We’ve all seen the nominations and challenges floating around Facebook…. the “Love Your Spouse” and “Proud to be a Mama”. I was nominated for both multiple times. I welcome any opportunity to share and brag on the souls I get to call mine-all-mine, but couldn’t commit to consistently posting pics and tagging others for consecutive days. So instead, I’m blogging my nomination acceptance!

Anyone who reads this blog or knows me, even slightly, knows I consider myself extremely blessed–spoiled really. God has gifted me with an amazing partner and a healthy daughter. They joys they both bring me are profound and I could never put into words how very fortunate I feel to share my world with them.

So I’ll share some photos that capture moments in time that I will treasure always.

For the ‘love your spouse challenge’ you’re supposed to post one photo a day for seven days. I am eternally grateful the for path that lead me to Cody, he is the perfect match for me is so many ways and he makes me better than I would be without him. So let me count the seven reasons I love my man.

He humors me…. endlessly!

He’s got a great work ethic and is respected by his colleagues. He works hard, for his job, this farm, and his family…

He’s true to himself, honest, loyal and traditional….

He always picks me up, stands beside me, and carries me forward… rock, shelter, and cheerleader….

He’s a role model…in a world lacking integrity, he has it….

He brings joy, adventure and laughter….

…and he has made all my dreams come true!

For the ‘proud to be a mama’ challenge, you’re supposed to post just one photo that captures your pride as a mother. This photo captures all of that. Here I am holding both my babies, Miss Connie at 13 months and our James, while I was just 15 weeks pregnant with him. This photo was captured on Mother’s Day 2016. We drove to Oakwood, set the camera up and used a remote to take the image. It encompasses my dreams, my ultimate blessing of being a mother and experiencing pregnancy, and my amazing spouse who’s given me my happily ever after.

I won’t call out anyone in particular to challenge, but I do challenge you to count your blessings each and every day and thank the good Lord for the souls you share this world with. There are so many suffering, so many terrible things happening, so much violence and senselessness. We are pretty sheltered here in rural Wisconsin and I am grateful for that. These challenges are an opportunity to again count my blessings and reflect on the positive, hope, and live in the now.