Forever Beloved

Faith, Love & Truth

Twenty-One Years Ago

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Twenty-one years ago today, my life changed. I can still remember getting ready…teasing my hair, putting on my jeans and flannel and lacing up my boots.  I hopped in my Chevy Celebrity and off I went. Little did I know what that night would hold. I was about to meet the one I had been praying for since I was a little girl.  I was about to meet the heart God had been preparing for mine.

I wasn’t quite sure what to think of this long haired guy covered with tattoos. He was basically the exact opposite of anyone I had dated prior. Which made my heart quietly sigh a hallelujah! He was funny, oh so funny. We would laugh for hours at absolutely nothing. He was a little wild, which my Mama didn’t quite care for. But most of all, he was so sincerely nice and he treated me with respect. What an absolute breath of fresh air that was.

Our paths had crossed numerous times before that night. I can still remember the first moment that I saw his face…staring at me…from behind the pizza counter. And I turned to my friend and said “what in the world is this guy staring at“. I then promptly gave him a sassy look, rolled my eyes, spun around, flipped my hair and left. Time after time, we ran into each other.

Until finally, I quit looking past him and looked directly into his eyes.

He stole my heart and our life journey began.

That first night we went to Pizza Hut and hung out with friends. I remember it like it was yesterday, from the butterflies in my stomach to laughing non-stop all evening. And from that day on we spent as much time together as we could. One month later we were engaged and four months later we were married ♥

Our life journey has been full of ups and downs, laughter and tears, death and triumph, sickness and health.  But throughout it all, there isn’t a single other person I’d rather walk beside through this crazy life.

{Semi} Wordless Wednesday

40 Budget Friendly Date Ideas

I love going on dates with my husband, whether they are little mini-dates we catch here and there or a full day together. I love that feeling of just reconnecting with him and being able to give him my full attention without interruption. I think it’s so important to take time out of our busy lives to solely focus on each other. It keeps our marriage alive.  It’s so important to stay connected!  Some day those babies are going to grow up and leave your house.  You don’t want to be two strangers just coexisting as roommates when that happens.

Romance doesn’t have to be expensive to be great! Here is a list of free or nearly free ideas to make your dating a pure pleasure:

  1. Walk through the mall, holding hands of course.
  2. Grab your skates and head to the roller-skating rink. What, not everyone has skates like I do? Believe me, my littles remind me every year that my skates are as old as dirt. As long as you don’t mind being the oldest people there who aren’t chaperoning their children, it’s a great way to have fun and let loose with each other.
  3. Fill the bed of the truck up with pillows + blankets, head out in a field, hop in the back and count your lucky stars.
  4. Celebrate the first snow fall with a day of sledding together. At the end of the day, head inside for hot cocoa and a hot shower.
  5. Have a winter picnic. Put a blanket on the living room floor, turn the TV off, turn the music on and light candles.
  6. Jump in the car and just drive with no destination in mind. Turn the music up, sing together, hold hands and enjoy the ride. Make a love song “mix tape” to enjoy during your drive. This one is one of my favs!
  7. Wake your love up early. Have coffee, donuts and lead them outside to watch the sunrise together.
  8. Grab your camera and head out. Stop at scenic locations and start taking pictures of each other. Be goofy and creative. Dare each other to put those wacky pictures on Facebook! The loser has to give a massage!
  9. Karaoke is a guaranteed fun night, even if you can’t hold a note to save your life.
  10. Go for a walk together in the woods.
  11. Have a spa day by pampering each other with massages, candles and music.
  12. Grab a tent, sleeping bag and head into the woods for a night of camping. Leave all the distractions behind. Spend the evening cuddling together under the stars talking for hours. If you don’t have a tent, you can get one for as cheap as $25 at Walmart. Sleeping bags can be as cheap as $10. 
  13. Re-enact one of your favorite dates from your “dating days”.
  14. Go to a park, push one another in the swings and talk. 
  15. Dance lessons are fun and romantic. You’re moving, bodies are touching, and you might be working up a little bit of sultry sweat. 
  16. Have a photoshoot together.
  17. Buy a pizza and play board games together.
  18. Head to an indoor or outdoor ice-skating rink — it’s the perfect excuse to hold hands!
  19. Go shooting together, something we love to do. I mean, hello, seeing your guy handle a gun is pretty hot. Just remember, safety first! 
  20. Celebrate your married romance by spending the day in bed together watching TV.
  21. Spend a night sharing your favorite memories from the past. Stay in, turn off the TV, shut down your computer and ignore your phones. Just stay in the moment with each other.
  22. Pray together, taking turns thanking God for each other.
  23. Look through old photo albums together.
  24. Go to the drive-in, pack snacks and a blanket and get cozy in the back seat.
  25. Plan your dream vacation with each other — it might be the incentive you need to start putting your loose change in the piggy bank.
  26. Have your children play waiter and waitress and serve a romantic dinner, then tell them the story of how you fell in love.
  27. Volunteer together. I think watching my husband serve and seeing his heart is pretty amazing and makes me fall in love with him all over again.
  28. Spend the day together in the great outdoors. Go for a hike together, enjoying a day of great conversation while getting exercise at the same time.
  29. Build a snowman together.
  30. On a hot summer day, wash the car together, with the intent of splashing each other with water.
  31. Go play mini-golf.
  32. Go bowling and have fun laughing together! If you’re like us, that laughing will come from you accidentally stepping on the slippy lane, falling and splitting your pants. Not my most graceful moment.
  33. Write a love letter to each other, exchanging them after a candle light dinner.
  34. Have a “remember when” night. Reminisce about your dating days, when you fell in love and recall some of your best memories.
  35. Make a playlist {aka…mix tape} of your favorite slow songs. Cook your favorite meal together. Light the candles. Have a romantic dinner together! Once dinner is over, leave the dishes until the next day! Spend the rest of the evening slow dancing together!
  36. Search out some local music! 
  37. Go House Shopping. Even if you aren’t in the market for a new house, just go browse anyway. There is just something fun about the home-browsing process.
  38. Go for a moonlight walk. There is something very romantic about walking around at night, especially under the moonlight. Tell your spouse all the things you love about them and walk slowly.
  39. Kiss, dance and play in the rain.
  40. Head to a flea market or antique store. I could spend hours browsing through the aisles, dreaming of what I could fit a baby in {I’m a photographer y’all}. And thankfully, my husband enjoys these too!