1. I married Cody Gaines on July 3, 2010. The day was a disaster. My dress didn't fit, my wedding venue was rained out, the humidity cancelled my dream wedding hair, my cake woman bailed a week before the wedding, my wedding flowers were never ordered by the company... the whole day... a mess. So I ended up getting married in Wink, Texas in a wood paneled church. Yeah. We're just going to leave that there. Fortunately, this man is my one true inamorato, and I love being his wife.
2. Ella was planned, but unexpected. Adam was a total shock, but completely welcomed. Well, after I cried for six hours and had a "SERIOUSLY?!" meltdown to Sweet, gracious Jesus.
3. I am continually aware of my teeth in my mouth. I loathe it. I've done all kinds of damage to my "bite" from clenching my teeth. I'm not proud, but this is a list of facts.
4. I tried really hard to be a "crunchy" Mom. I saw the scary documentaries, the studies, the "everything is out to kill you" blogs... I know. I hear you. But we love food. And we heart dairy. And we love gluten. And we're okay with it if our chicken didn't free roam. In a perfect world, the FDA would recognize that if they would lower the daggum "organic" prices, they would probably see more people pursuing that lifestyle. I think a read a quote somewhere that said "Only in America will the rich be thin and the poor be fat." And it's true. And I'm not advocating for the junk in our stores. I'm only saying that I stay at home with my babies and make the best possible foods I can for them that my budget will allow. And sometimes that means that our cheese is from a cow that wasn't grassfed.
5. Speaking of cooking, I love to do it. And food presentation is a big deal. I cannot stand food slapped on a plate, and I'll have a hard time eating it in that particular formation. I don't do casseroles, and I have a difficult time with "15 minute meals." I plan meticulously, and work hard to cook food for my husband that makes him say "That's darn good eatin', Kaylea Gaines." That's his highest compliment. Putting the food on the plate is a fun game for me. I love to make it pretty, and I love to watch the Food Network for new ideas. This is who I am.
6. Ideally, I would love to own a bed and breakfast. If I ever had the opportunity, I would be on it like white on rice. It would be my dream to find a rundown plantation house, flip it, and turn it into a wedding venue/ B&B. The very thought makes my heart take flight. I could let my husband crunch all of the numbers, because for some horrendous reason, he enjoys math. I would simply run my inn, play in my garden, and watch other people have successful weddings.
7. Speaking of gardens, I truly find peace standing in the middle of our garden. It is without a single doubt my "happy place." I loathe the heat that accompanies summer, but during winter, my soul longs for Spring, because I know it's almost garden time. It's something that has always made me feel connected to my husband. Pre-kids, currently, and I know that when we're empty nesters, we'll still be gardening together. I will garden until my body will physically force me to stop, which I hope is never.
8. My soul has always felt a bit nomadic. I've wanted to do a little bit of everything for as long as I remember, and as a result, I never finished college. I had plenty of hours, but none of them added up to a compatible degree. Yeah, it irritates me too. I would love to say that someday I'll go back, but I don't know that. Right now, I'm raising my babies, and that's something that I always wanted to do. If I am without a degree at the end of my life, I won't be upset about it. If I had finished my life and hadn't spent enough time with my family, it would be my greatest regret.
9. Things that I love that don't deserve their own number: Coffee (just saying that coffee doesn't deserve its own number feels like blasphemy), Texas Hill Country, buying clothes for Adam (it should be an olympic sport to shop for non-corny little boy clothes), Floaties in the Caribbean sea (drink required), Renovating our sweet little house (this doesn't deserve its own number because it earned it's own separate page), browsing online real estate, and trying local restaurants.
10. The last thing I want you to know about me is how thankful I am for Jesus. He is so good and faithful to my wandering heart. He comes down to meet me when I don't deserve it, and I'll pursue him until my last breath. This entire blog is a commitment that I'm making to trusting Jesus with my dreams. I've loved to write for my entire life, and I've always needed to write as an outlet. As a stay at home Mom, there have been so many times that I've thrown my head back and said "WHY DIDN'T YOU GIVE ME ANY TALENTS?!?" when I wanted to make a little side money. But he did give me talents, and I believe that writing is one of them. If this blog never takes off and never makes me a millionaire, it will be fine. I'll still live a life that's richly blessed and a life that I'm proud of. But the more I press in to what happens when these cherubs start school, the more He pushes this blog onto my heart. So I'm allowing myself to have big dreams, and I'm allowing myself to trust that He knows what to do with them.
I could honestly go on for days. DAYS. There's so much that I want to share with you, and so much that I want you to know. And I hope to share it with you eventually. But today, let's just rest in knowing that we're all Mamas and Daddies trying to survive. In sickness and in health, good diapers and bad diapers, for better or worse, until we make it to eighteen. Amen? Amen.
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