20 years ago

20 years ago today I was getting married. I was 22 years old Dean was 25. We were young and in love. Pretty clueless about the future but blinded by the present. Those first years were hard, we liked to party and had ourselves many a good time. We started our married life in a trailer. We bought a house about a year and a half later and live in the same house today.

Mackenzie came along in 1993 and we became a family of 3. We enjoyed our role as parents and Dean spoiled his little girl like crazy. In 1997 we added Carter to our family and became the all American family. One boy and one girl. Two full time jobs we were making money, taking trips, and going shopping at will. As Carter grew a bit older he would cry when I would leave him and it actually started to eat at me a bit. We also began to attend church.

While in Vegas on a pleasure trip, Dean and I talked about whether we should have any more children. One day as he was walking out the door he said these words "I do not think we will ever regret having a child but one day we may regret not". In 2000 Reegan came along. We were now three deep with children and outnumbered and it was not as easy as the two on two we once had. Reegan brought much joy and she too went to daycare but I was longing to be home something terrible. I began to work part time.

2001 Cael joined us, and his pregnancy was quite by surprise. Yes, I am aware of what causes a pregnancy, but still a surprise. I was still working part time, and worked the day before I had him and have not worked outside my home since then. By now, we were regular church attenders and studying God's word. We felt so blessed and we had 2 boys and 2 girls.

In 2003 Quincy joined us, and we were completely outnumbered and no longer cared. We began to believe that God would decide on when we would have children. Quincy sealed this deal when we were trying a form of birth control but I ovulated 10 days early. Quincy was going to be here no matter what we were trying to do to avoid him. The freedom in that choice has been amazing and we have been richly blessed. We also began to home educate our children. Mackenzie as a 5th grader and Carter as a Kindergartner.

2005 Addelynn came and I still remember the smile on Dean's face upon her arrival. 2007 came Cade, 2008 Kyler, and in 2010 Jaycie. Don't bother telling Jaycie she should feel bad for being the 9th child, that somehow she will be getting no attention. If she could talk she would straighten you out right away. She is so happy, so loved, and played with all day by Dean, myself, or any of her siblings. Quincy has told me often how thankful he is that we have her. Such a blessed life this has been. 6 of the children are now educated at home, Mackenzie is a senior, Carter in 7th, Reegan in 4th, Cael in 3rd and Quincy in 1st. Addy also does some pre school and hangs with us most days while we educate. Again, my thoughts are school is life and life is school.

I an eager to see what the next 20 years holds for us. The first twenty have been amazing and I feel blessed beyond what I ever could have asked for.