Happy 5th Anniversary, Aaron and Anna!

Five years ago today, Aaron and Anna wed.

Their relationship had started as a friendship in an online group setting through college. The next step was a courtship where both sets of parents played a role in encouraging and advising them.

By the time of their marriage, Aaron and Anna's friendship was already rich and deep.

That friendship was marked by the ability they share to this day to laugh easily together.

After the initial photos, it was time. Anna and her bridesmaids were ready.

And Anna's daddy was ready to walk his little girl down the aisle.

So much joy marked the ceremony...

...and yet the young couple understood the solemnity of the vows they were making before God, family and friends.

This was Aaron and Anna's first kiss. They had waited until the alter for this relationship milestone.

By the end of the ceremony, the two had become one. On the way out of the church, they stopped to hug the parents who'd raised them for this very day.

Aaron's parents have played such a key role in the couple's five years together. Ric and Tina live about 10 minutes from the younger Nix family, and they have sacrificially served Anna and Aaron and their three little girls (with a fourth child on the way!). We thank God for Aaron's loving parents who are now our dear friends!

We exited the sanctuary as two parents overwhelmed with God's goodness!

So many friends and family came to join in our family's grand celebration.

Before heading to the reception, the wedding party had a blast taking this photo in front of the gorgeous theater in which Anna had been blessed to play violin for the local symphony orchestra.

Five years ago. Anna and Aaron were new to dancing with one another. Now dancing is in an important part of keeping their marriage fresh and fun thanks to dance lessons. They also love to play long, involved strategy games together. Anna even wins...sometimes. They've developed and invested in a number of shared interests. At five years their unity in Christ and devotion to each other is beautiful to behold! As I mentioned, they also love the shared adventure of parenting. Their little girls are 3-1/2, 2-1/2 and 9 months old. Aaron and Anna are eagerly welcoming children as the Lord blesses them with each gift.

This is one of my favorite photos from Anna's big day. Anna grew up in a close, tender relationship with her daddy. Letting her go was hard for him!

The day Anna met her birthmother
(Anna was 18)

I'm going to bring this post to an end in a way you might not expect. Our need to "let go" of Anna as she married wasn't the first or most crucial "letting go" in our oldest daughter's life. You see, we adopted Anna Mackenzie at birth. We praise God that her 20-year-old birthmother chose life instead of abortion for Anna. She sacrificially made an adoption plan for the little one growing inside her. We were the incredibly blessed parents she chose to raise her precious daughter. So Anna's very life began with a loving "letting go" by a brave woman we love dearly. On the 5th anniversary of our shared daughter, we give tribute to the woman who gave life to Aaron's wife. She's our hero!

Happy 25th Birthday, Aaron!

So thankful to God this man is our son-in-law!

May God richly bless this coming year, Aaron,

and may you grow ever closer to Him!

There's No Play Like Snow Play

Mrs. R:

Christmas follows so quickly on the heals of Thanksgiving that I haven't yet finished the posts I'd like to do to celebrate God's goodness to our family during the week of Thanksgiving.

So here are more of the photos from our family reunion.

Each morning during our week together, we carried out our family's daily practice of reading a Psalm and the chapter of Proverbs corresponding with the day of the month. When we finished, our youngest children and our oldest grandchildren, wanted to go outside to play on our swing set. The temperature was remarkably mild for our nearly polar region in the upper Midwest in late November. However, significant bundling was still required.

Thus our oldest daughter, Anna, set to work layering clothes on her second daughter, 14-month-old Evelyn.

After a bit of happy wrestling, the jacket was on and the zipper conquered.

Now it was time for the gloves. Yes, gloves. I can almost hear the gasps of our readers who are mothers. Getting a toddler into gloves is a task of equal challenge to balancing the national budget. Anna good-naturedly tried...

...and tried...

...and tried while Evelyn quietly and patiently endured her momma trying to get those chubby little fingers to cooperate.

But the attempt to get gloves on Evelyn was eventually given up. Now I can hear many of our readers signing an compassionate, "Done that, been there." Gloves and toddlers just don't go together!

Evelyn's daddy, Aaron, swooped his little one up for an outdoor adventure.

However, Evelyn was fading by this tine and ready for her morning nap.

However, her Auntie Eliana was full of pent-up energy. Thankfully, our 10-year-old had her sister, Hope, as well as Aaron and Anna's other daughter, Brielle, with who to explore the great outdoors.

Two Years Already?

Aaron and Anna,

We wish you God's richest blessings as you move into your third year of marriage. I think the two of you would like this quote found by your sister, Daria, in Joshua Harris' Boy Meets Girl: Say Hello to Courtship:

"A marriage that isn't built around the Cross will be devoid of grace, mercy, and humility that come when both husband and wife recognize their need for a savior."

May your marriage always imitate Christ's sacrificial love. Through the power of the Holy Spirit at work in you, may you build your marriage around the cross and strive to out-serve one another!

With much love,
Dad and Mom

A Blessed Woman

Mrs. Beaver:

Our oldest daughter is a blessed woman.

 She has a husband who dotes on her...

...a beautiful baby...

...and, she has the opportunity to stay home and serve both in the name of Christ.

Our oldest daughter is indeed a blessed woman!

For Aaron

Mrs. Beaver:

Dear Aaron,

Thank you so very much for the gift of Anna and Brielle's extra week with us. We know you love them deeply and miss them dearly. Rest assured, Anna and Brielle have both been a remarkable blessing to our family!

Hope these photos help you through the separation. It won't be long now until your girls are back in your arms!

Love,
Mumsie

What a Happy Milestone!

Mr. & Mrs. Beaver:

Happy First Father's Day, Aaron!

We're so grateful to the Lord for blessing you with precious Brielle!

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,

the fruit of the womb a reward.

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior

are the children of one's youth.

Blessed is the man

who fills his quiver with them!"

Psalm 127:3-5 ESV

Your in-laws' counsel now that you have reached this momentous change in your life is to yearn for God's word like a newborn longs for her milk. (Peter's word picture in 1 Peter 2:2 is powerful now that you've witnessed Brielle's zeal to be fed, isn't it?)

The time you invest in your Bible will pay off richly; God has truly given us everything we need for life and godliness (including parenting) (2 Peter 1:3). As you grow to be more and more like Christ through time spent meditating on the Living Word, you will wash your wife and children in His wisdom and truth. Your family will reap strength and peace, and, most importantly, they will develop a desire to know and draw near to your Savior. And isn't that the ultimate goal of parenting?