With this 42 Dollar Ring, I Thee Wed.

Well, looky here, a few candid pix from May 23, 1997

My husband did not marry me for my money. Or my money saving abilities for that matter.

He first learned I was broke when I asked him for money to buy school books. He might have scratched his head a bit when I bought him an el-cheapo wedding ring from Witmark.

Perhaps he wondered why I had this, that, and the other credit card in my wallet while he had 2 or 3 paychecks sitting on his dresser collecting dust.

We laugh when we think about it. Just how unprepared I was to take on the responsibility of marriage, homekeeping, budgeting. You see, Dan and I decided that I would pay the bills, goto the bank, pretty much make sure we survived, financially speaking. If Dan never took the time to even go to the bank and deposit his paycheck, how would he ever remember to pay bills on time, right? I guess I was the obvious choice for the chief financial officer. And how well did I handle this? By delighting the Rainbow Vacuum salesman that showed up to our newlywed home and buying a Rainbow, of course.

Getting to the point. Our marriage was a leap of faith and trust. In each other, in our future and in God. Dan knew I was not the most frugal money manager in town, but he trusted, (trusts) me with it. I knew that he would work, and work a lot, so I have to try every week to be mindful of his physical and mental exhaustion level and not push him to do much in the home.

Of course we are not perfect, of course we fail, and often.

Of course we are different people than we were in 1997.

Of course he has wanted to duct tape my mouth closed at times, and me want to make him sleep on the sofa.

But God has preserved our love, and for that I am so thankful.
Happy 12th Anniversary Dan!

May our marriage and the Rainbow vacuum last a lifetime!

enjoy a few old pix. one for each year we've been Dan & Chelle


1995 and so in love.

Dan's first coat and tie. 1996

From this day forward 1997

1998 Steve and Dana's wedding

1999 Expecting Chase.

2000, Our firstborn son

2001 Awaiting # 2 (What is going on with my hair?!)


2002 Are we having fun yet?

2003 dreaming of # 3


Joy's Baptism Day 2004 (what is going on with Dan's hair!?)

2005 Everyone smile!


2006 summer daze.


NYC for our 10th anniversary

2007 The quiver is getting full.

2008 Juliet is here!

Christmas 2008

2009 Dan's face says it all.


Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
1 Corinthians 9:15

Growing Up and Moving Out.

I don't care what you say, somehow the baby of the family has a different experience than that of her predecessors.

Juliet Lynne, moved from her rolling hospital cart/crib to her crib in the corner of our bedroom when she was 3 days old. At the time it was prudent to keep her in our room as to not disturb the older kids with her middle of the night crying and feedings. Each and every night we gazed upon her as she slept. We listened to her little baby sounds and toots while we fell asleep.

She was such a good baby, sleeping through the night at 7 weeks; she was cozy in that corner as weeks turned into months. We would often ask ourselves why she was still in our room. Why hadn't we moved her to share the Pepto-Bismol pink bedroom of Joy's?

Perhaps we were lazy?
Maybe we were still afeared of a middle of the night crying episode that would wake up Joy too?
Why was it that every time the move was mentioned Dan answered me with a solid "not yet"

I set a deadline for the big move. Her first birthday.
It came, it passed. She was still snoring in the corner.

And then, suddenly last weekend I decided it was time. I was already in a crabby place so moving her out did not have the emotional undertone that I thought it might.

Her daddy was a different story.

It is no big secret that Dan was a bit uninterested in having a 4th child. When I told him I was pregnant way back then, he gave me more than one scowling face and quickly concocted a story about how I "tricked" him.
Oh. Brother.

Oh, his feelings how they changed the moment he placed her in her crib for the first time.

He was at that point--
Wrapped.
Around.
Her Finger.

The move is complete. And Joy could not be happier.

high hopes for wood, plastic, and just the right amount of lead.

The pinnacle event of the year; the Pinewood Derby Race.

His first handcrafted derby car of which he was very proud.

We gathered up the family, found our seats, and waited for the race to begin. Triple elimination was the rule so we were hopeful that we would see our precious young son win a few, lose a few.

Although I have a younger brother and a father that were involved in many a Pinewood Derby Race back in the day, I never paid any attention. I did not know the speed at which those little wooden cars zoomed by. I did not know that the older kids tend to win. I did not know that it would take 2 hours and church coffee would be served.

Having no experience with this type of event, I never though that our boy's car would be first up, first to lose a raise, and in time. . . first to be thrice eliminated.
Alphabetically and mathematically I can account for the finish of his little orange car, but emotionally I just wanted the young fella to win a race, ya know?

My loving mother hen moment was duplicated by our son Drew who was so saddened that his Big brother didn't win. He was concerned the entire evening about what would happen if Chase did not win the entire event. On a side note, I LOVE that Drew thinks Chase hung the moon, I also wonder how long that feeling will last.

We were proud that Chase had fun, that he did not seem to be devastated at the loss(es). In fact he stayed at the finish line and watched every last car race down the ramp.

A fun night indeed; however, I am taking tips and tricks for increased velocity.

March Madness. and April too.

I share a birthday with my daughter. My son shares a birthday with his sister. 5 out of the 6 of us have birthdays in March and April so it was a busy couple of months celebrating and remembering the year that had gone by extremely too quickly.

The countdown to summer begins!