Get Your House in Order: Moore Household Established March 14, 1998

"And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, 

a slain offering and sacrifice to God, a sweet fragrance."

Ephesians 5:2

Happy seventeen years, Jeff! It seems like yesterday that we were having the best time at the swap, and you were trying to convince me stay out a little later (hmm, I was an early bird at 18 too)... I told you I had to get  onto bed to make it to my 8:00 am Italian class. You quickly replied with "Ohhh, you take Italian??? I love Italian.............(big smile).....dressing!  I laughed so hard, thought you were the funniest person ever. That was a great pickup line, by the way! I still made you take me to Tutwiler (dorm) with Lisa and her date!

Fast forward seven years, how great of memory is the afternoon you proposed to me? You went to great lengths to make a wonderful dinner, had the table set with Paige's china and I came waltzing in from work (South Haven Nursing Home), on casual Friday...in my uniform (haha) white jeans, white tennis shoes and white t-shirt with a big rainbow on it! I barely got in the door and you were on that knee:). Picture perfect, luckily we don't have one of that but you certainly have it in your mind now! It was very sweet and thoughtful! To your surprise, the wedding was six months later and our honeymoon to Jackson Hole, Wyoming was on your spring break from UAB. Going back to School for accounting and CPA has been a great choice and was worth the sacrifice! And we started our life out in the little house on Alford with two dogs, Lucy and Katie, our babies.

But not for long because Miss Abby was born a year and a half later, in October. Someone once told me that women become Mothers the day they find out they are pregnant, but men become Fathers the moment they lay their eyes on their first child. I have to agree. My favorite is you wore the snuggly or the backpack with Abby more than I did! We were smitten, absolutely taken away for the next three and half years by this beautiful little spunky, artsy, raspy voiced angel!

And then we decided Abby needed a playmate, she was so excited about her new role as a big sister!

When Luke came along, he had two Mommy's and a Daddy (still does I think..haha). Abby claimed him as hers, at three and half years old. She adored him, taught him so much, got him to do all his tricks and bossed him around a little/lot.  It was a big adjustment going from one child to two and I am so sorry for those nights when you came home from work and we were all three crying! Luke was a bright light to all of us. He would skip around the house and laugh at anything, kinda like he still does minus the skipping!  

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And last but not least, our fourth anniversary trip to Turks and Caicos, was my favorite trip that we have taken together. The snorkeling boat that we rented and took way out into the ocean,  scares me a little bit now, but no more than the tail that I saw from a sweet Dolphin that looked exactly like a shark!!And the tiny car we rented and rode around in all day, the desolate beaches, all of it, so much fun being together. We made a pact to always take vacations, that's where you make connections that you sometimes miss at home with normal activity. We have done a pretty good job of living up to it. It doesn't have to be an extravagant vacation, just as long as we are all together! Can't wait for spring break!

God had a plan for us from the start. (Jeremiah 29:11) I do believe that. It was only six months into our marriage that I completely fell in love with Jesus. I had known him before, I asked him to be my Savior, but I never made him the Lord over my life.  Before we started our family, He called me back to Him and as I was growing and learning I shared with you. You renewed your faith as well. It has been such a journey. These pictures today were in the early years, things have been complicated and chaotic at times since then. Every vow tested and tried.  I finally think I realize what the Lord has been trying to show me all these years. And it came to me when I heard the new Casting Crowns song "Broken Together." We are at a good place right now, after weathering many, many storms, but the Lord has held us together. We are broken. All of us. We can't complete each other, only our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ completes us. So when I heard these words, I thought of us. 

"Maybe you and I were never meant to be complete

Could we just be broken....together?"

I am looking forward to this year, I just know in my heart, that it is full of changes and challenges too I am sure but my prayer is that we are united by them and God is glorified. By the way, you still make me laugh! I love you, Jeff Moore. Happy 17th!

Day#73 One day at a time

Blessings, 

Suzanne