Celebrating 14 years as husband and wife: January 4,2016

So very thankful to have this man by my side for the past 14 years.

He is kind and loves me well. 

 We found a groupon for a restaurant close by and as 8PM rolled around, we noticed a ton of single people coming in and we quickly realized it was a speed dating event! It was so awesome to watch and talk about how thankful we were that we never have had to be single for a long time! And how very brave these people are to put themselves out there like that! It was such a fun date night! 

And I got some beautiful flowers! 

Tearful Goodbyes

 Mark took off to Kenya on Wednesday. He will be gone for 3 week. This is his 4th year going with teens from Valor. You would think the goodbyes would get easier. They were not. 

It probably didn't help that we dropped him off at 9pm. The kids were tired and they were SOOO weepy. They love their daddy so much. Elijah woke up this morning and the first thing he said was,  "Mom, I sorta am missing daddy right now." 

I am so glad Mark gets this opportunity every year even though it is hard. 

Please remember him and the team in prayer over the coming weeks. 

He did make it safely to Nairobi in the middle of our night last night and they will be spending some time in the city before heading out to the country. 

Elijah starts baseball

Our little guy started baseball tonight. He goes twice a week thru the end of July. He was so nervous in the car saying he didn't want to play because he would be the only 5 yr. old. (this team is for boys going into 1st grade) Most of the boys were 6 or 7 but I didn't tell Lij that:) 

He had SUCH a good time and was so polite and followed directions so well. 

We were so proud of him. 

 He was far from the best player out there 

but his respectfulness towards his coaches and teammates 

was worth more to me than a thousand home runs:) 

sliding into first

hitting into the fence

His team is the Rockies and his shirt is twenty sizes too big. 

This is shaping up to be fun summer:) 

Happy Birthday To Mark

This post is weeks late, but my dear husband celebrated his 35th Birthday on October 8th. He was out of town at a tech conference in Texas but we were able to celebrate as a family the next day with our traditional pancake breakfast. I am blessed beyond words that he chose me to be his partner through life. As we get older, it just keeps getting better and better!

 Every year, I let the kids pick out one thing to get Daddy at Target. This was this year's choices:)

{I love this man}

Somewhere I Have Never Traveled
e. e. cummings

somewhere I have never traveled, gladly beyond
any experience, your eyes have their silence:
in your most frail gesture are things which enclose me,
or which I cannot touch because they are too near

your slightest look easily will unclose me
though I have closed myself as fingers,
you open always petal by petal myself as Spring opens
(touching skillfully, mysteriously) her first rose

or if your wish be to close me, I and
my life will shut very beautifully, suddenly,
as when the heart of this flower imagines
the snow carefully everywhere descending;

nothing which we are to perceive in this world equals
the power of your intense fragility: whose texture
compels me with the color of its countries,
rendering death and forever with each breathing

(I do not know what it is about you that closes
and opens; only something in me understands
the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses)
nobody, not even the rain, has such small hands

Still Got it...

I love him.

Just sayin'. 

Happy Birthday, Baby.. just a tad late

Mark turned 34!!!! 

on Sunday, October 8th... I know, Im really late in posting this.
We cooked him a yummy birthday breakfast, as is the tradition, in the Gomez household on birthdays. 

I absolutely LOVE this picture of Mark and Lijers

Pumpkin roll after dinner:) 

The kids each picked him out a little something at Target.. 

{ Elijah- gloves, for when he walks to the bus in the morning}

{Ella- a grey t-shirt that when she saw, she said, "I have to get this for dad."}

{Arianna- beard trimmer}

{Sophia- cheeseburger boxer shorts- they were neon- I think thats what she was drawn to?}

* Mark and I were able to get away for the night to a hotel without kiddos! oh yeah! 

*We were treated to an amazing dinner at Bittersweet- truly the best fancy dining experience I've ever had! (Thanks, Cam and Ada, for the gift certificate!) 

*We caught a movie after dinner with the aforementioned friends and then were able to relax in an amazingly comfy, plush hotel bed!
(Thanks, Garrett and Laura, for watching our 4 rambunctious kiddos! I'm sorry for all the pancakes they ate!) 

*We also celebrated on his actual birthday with his awesome parents at Texas roadhouse! YUMMO!

{SO BLESSED to be married to this wonderful man}

"I now pronounce you, husband and wife"

 Last Saturday, September 22nd, we were honored to witness our dear friends, Cameron and Ada, covenant together before God as husband and wife. 

Cam and Ada came to our church last November as a dating couple and we were very excited to welcome them into our community group when it started up a little while later. 

Over the course of many shared meals and great doctrinal discussions a bond of friendship in Christ was formed! 

Cameron was new to the faith and it was (and continues to be) SO exciting to see the passion and hunger he has for the Word and his Savior. Ada is one classy and Christlike lady! She also has the craziest sense of humor and her stories will have you laughing in tears. 

Over the course of three months and three books, Mark and I had the awesome opportunity to meet with them often for marital counseling and, let me tell you, it was wonderful for Mark and I to be challenged and rebuked and encouraged regarding our marriage as we looked to Scripture with Cam and Ada. 

Their wedding was full of exaltation of Christ and I loved how they washed one another's feet during the service. 

A picture of our Savior's humility and servants heart when he washed the feet of His disciples.

 Ada walked down to Andy,Bryce and Rob singing/playing the song 10,000 Reasons... 

"Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name

The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning
It's time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes"

This was Mark's first time officiating a wedding! 

THANK YOU, Cameron and Ada, for letting us have a part of your very special day!
Love ya guys! 

P.S. I have a very handsome husband- He looked SO good in his suit!!! 

Adventure Awaits

The big day is tomorrow- bright and early at 7am - we will drop Mark off at the airport. 

He will be traveling to Kenya to visit Nairobi and Kitali. He will be leading the trip with 15 teenagers from Valor Christian School and be assisted by 3 other adults. He has put many LONG hours into planning this trip over the past year and it is finally here! His team will be going to an orphanage called Children of Hope to hold vacation Bible Schools, youth rallies, and preaching sessions. They will visit the slums in Africa, they will visit a place called the WEEP center where woman are trained in a skill to support them and their children. They will see 1000's of children in their journey.They will go on a safari:) and the list could go on and on. You can keep updated on their travels here... http://www.valorkenya.com/

He will be gone from June 5th- June 21st. Please pray that God keeps him safe. They are on a plane/bus traveling for about 30 hours total one way. And its Africa- there are dangers and disease. Please pray that he boldly shares Christ and the Gospel with the African people. Pray that He can share the Gospel with the team teenagers on the trip and really speak truth in their lives. Pray that they can meet needs of a people who are very poor. Pray that they can comfort with the Word of God the many widows and fatherless in Africa.

Please pray for me and the kids as we live life without him. You dont know how incredibly important, loved, helpful, amazing your spouse is until he leaves for a long trip:) I thought this time around might be easier since I know what to expect from last year but in a way its harder for me emotionally. I don't have as many fears as last year with him being in a strange place, getting sick, etc. but this year I just am feeling such sadness because I know how lonely it is with him gone. I miss really talking with him (Skype is awesome but its not the same). I miss the help with kids at night:) I miss him holding my hand and laying in bed at night talking. I miss his constant encouragement and positive outlook at everything. I miss him reminding me of the Gospel and talking about things of Christ!

But I am encouraged to know that I have a wonderful family close by who is SO very helpful and loving. And a church family that will help in ways that are SO appreciated! Praying the time goes quickly and that you all can encourage me when I will be selfish and sinful these next 2 and a half weeks. Please point me to Christ and the Gospel and speak truth into my life! I need that more then anything!

Utah Trip with My Man

 Mark and I were able to get away over Spring Break for 3 days on a little road trip and it was WONDERFUL! We are so very grateful to Mark's parents who watched the kids during the day - all 3 days! And for Megan and Alexandra and Alexis who stayed at the house overnight so the kids could get some good sleep and so Grandma and Grandpa could get some rest too! 

Seriously- THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts! 

I think the last time we went away just the two of us for more than a night was many years ago! 

It was so refreshing and wonderful to reconnect! 

 Marks parents took us to The Original Pancake House for a birthday breakfast before we left!!! 

 A large part of this trip was driving across Colorado to Utah 

and the return trip

Utah to Wyoming to Colorado.

But road trips without kids are a blast in my opinion! 

and if you have a cool fancy new car that you rented to do it in! 

We cranked some tunes, watched movies, talked and enjoyed the beautiful scenery! 

oh and I checked Facebook a lot because it was my birthday and

 it was fun to see who was wishing me a Happy Birthday:) 

We stopped at Red Robin for my free birthday burger! 

 We arrived in Utah Monday late afternoon- Utah is SO pretty! I have wanted to visit there for a while now because Mark has told me how the whole city is surrounded by mountains that aren't far away! It was gorgeous! We checked in at a fancy schmancy hotel downtown! Loved it!  

 The view at night- we were on the 15th floor.

That night we walked around downtown- Fun times! 

 We found this cool little street!  

 view from our hotel in the morning

 The next day, we got breakfast and drove up to the mountains and hiked a bit up and took some pictures. 

 We then went and saw The Hunger Games and had lunch.

 Then we drove to the Salt Lake- it was crazy! It stank and the "beach" had tons of salt crystals everywhere. I couldn't imagine swimming in it-but it would be cool to see how easy it is to float! 

 After that we went to the Mormon Temple- WOW! It was some pretty impressive architecture- 

the sign said it took 40 years to build! 

 We ended the evening at Eva, a yummy tapa restaurant, for dinner and then the Cheesecake Factory for some chocolate fondue for dessert. It was the best! 

We spent the next day driving back to Colorado! 

It was a wonderful, relaxing trip!