Family Celebrations!

This afternoon at my mom's house we were joined by some of my mom's family for a great time of visiting. My Nana had come down on Saturday morning to visit with me, my brother and the kids. Joining us today also was 2 of my mom's brothers and one of her sisters and one sister in law along with a great aunt. We had a great time together and also celebrated (a little early) my brother Tony's 35th birthday!!!!! I cannot believe that he is that old...knowing that I am only 14 months younger than him, I guess I am getting up there myself! LOL! Having a family that enjoys and loves one another is such a blessing, truly!!!!


The kids with my mom's sister and my aunt Kelly! Isn't she beautiful!?!
Here we are about to celebrate Tony's birthday from left to right
Dad, Maryann, me, Karli, Tony, Mom, Levi, Norah, Joe, Nathan

Me and Tony

My Mom-Mom and Nana

The Dalys Hit New Jersey!!

Well, the Dalys (that is, us)have hit NJ once again!! The kids and I hit the road on Wednesday morning just before 6:00 for our 11 day excursion without Daddy...(Daddy will follow after that for a vacation at the beach with our dear friends!!) We got in around 2 pm on Wednesday after a very uneventful trip up 81. Thank you Lord for no vomiting and very minimal screaming!!!!!!

Our first adventure of the trip was to have a visit with my best friend from growing up days, RENEE! It is always so great to get together with her, always so encouraging and Christ honoring. She has been blessed with four wonderful and beautiful children who we got to enjoy also. We went to the playground then returned to my mom and dad's for swimming in the pool and lunch. The time went by TOO quickly, but I am thankful for the blessing of getting to see them for a little while!!! I love them!! Karli

Norah and Jude (I told Renee, I would not mind having this gorgeous boy in my family one day, LOL!!!!)

Nathan, Maria, Elisabeth

There's that handsome boy, Jude!

Norah, Maryann, Elisabeth, Maria, Nathan and Levi

Renee and I with our littlest sweeties. We are famous for this pose over the years!!!

Later that evening Nana and Pop-Pop wanted to treat us to an evening at the Ocean City Boardwalk!!Mom made all those outfits!!!!!

Norah and her buddy Mia (My brother Joe's little girl)

Mia and her daddy, Joe!

They had a great time. The boys said their favorite ride was the big swings and the girls enjoyed everything! I think Maryann may have like the bumper cars best, though I didn't get a photo of that!

Standing in line waiting for one of the last rides of the evening!!!

Me and my sweet Karli

My fun brother Tony playing with the boys in the pool at my mom's house!!!!

There they are 3 of my favorite guys!

The Blessing of a Christ-Centered Marriage

Yesterday, Mark and I celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary! Wow, could it really be?! I can remember my wedding day like it was last week and still feel so much of the joy and excitement I felt that day as I got to say, "I DO!" to the man that I loved and still love, and love even more than I did that day. I so much wanted to marry Mark and sought the Lord's guidance in that decision. I sought what the Bible calls, "a multitude of counselors". You know, they all said to marry Mark. The Bible also says that there is safety in that multitude of counselors. So, I entered into that marriage that day with so much excitement and so much faith that that is what the Lord had set out for my life.

Oh, I could never have imagined what a blessing it would be to me to be married to my best friend and also my brother in Christ. Jesus is our Savior and Lord and the Lord of our marriage. A bride and groom are a picture of the Church and Christ. Truly Mark has shown to me the love of Christ throughout these 11 years that the Lord has allowed us to be married! I have been shown unconditional love and a multitude of encouragements, blessings and sweetness along the way!!!!

I sang a song to Mark the day we wed. It was called, "God Knew That I Needed You". I almost knew all those words were penned for us then, but today how clearly those words have come to life in our marriage.

"You know my heart, in a way I'm known by no one else and who you are, gives me strength beyond myself, In spite of all you see I know your love is true, God knew that I needed you....when face the darkness of the night, I'll reach out for your hand and I know your love will hold me tight til we see the sun again. God has given me a taste of heaven here on earth, Til life is through, I belong with you. My heart will fail and my weakness will be uncovered. But love will prevail when we choose to turn to each other...God knew that I needed you!!!!!"

I see in my husband all the things I am not and I see so much how he is my perfect compliment and my much better half. How much I can learn from his genuine, peaceful, calm temperament!!!! I am thankful to have a husband who is gentle with me in my weakness, but who will tell me the truth when he sees a bitter root growing in me or hears and unloving word come from my mouth. He points me to Christ and encourages me in all my endeavors ~ especially in the largest one I undertake each day...my job as a mother, teacher, homemaker. He gives me that encouragement that sends me the extra mile, well maybe 10 miles more I need to go. He gets in the kitchen and picks up the slack and has my dishwasher emptied before I can even ask. He gets better and more helpful as the years go by, but TRULY, I can't really imagine much more he could do. He is SUCH A GREAT HUSBAND! I thank my God upon every remembrance of him. He is a blessing upon blessing to my life. I am thankful to call Mark my husband and honored to think that he actually enjoys having me for his wife. I love that man. Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!!! Happy Anniversary, Honey! I love you forever! "Grow old along with me, the best is yet to be!!!"