Our conversation was about life in general for the most part, but there was one juicy morsel that I am still pondering, chewing, Selah-ing about.

And that is in reference to the curses that were put on Adam and Eve, found in Genesis 3. If you haven't checked that chapter in Genesis out you should. It has some really interesting, juicy, stuff in regards to creation, sin, relationships, and life in general.

I'm not sure I can even put into words the revelations that were going around in his noggin about this, which means I probably shouldn't try to. I might at some point try, but for now I will let you check it out to see what I'm talking about. Lots of questions come from that portion of scripture.

All I will say is that once again I realized that I am married to good greatness!
Seriously, this man is a deep, deep thinker. A well of information. A Giant in my mind and in my heart.

And I will stop blaggin now and leave you with this question;

If you were to describe God's character traits and you could only use 3 words. What 3 words would those be?

Mine:
1. LOVE
2. CREATIVE
3. MERCIFUL

Now it's your turn.

Part of our conversation was pertaining to the character of God in relation to the above scripture. He said that God is creative and it's interesting that the curses put on Adam and Eve both had to do with creative/creation type things. Mans work is his creation and a Woman's ability to be a part of the creation process of a child are both the things that sin caused to change, or be cursed??
This was the "GIANT" sized thought that had me going Hmmm.... Still Selahing....(To Selah means to pause and think about) and now I leave you with that Giant sized thought and some questions.

I love God.
I could spend my whole life learning about the character of God.
I love scripture.
I will spend my whole life studying this book.
I love questions.
I have spent a good portion of my life asking questions.
I love My Giant.
I hope I have many more years, and "Giant" sized conversations with this man.
I love being thankful.
I plan to pursue being thankful even though I don't have all the answers.

To My Giant... Happy Valentine's Day

This Stud Muffin pictured above

He still;

Rings my bell.

Has My Number.

Get's Me Going.

He is;

A Major Babe Alert.

My Daddy Mack.

A Looker.

Is it getting Hot in here?

And Here's what I would like to say To My Giant when I see this picture;

Do your legs hurt from running through my dreams all night?

Oops, I lost my phone number. Could I have yours?

If Santa comes down your chimney and trys to stuff you in his sack, don't worry cause I wanted you for Christmas!

Just having a little fun keeping LOVE alive!

Hope it inspires you to do the same <3 <3 <3

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Birthday to the man I love, I am so Happy you are Here

I love you for so many reasons but here are just a few for you on this your birthday; You have THE greatest sense of humor ever, You are so artistic and this is so beautiful to me, You create all the time amazing treasures for the whole world to enjoy but I think I enjoy them the most, You have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen and I am so thankful that your beautiful eye gene got passed on so I could see different versions of it in our four children, Your heart is just and fair always, You are a REAL dad- not always just full of fun and games but filled with wisdom and discipline as well. I love to see you driving in your bus because you are so tall and fit so well and I know the REAL reason why you drive a VW. You cook, You fix and You love to do these things which makes me love you more. Your capacity to retain knowledge is something that I not only love but also appreciate because I feel like I am walking around with a half a brain sometimes so I am your compass your are my brain :)

So much more that I hope you know already but on this day that you came into the world it became a much better place and all that other mushy Hallmark crap that you hate but I love.

I love YOU more!!!

My Husband

My husband is a GENIUS in every sense of the word

GENIUS- an exceptional natural capacity of intellect, especially as shown in creative and original work in science, art, music, etc.

That's all!!