5 Year Anniversary

Today is Denis and I's 5 Year Anniversary...it is so hard to believe that is has been five years. I was talking to Rachel today and we were remembering back to our special day and it seriously feels like it was yesterday. I can remember it so vividly....
The chaos of the rehearsal (something i would like to forget)
how Denis took me to the place he proposed the night before the wedding
the excitement in the house the morning of
or how i woke up with a cold sore on my lip like on my big fat Greek wedding!
I had a nice quiet morning at the spa before heading to the church
My flowers came in wrong, but they quickly fixed their mistake! (thank god...or i would of had orange Calla Lilly's at my Christmas wedding! gross...
Robbie (our best man) delivering a gift from Denis, they were beautiful diamond earrings...

The time finally came to put my dress on. That was the moment it felt so real! My favorite moment of the wedding is when Denis said his vows, then when it was my turn, he started saying MINE! we laughed and laughed... it was a day i will never forget.... it doesn't feel like 5 years ago.

After Rachel and i were done "looking back", she said "and look, now you are an aunt!" to which i replied "yes i am, life is progressing perfectly..."

Denis, i love you more today than ever before. I thank God everyday that you chose me. Being your wife is an honor. Your talent continues to amaze me, and you are wise beyond your years. Thank you for being my husband, my cheerleader, my protector and my best friend.

Here's to many more anniversary's

I love you

forever and ever...

It's Christmas time in the City

It's Christmas Time in the city...and in the johnson household. I finally found time to decorate for my favorite time of year. I had a great time decorating with Mattie and Jaime. This was my first time decorating this house, and i am pretty pleased with how it turned out. I had a hard time deciding where to put the tree. It is squished in at the bottom of the stairs for now :) i may try to find another place next year.

Here are some pictures of my tree








A few details





Christmas has always been my favorite time of year. Growing up Christmas was always a very special time full of special memories. Some of my favorites are:

1. The year my sisters and I got up and opened all our presents before my parents woke up. It wasn't funny or fun at all then because we were sent our rooms for the rest of the morning
2. Christmas candy. My mom is the Christmas candy making QUEEN. I used to love her chocolate covered peanut butter balls till i ate so many that i got SOOO sick...haven't had once since. But it is still an favorite for the family. Chex mix is my ABSOLUTE favorite! my mom makes the best ever....even though i pick out the peanuts.
3. i can vividly remember when i truly believed in Santa. It was so exciting to stay up and listen for him and to set out cookies. now i just know that my dad is a big fan of milk and cookies :)
4. My favorite Christmas gift of all time was my guitar a few years ago. I know that sounds silly because i never ever played it, but for some reason the feeling of seeing it out Christmas morning is one i will never forget!
5. Seeing the tree decorated and lit up is always so thrilling. i love having a home and my own tree to decorate now. I hope that my children will love decorating the tree as much as my mother and i do.

Christmas Traditions! We have a few in the Freer/Johnson households. Here are a few.

Johnson House: (we spend Christmas eve with Denis' family each year)
* we have a nice dinner before we do anything else. It usually includes fried chicken and Macaroni and Cheese...it's amazing.
* then we read the Christmas story. When denis and deanna were growing up, they would try and memorize the verses and say them along with Denis Sr....oh wait...they still do this...i am WAY behind.
* after we read the Christmas story, we each take the chance to pray and thank God for all his blessings throughout the year, and we pray for the year to come. I just love this part.
* then we open presents!...just a side note...each year my sister-in-law gets me coal for Christmas... i am hoping for chocolate coal this year. if i am going to get coal, i at least want to be able to enjoy it! GEESH!

Freer Household: (we drive down Christmas day to spend Christmas at my parents house)
* growing up we each were able to open one present on Christmas eve. it was always such a process trying to figure out which one to open.
* THE BOW GAME! don't ask me how this started or when or even why. But my sister's and i are very competitive and this adds some MORE excitement to our gift opening process. The goal of the game is to end up with the most bows covering your body as possible. I won last year for the FIRST time! it was thrilling!
* Christmas breakfast is always a special time. The food just seems to smell better and taste better than any other time of the year. sounds silly but it's true.
* Family Fun time! the rest of the day is pretty relaxed until the sun goes down, and then IT'S GAME TIME! we spend the evening laughing ourselves silly. denis and mike usually hide downstairs. They don't seem to get it quite yet!

What i am looking forward to most this Christmas:
* spoiling harmony! last year it was all about kemper. Now, it's all about that beautiful face.
* SEEING MY BROTHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it could cry thinking about it.
* just being around family. best place in the world.
* Denis and i will be celebrating our 5 year anniversary! so hard to believe.
* giving...i am very excited about my gifts so far. I love to watch the faces of those i love most opening a gift i have put so much thought into.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Glory Baby

These past two weeks have been a whirlwind of emotions for me. Two weeks ago today i recieved a phone call that my sister was in labor and i couldn't wait to see that baby and kiss her face. I spent the next few days in absolute awe of how perfectly perfect she is.

One week ago today i recieved a phone call telling me that one of my best friends went to the doctor that day and they couldn't find her babies heart beat. My friend, Nanette was 39 weeks pregnant and due anyday. Denis and i rushed to the hospital to be by her side and to pray and petition God for a miracle...that there would be some sign of life in her baby boy.

Wednesday afternoon, Judah Gabrielle Rivera was brought into this world, but his spirit had already gone to be with the Lord. Denis and i went the the hospital and i was able to kiss his little face with my tears. I won't lie, i wrestled with God in that moment. I wanted to know why. Why did it have to be like this? But i knew those questions were not going to be answered. and i now have peace about that.

As i held him i thought; he's perfect. He looked just like his daddy, but with his mommy's nose. :) he was beautiful.

Today we said our final goodbye's to Judah. I have never in my life been more proud to call Nanette and Gabriel my friends. They are so strong. Stronger than I ever could be. I take so much comfort in their strength. I know that they are leaning into God in a way they have never had to before. They understand that verse that says, in our weakness he is made strong.

God's peace truly does pass all understanding. We may not always understand his plans. But we still hold fast to the promise that his plans are perfect. That even when we walk through the valley of the shaddow of death, he is with us.

This song is by watermark, it's called Glory Baby. i find that these words perfectly capture the emotions of this past week.

Glory baby you slipped away as fast as we could say baby…baby..
You were growing, what happened dear?
You disappeared on us baby…baby..
Heaven will hold you before we do
Heaven will keep you safe until we’re home with you…
Until we’re home with you…

Miss you everyday
Miss you in every way
But we know there’s a
day when we will hold you
We will hold you
You’ll kiss our tears away
When we’re home to stay
Can’t wait for the day when we will see you
We will see you
But baby let sweet Jesus hold you
‘till mom and dad can hold you…
You’ll just have heaven before we do
You’ll just have heaven before we do

Sweet little babies, it’s hard to
understand it ‘cause we’re hurting
We are hurting
But there is healing
And we know we’re stronger people through the growing
And in knowing-
That all things work together for our good
And God works His purposes just like He said He would…
Just like He said He would…

I can’t imagine heaven’s lullabies
and what they must sound like
But I will rest in knowing, heaven is your home
And it’s all you’ll ever know…all you’ll ever know…

Judah, your name means "to Praise." and even though i will never watch you grow, i will always love you, and i will never forget you, and i will always praise God for you and for your incredible parents. I'll be seeing you...