Happy 22'nd Anniversary

What a beautiful mess. Our life has been so full, you said it the other day, we have lived many lifetimes, and we are barely half way through. I love you Scottie, with all of me. I know you love me, I can see it in your eyes when you look up at me when I hold you.

What to say? How do you capture our life, our marriage, our family, our frienship in a simple card, letter, or a blog post. I could probably put something in ChatGBT and come up with something perfect...but that wouldn't do it justice because our life, our marriage, our family is far from perfect - as I write those words my eyes fill with tears. For so long, even now, I fight for perfect. Partly because its who I am (good and bad), and partly because I want the absolute best for you and our kids. I don't want any of you to feel sad, feel pain, be disapointed, or be disconnected. But as you and I know...that's just not how this whole thing works. Life is messy, but beautiful.

AND, here we go again. We are in the middle of another massive decision for our life. Both working hard to consider every possible option and how it impacts the hearts and souls of our most precious treasure, our children.

Two days ago you sat in my office in tears asking why our life can't be normal. Your mothers heart wants stability, peace, and the gathering place for our children and their future families. This is something I have wanted to give you. I hadn't fully realized the importance of this for your heart until we sat in the trailer we were living in back in 2020 in Auburn on what we thought was our forever home and land. Since that time we have been working and fighting for a place to call home. My hope, desire, and prayer to God is we will find that place during our lifetime to whatever extent we can this side of Christ's return.

Although we are not living in a place today that we feel is a forever home, the connection we have made with each other and our kids runs deep. With how full our life has been, with the chaos of it all, we have been bonded together with deep deep roots. So even though our 22 years of marriage have not been in one place, with one big community of people, we have been building a depth with each other and with the incredible children God has blessed us with.

Scottie, the adventure of our family has truly been learning to live out 1st Corinthians 13 - I wouldn't call it easy, but I would say it's more than worth it. You are the love of my life. Happy Anniversary.

Laughing in the night

Babe!

You were cracking me up in the night. Stella went to the ER two nights ago, so yesterday she was home and for some reason you started cooking and meal prepping to “ease the mind”. You cooked for 12 hours.

We fell asleep watching Love is Blind. Then sometime around 4 am, I made a “rude” comment about you talking giberish in your sleep, you made a comment “you don’t deserve me” tongue and cheek…it was freaking hilarious. Then you said I needed to say “hail Sarah full of grace I’m so sorry” 100 times, we were just dying laughing. Then you made the comment that I literally worked you to the bone yesterday because you had a nasty blister in your finger from chopping so many vegetables.

I love you and love laughing with you.

Ned

Flag Football

Scottie,

Wow, just wow. God is so good. I love this picture, I love the depth of love and connection. Christmas is this week, we finished Advent reading last night, and thinking about Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love…this picture holds and reveals all those truths. This weekend you and Presley went to Oahu for the flag football clinic and game. Presley needed a win and this weekend she got one. She had fun and worked her booty off and got the defensive MVP for the weekend. Two interceptions, two completions in offense, and her Big Island team beat the Oahu team!

So exciting! I just love this for her. I love that you were with her and you were so sweet about it. I love what the two of you have.

You are both so deeply loved.

Ned