I should mention...

WE ARE HAVING THE TIME OF OUR LIVES.

Now, of course, this is tempered with my 2 a.m. anxiety attacks over time and rain - and the ongoing spiritual battle for me to remember that only God can make more of either - so I might as well CHILL.

So, if you'd indulge me for a moment I'd like to share a bit of the awesomeness that is our life.  Jarod and I celebrated 11 years of marriage last week and we came to the consensus that had you told us 11 years ago, "11 years from now you will be living in a big brick debt with a half finished fence, two energy filled children (one who has a really annoying allergy induced throat-clearing tick, and the other with all of Amanda's emotional instability), six people whose cultures and languages confuse you daily, and yard that needs constant water.  You will also be living 5 minutes from 18 family members and you are sure to see at least 2 of them each day.  You will also be caring for a giant dried out and dying tree farm as well as six mentally handicapped men.  Yes, you will foresee no possibility of leaving the desert land of Hays, Kansas anytime in the near future, but you can be sure that everyone you love and grow close to will."
NEITHER of us would have said, "sign me up."
In fact there may have not been an "I do" on that hill that morning, as we for sure would have looked at the other blamingly for this horribly foretold future.  But thankfully there is no fortune telling and also no telling how great our fortune has been... as we have walked this crazy journey hand-in-hand. Both SO glad SOMEONE knows where we are going... even if it never has been and never will be us.

First, I'd like to mention WE are having the time of our lives. (We didn't get a picture of us on our anniversary as our dinner was cut short by an emergency shellfish allergic reaction of the husband - just keepin' it real.  But Jude took this fine photo of us in Honduras.)

Besides us - I think two other generations have really benefited from our marriage.  In fact, all I have heard about and all I plan to hear about for the next ...oh six months... is a recent grandparent sponsored and chaperoned trip to Disney world.  Just take a look for yourselves.

If she follows suit we only have 10 years until the real prince charming enters our life - YIKES!

The sword and the stone.

Can I just say, one of my favorite things in life is watching this girl eat?  She just has a way about it. :)

Those are some IMPRESSIVE grandparents. And an adorable R2D2 - if I do say so myself.

But, we don't have to wonder to far from home to have quite a bit of excitement either. 

Here's the face that is either going to make or break year 12.

Now that is quite a pair.  Watch out world, here they come.

And we like to bring the world with us when we can. 

 Thanks Kingson and Allen for sharing in our fun!

Is it fair for two kids to have both sets of the world's most awesome grandparents?

... and most awesome dad?

And here's the guy who made all of my dreams (that I didn't realize I had - of living in Hays with a million RANDOM people in my life each and every day) come true.

Thanks buddy.