What is Love?

16 years of choice.

21 years of choice.

41 years of choice.

This is the legacy we, my mom, dad, sister brother-in-law, husband and I are leaving for our children.

A friend of mine, Stacey Meadows said on Facebook today, "I used to think that love had something to do with magic- one day, bam, it'd hit me & i'd just know. But it's choice we make, every day to love someone or not, to look for fault or look at with grace, to bless or curse. Knowing this makes it easier to love, on purpose."
I totally agree. Love is a decision, not a feeling. If you make the right decision, the right feeling will follow.

Why I want to grow old with you.

Why wouldn’t I? You are the most awesome Godly Man I know. You constantly think of us, your family first.
Way back almost 17 years ago when I met you, I had no idea that the cute red head who was gentleman enough to give me his stool in the break room, since I had nowhere to sit, would be this amazing. But I sure thought you were cute. I still remember standing out at that fireplace where we worked, thinking about going to Pea Vine Falls. You see, I had driven up Oak Mountain to Pea Vine falls my first day of work. When I went outside to go home that first day, I had a flat tire. Being the princess I was, I called my Daddy to come (almost an hour away) to change it. I knew how to, but I didn’t want to get dirty. Daddy fussed at me when he found out I had driven up Oak Mountain all by myself, he said “What if you had gotten a flat tire all the way up there. Then what would you do?” I knew what I would have done, change it. However, as I stood there by the fireplace thinking, I said to myself, “He couldn’t fuss at me if I had someone with me. He really couldn’t fuss if it was a guy, then he could change the tire…” At that precise moment, you, my adorable redhead walked up to me and said “Hi.” And as you remember, I blurted out “Hey, you are off Monday, aren’t you? Do you want to come with me to Pea Vine Falls?” and you grinned real big and said… “Yes!”
Little did I know that at that precise moment you had just gotten up enough courage to walk out to the fireplace to ask me out. I saved you the trouble. But then I caused you trouble. I had never in my life asked a guy out, never, never! It just wasn’t done. A true lady did not ask a guy out, she waits for him to ask her out! So, I got nervous and tried to undo what I had done. On Monday, it was raining, so I called you and said “Darn, It’s raining, I guess we can’t go.” Then I basically said bye and hung up. I didn’t leave you a choice. I almost threw away the most precious thing in my life, the chance of a lifetime, because I didn’t realize what I had. Thankfully you wouldn’t give up that easily. The next day at work you asked me out… I said yes. We went to see Jurassic Park. I am not sure what did the trick, but somewhere between me getting ice-cream on my nose, and you putting your arm around me when I got scared in the movie, we fell in love.
Three weeks later, after you kissed me for the first time, I told a mutual friend, “I have met the man I’ll marry. Not have a relationship with, but marry.” 16 years later, and I still look forward every morning to seeing your face.
I love you!
Love Baby D.

Love is not a feeling, It is a choice.

As Promised, here is the second Microburst I am posting in honor of my anniversary... 14 years.

I Choose…
It’s all a choice; life is simply a choice. We choose to love someone or we choose to hate someone by the choice thoughts we choose to think about them. Think about it.
This year my darling husband and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary. In this day of micro marriages, that is a rare occurrence.
For that reason, it was a very special day, right? So, you might wonder how we celebrated such a special event. Well, on the very day, probably even at the very moment that we said, “I do,” he was yelling, “Fore!” (For those of you who are golfly challenged, he was playing golf.) Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I was surrounded by screaming children.
I did a good job of making that sound pretty bad, didn’t I? The truth of the matter is I chose to let him go. I had to work at the daycare. Yes, he was playing golf probably at the same time we said our I do’s, but we didn’t have a nighttime ceremony. We eloped, and were at the courthouse one morning before noon (that same date 10 years ago to be vaguely exact).
I chose not to be upset that the most memorable moment of my tenth wedding anniversary is him golfing without me. The Bible says we need to let our yes be yes and our no be no. I told him he could go.

Simply say yes or no. Anything more than that comes from the evil one.
Matthew 5:37
DaNella
Proverbs 3:5-6

Love and Marriage...without cats.

Tomorrow is my 14th wedding anniversary, in honor of my marriage , here is one of two MICROBURSTS! on my marriage I am going to post.

Forgive and Forget?
Okay, at least forgive and bury it. Way back in the beginning... well almost. Way back in the beginning of mine and Que’sour marriage, we had a cat that shall forever be known as the worst dumbest cat in the world.
A pet store was giving away free kittens (it was a bad sign for her that she was free), and they were long haired so I wanted one! Well, Que didn't feel my passion for this kitten, especially since we had a cat and a dog. However, I begged, pleaded, “pleased,” and made puppy dog faces until he gave in.

You have to have forgiveness to give forgiveness and you have to give forgiveness to get forgiveness.
Honestly, I think the kitten was brain damaged. That was the dumbest cat in the world. Dumb as dirt. At any rate, after almost a year and more than enough grief, the cat went away. Praise God.
Nevertheless, her legend took a lot longer to die. For five or six years, every time I wanted something that my husband didn't want, he would say, “Remember the cat?” and I would give in.
Obviously, he had better judgment than I did!
That isn't really true. My darling Que was using the cat to manipulate me so he could get his way. He has since repented and realized,

True love keeps no record of wrongs!
I Corinthians 13:5

Maybe you can’t forgive and forget it, but you can forgive and let it go!


DaNella
Proverbs 3:5-6

My husband.

14 years ago this may...
Have I mentioned lately how much I love my husband? He is so totally awesome! He knew I had a hard day today, I had an Art History final at 10:30 am, and then an Algebra final tonight from 4-6. When I got home, he took me by the hand, swept me past 4 loud rambunctious kids, all yelling " Mommy's home!," straight to our bedroom, where there were candles lit a around the tub. The water was running, and all that was left to do was for me to climb in... I love my Hubby!