40 years!

What does 40 years of marriage look like? . . .   It looks amazing

These two little love birds celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary with a party planned by the amazing Elizabeth Whitfield, party planner extraordinaire. The party was wonderful and the memories created even better.   The party was a collection of the Johnson's closest friends. Spread across the tables were pictures of the Kim and Eric dating all the way back to their teenage years.  We sipped champagne and celebrated 40 years of marriage into the starlit night.

The original 4

Ready for the party

The boys were ready to show off some dance moves

 Papa's boys

Our original 3

The bartenders

  Such a great celebration of these two!

She likes to spread the credit, but this party was 90% Elizabeth and she did a great job!    If you need to plan a party, consider hiring Elizabeth, in all seriousness, I told her she should do this as a job.

I've learned a lot about what it means to be married in watching Kim and Eric's marriage for the past 13 years of my life.  They've served as such a great example of what to do right in a marriage.  The things that I have learned from watching Kim and Eric are:

1. Be your spouse's biggest fan.  Eric and Kim  make each other a part of the conversation with friends.  They celebrate each other's victories and appreciate what each of them does for their family, the community, and their church. 
2. Teasing in the right dose is good for a marriage.   Kim and Eric don't take each other too seriously.  They tease each other in just the right dose and it adds a light-hearted aspect to their marriage. 
3. Do things together.  Kim and Eric do things together.  From taking a night to go play pool downtown to going on big vacations together, these two make memories together by doing things. 
4. Have interests of your own.  Each of Kim and Eric are part of something on their own outside of their careers and families.  Among other things, Kim heads the Steven's Ministry at Church and Eric volunteers for Spokane Scholars.  
5. Let the little things go.   I am sure they have their disagreements, but I am never witness to them, which means that they each let the little things go. They don't nag and they don't force the other to do it "their way." I need to work on this one. 
6. Be affectionate.   The daily kisses, I love yous, and even their adoring smiles.  These two are physically affectionate in a way that makes outsiders know they are as much as love today as they were 40 years ago. 
7. Family comes first.  Their marriage and family are strong to this day because they make family a priority. 
8. Surround yourself with Good People.  The collection of the Johnson friends was amazing!  They have some of the kindest most wonderful friends that a person could ask for many of whom they've known for decades.
9. #1.  On our wedding night Eric offered us one piece of sound advice.  Be your spouse's number one. Don't let things get between you and your spouse.  Be united, be a team.  Best advice we ever got!

Grady 1.0

Although I've had a one year old for a couple of weeks now, when asked how old Grady is, I still stumble a bit before I can get around to saying that he is one.  I cannot believe that we have a one year old!  I'll admit, I wept a bit the week before he turned one maybe in part because life has been so busy these days that I was sad I hadn't been able to savor those baby days enough and maybe in part just because life is just so beautiful. I never knew the immense joy that would come with seeing a little person develop who is part me, part Christopher, and 100% his own little person.

This has been the fastest, most amazing, and life-changing year of my life.  I remember that first time I was handed my little Grady in the delivery room finally able to see the little boy who'd been with me for nine months.  I'd imagined that moment so many times while I was pregnant and for years before even becoming pregnant and nothing can compare to the way I felt when I could finally touch his perfect little ears and see his tiny fingers wrap around my pinky finger.  Now the same wonder continues with each stage along the way.  My heart swells with love with each new day, new milestone, new endearing little trait that our Grady shows us as he becomes a little person.  I am thankful today and every day for the privilege of being a mom. How God knows to match each parent with child (whether by birth, adoption, or other life circumstance) is the real miracle in my mind because I look at Grady every day and wonder just how God knew to give him to me. He is not perfect, but he is perfect for me. Grady you are the light of our life, and we are forever thankful for you.

Grady tid bits at ONE!

• Grady is wildly active, precocious, observant, independent, strong-willed, spirited, adventurous, and hilarious.  
• spirited = nice way of saying fit thrower.
• He is on the move at almost all times, but lucky for me still likes to be rocked to sleep most days.  
• He has started to talk and in true, strong-willed Grady spirit his first very clear and word was "no!"  Bella barks, Grady says "no no".  We tell Grady not to do something and he turns to us and says "no no."   Grady decides he doesn't want to do something and he shakes his little finger at us and says "no no".  Oh boy, we are in trouble. 
• Grady also now says "mama" (his second word after learning No!), "dada" (new this weekend!), "dut" (duck), '"git tu" ("get you" when being chased), "wa" (water), "mo" (more), "ba" (bottle or ball depending on context), "beda" (Bella), "ow" (said while he disturbingly slaps his face) and "whoa" (probably said most frequently behind no).
• When trying out new words, he'll first move his lips without any sound coming out.  It is not even a whisper, it is a silent word.
• When driving home from Priest Lake, in an attempt to entertain Grady, I'd hide behind his car seat and peek my head out and say "boo" and he'd giggle and giggle.  We did this probably 50 times before Grady got tired, threw a fit, and eventually fell asleep.  When he woke up he alerted us that he was awake by saying "boo!"  It cracked us up and ever since then, "boo" is a new favorite word. 
• He loves to hold his towel over his head and play "boo" or to hide behind his rocking chair and say boo.  He tries to sneak into any little small corner of the house just to hide these days.  It is adorable.
• His very favorite activity is still being chased around the house by us, which is now followed closely by mowing the house with his new lawnmower, which still has yet to see any real grass. 
• He also loves being outside and having the freedom to explore.
• Favorite foods include grilled cheese, sweets, and anything that anyone around him is eating but it doesn't count if he has the exact same thing on his highchair, he must see it come from the plate of others if he is going to enjoy it. 
• He has started mimicking what we do, water the flowers with the hose, push the wheel barrow, talk on the "phone",  I guess we need to start acting like mature adults. 
• He holds everything that is semi flat (drink coasters, books, flip flops, etc.) up to his ear like it is a telephone and tilts his head as if talking on the phone. 
• Without fail if he picks up a blanket, a stuffed animal, or anything remotely soft, he tilts his head to the side and nuzzles his cheek to the soft object and loves it when we saw "awwwwwww."
• Despite cousin Cam having already received two haircuts, Grady's hair consists of white wisps that preserve his baby face.  
• He does like to brush his "hair" when he gets out the bath and he thinks getting his toothbrush is the best treat ever. 
• He sleeps so cutely with his butt straight up in the air, arms tucked under him.  
• He has the best giggle of any kid I've ever heard (and yes, that is probably because he is my son).  It is contagious and so sweet.  
• He'll stop to boogie wherever he hears music.  Sometimes this happens in a store when I don't even hear the music. 
• His jumping on the trampoline consists of bending his knees in much the same style as his so-called "dancing", he is so proud when he "jumps" on the trampoline.
• After taking a bit of a swimming hiatus, the boy is back in the pool. 
• He LOVES sprinklers and is still a water boy.  He runs straight into the freezing water so that he can put his hand over the spraying sprinkler.
• He understands much more than I used to think he did.  I asked him he wanted his shoes off yesterday and he bent down and started undoing the velcro.
• He destroyed his birthday cake like no kid I've ever seen before.  It is a good thing he likes sprinklers so much because an outside shower was much needed to remove the neon blue frosting from his hair, back (how does that even happen?) and just about every inch of his body. 

Grady, I'd wish that I could do year number one all over with you again because it was so amazing, but I know I'd miss out on all the fun things that you are going to show us this year.  Maybe you can work on the fit throwing a little bit, but if that is your only downfall, we'll take it.  We love you to the moon and back. 

And now for the picture OVERLOAD (I can see Chris rolling his eyes now).

Month 1 (August)

Month 2 (September)

 Month 3 (October)

 Month 4 (November)

 Month 5 (December)

Month 6 (January)

Month 7 (February)

Month 8 (March)

Month 9 (April)

Month 10 (May)

Month 11 (June)

Month 12 (July)

Kehrli Time!

The Kehrlis made the trip to Boise with sweet little Addison in mid July and the cutest little couple was reunited at last.    Sweet little Addison is just that, a total sweetheart.  We loved our time together watching these two play and get into trouble together.  Although we totally failed to get any adult pictures (I need to be better that), we also loved our time with some of our closest friends.   Chris enjoyed some kid free time on the golf course and I enjoyed a good beer and some shopping without having to carry around my little buddy.  We love you Kehrlis and are totally OK if Addison chooses to marry Grady one day just so you know. 

Bath time is so much better when you have a little fuzzy headed friend.   Seriously, couldn't get enough of these two in the tub.  Love that fluffy hair too!

Going for a walk for a date at my favorite coffee shop. 

Double Trouble!  Grady just looks like trouble here, not an inaccurate description. 

Pool time!!!  Addison LOVED the pool and would sit in her "boat" lounged back recliner style all day if we would have let her.  As it was, I am pretty sure that she was in there for hours at a time.  Such a doll baby. 

I love this one of Grady checking in on his girlfriend, "Hey whatcha doin over there pretty lady?"

I love seeing these boys be daddies together.  Who would have thought when we were living it up in college that it would come down to this someday?  Life has changed, and I couldn't be more thrilled.

Eating outside in the summer is the THE BEST.  Addison learned the second round of eating outside that going shirtless is really the way to go.

For the longest time Grady refused to walk over the threshold of edge where the concrete meets the grass. He must have taken one too many spills.  Here is is showing Addison the proper way to carefully get over the edge.

Addison tried out the Joovy.  Something tells me she may just get the traditional 1 year present. 

Did I say that we'd be OK if this cutie pie one day grew up to marry Grady??  Well, now you can see why.  What a love.  Bob and Lynsey really are family to us so I say we somehow find a way to make that official.  We love you guys and were so happy to see you and be able to watch our kids have summer time together.  Thanks for coming to visit!