Fifteen!!!

My Dearest Scooter Boo!

Here we are again at that magical moment of memory...
How can we ever forget where we began? Was it that night at Myrtle Beach where you jumped into my car; or was it that night on the beach in Guam where you offered up the most heartfelt proposal after pushing your car? Let me rephrase that, "me" pushing your car! Anyway...no matter which direction you go...it all begins at the beach. Is there any wonder why I love the beach so much...you and I began there. Just the air can spark that intense feeling of anxiousness I felt on both occasions. The ocean has a lot of meaning for me and our lives. At the beginning of our wedding video are the images of your baptism on Serena Beach. Everything monumental in the beginning of our married lives takes place at the beach.

Because the beach is so monumental to us, it only seems fit to use the ocean to describe our love. On this day of our 15th wedding anniversary you and I are oceans apart. There will be no kiss under the moonlight or in the candlelight of our little restaurant downtown, instead I will sit across the table from our 8 beautiful children and thank God for the gifts that He has given us through this amazing union of 2 totally different souls. Just as the ocean, there is always the give and the take of the tide present in our marriage. The waves crash onto the beach and just as they seem to overtake it they pull back and reveal smooth untouched sand. I feel like our times of separation over the years seems to be resemblance of that ocean tide. As the turmoil of the separation (the pulling back of the tide) causes the crazy waves, then there is the excitement of the return (the crash of the wave onto the sand) and as the wave smooths the sand...your return smooths my fears and leaves me settled again.

Our lives in these past 15 years is just like the waves...and as much as others or myself at times questions the sanity of this lifestyle...if we didnt do this then who would? You are an amazing man with conviction for the need to fight to the end and that makes me proud to call you my husband. You are the true meaning of American Soldier and my heart bursts with pride when I tell people that you fight for our country. Yes, it hurts to be away from you but I know the wave will always come rolling back in and bring peace to my heart again. I love you with all that is within me and I am yearning for the day when you crash upon my sands again and bring me back to serenity. Hurry home...Your Jenni Leigh is waiting!!!

My Sweets...

How can a baby be so good? Sweet Irelyn Jane fits her perfect. She rarely makes a peep unless it is to greet me with giggles and grins and loves everyone who pays her attention (as if she needs a bigger audience than the one she lives with). We can go and do anything and she is a trooper and just goes with the flow. I think I have heard her cry 4 times in these 4 wonderful months since she was born. Her cries are so rare that when she does, it breaks my heart. There must really be something intense wrong if she sheds a tear. She sleeps all night (with a few passy replacement interruptions), and loves her blankie. Thanks to Auntie Jane for the Babys-r-us trip that brought forth the ultimate blankie purchase. I love this little girl...Sweet Irelyn Jane!

Bear...No Longer Bad to the Bone

Isnt he a beauty! If you would have asked me that a month ago I would have said "No, he's Satan's spawn"! However, Bear has been at school learning how to be a good dog. Before this, he ate everything he came in contact with: toys, grills, bike seats, trampoline, shoes, but worst of all he tried to eat us. Dont get me wrong he never fully bit...he only nipped because he was outta control. Now he is schooled and a joy to be around except that he poops, has doggie breath, and smells like a dog. All in all, hes a good addition (now that he doesnt use us as a chew toy).

Here's a quick video of Bear even bending to Haydens commands. I figured if he could see her as an authority role then we are good to go. Big Papa, your money has done you well...too bad they didnt teach him to clean up his own poop.