An old friend of mine from the church I grew up in started a blog for moms. This blog, spiritual walking, is meant to be a place you can go to for encouragement, devotions, Bible verses, etc. It has already encouraged me right when I needed it. So I just wanted to pass this resource on to all of you whom might be interested.
In good ol' Pecaut fashion, in celebration of our anniversary that was yesterday, I thought I'd share our past with you...through pictures. Since most of you didn't know us in those days this should be fun...and embarrassing! Of course, these aren't the best quality pictures considering they were all scanned onto the computer, but you'll get the idea.
Yes, this is Matt with his rocker mollet!!!If we ever had engagement pictures, I guess the next 2 would be them...
Next is our one wedding photo I'll share.
This picture was just months after we were married at another friend's wedding.
Notice how skinny Cookie is!
During this trip to Yosemite, I had to fork out $300 at the only store for miles around to buy these snow pants (which are really winter rock climbing pants) because mine were about 3 sizes too small...this was one of the first moments that I realized I wasn't the size I used to be.
The next 5 pictures are during our mission trip to Vienna, Austria and Bratislava, Slovakia in 2002. It was the year before we moved to Redding and the year that I lost 60 lbs.
This is me dancing in the streets to bring in the crowds to hear the Word.
The next 2 pictures are of us camping, but it really looks like I met a homeless man and took some pictures with him. Matt was still walking death because of his pain medication and he also took a break from shaving and cutting his hair.
The next 3 pictures are of us on different backpacking trips. They're all after Matt's back surgery.
I thought I'd finish this stroll down memory lane with a picture from my 25th birthday party. The party was at my brother's house which just happen to have the same view as our first apartment in Pittsburg (California). Plus, you've probably already seen all pictures from that point.
I hope you have enjoyed a little of Bram history. This now begins the countdown to our 10th anniversary in which we are going to have a vow renewal ceremony and party to which you are invited!
Yesterday was our 9th wedding anniversary...YAY!!! Usually I'm the one who gives the surprises and figures them out when they're meant for me. Well, this time, Matt's surprise for me was a success! He's been boasting about it for a couple of weeks now and I seriously didn't have a clue. I didn't even know how to dress for the occasion. I feel so incredibly blessed by him that I have to share what he did. I wanted to take pictures, but I figured that your imaginations (especially you ladies) will be more than sufficient to picture it.
All I knew was that I was to find a babysitter from 6-8:45pm. Thanks to Becky and Marty (and little Marty) our night was set. He told me to go drop her off and then come home and it would be at that point that he would tell me what was going on. So when I got home, before I walked through the door, I saw a note saying to remove everything from my feet. So I took off my shoes and walked through the door. I was instantly met with the wonderful fragrance of roses. On the floor was a path of rose pedals. I followed the pedals up the stairs, through our bedroom, into our bathroom. It didn't seem like I was in my own bathroom; I felt like I had just entered an expensive spa retreat! Tea candles lit, bath towels rolled on the counter, beautiful music playing, and a bubble bath just calling my name! There was a jacuzzi pillow in the tub that I had never seen before just waiting to be used. There was even a glass of ice water. No detail was left undone! So Matt finally came in to greet me and instruct me as to what was happening. He wanted to bless me with the most relaxing evening. He didn't make our anniversary about us, but about me; He wanted to serve me. So after about 45 mins of my relaxing spa (I know it's just a bathtub, but it felt like a spa to me), it was time for phase two.
After I got out, I went into our bedroom to see a massage table (courtesy of my parents generosity) set up. That's right, as if my muscles weren't relaxed enough, I was now going to enjoy an hour long full body massage! Again, no details were left undone. The music was playing and the candlelight was flickering. When he was massaging my lower back he prayed for me and my healing. When he finished my lower back he lifts up our hot/cold bag, opens it, and pulls out hot towels to lay across my back!!! I was so amazed! All the details I would have never thought of. When my massage was over he told me that when he was planning this the Lord told him to massage certain parts of my legs and back to aid in my healing...a masseuse that is directed by the Lord...AMAZING!!! I pretty much felt like jello after that! I was and still am so overwhelmed by his love, his heart, his romance. I truly felt beautiful. He made me feel like a princess. I'm getting choked up just writing this!
After my massage it was time to pick up our precious daughter (who is teething horribly...sorry Moseleys...we owe you big). So I called in some Applebees takeout and we finished the night with good food and, of course, some Olympics. We curled up with each other and rested in each other's presence. God is good!!!
Tonight is a continuation of our anniversary with a wonderful dinner out at Tierra Oaks. I am sooooo looking forward to that!
The Bram family has quite a history with the Summer Olympics. This is our 3rd Olympics together and it has never been a dull moment.
2000: We were celebrating our first year of marriage together!
2004: Matt relied on the Olympics while he was in St. Mary's Spine Center in San Francisco recovering from his disc replacement/back surgery while being fed solely through an IV.
2008: We are now watching our almost 10month old daughter have the attention span of an adult when it comes to watching the gymnasts do all of their twists, turns and flips (this proves she is definitely my daughter!).
I'm so curious as to where we'll be in 2012...2016...2020...
Well, I normally don't blog about my family unless it has some deeper meaning or significance to it, but this one I must share...perhaps I'll find some hidden meaning in it...
Alyssum is finally crawling!!! We've been rooting her on for at least a month and a half now putting everything in front of her that might be the thing to give her the motivation to go forward (not backwards). It ended up not being anything fancy, just some small little bath toy that she wanted to put in her mouth. I think she is such a thinker that she really had to contemplate this crawling thing before she went for it. So yay for Alyssum.
Possible deeper meanings:
1. I thought it was pretty cool how the fact that everyone else's baby (even those much younger) were crawling way before she was and it didn't bother me at all. My daughter is her own individual that is going to do things in her own time. (serious)
2. Now she won't have emotional problems or speech development issues! (sarcasm to its fullest)
As some of you know we had quite a busy week last week. My parents were visiting from Sunday - Tuesday afternoon and then Matt's parents came Tuesday evening until Friday morning. A couple of things I must say first. 1. This was the first time Matt's parents met their granddaughter, Alyssum (they currently live in Kansas). 2. We love our parents very much and have amazing relationships all around...me with his parents, him with mine, and even my parents with his parents! We all love the Lord and His presence is evident through these relationships. We always feel super blessed when we think about this, especially after hearing horror stories from friends regarding in-law relationships and even more so when grandkids are involved.
So on that note, this must have seemed like a wonderful opportunity for the enemy to come in and try and ruin what potentially could have been an awesome week to bring glory to the Lord. And I must say he was relentless. He knew obvious, outright tactics would be easily shielded or fought off so he had to go another route; an underlying route. So what better way than to attack me in my sleep. He would attack me as I drifted off to sleep. He would attack me in my dreams. He would attack me right before I woke up for the day. And knowing how God speaks to me through dreams, he knew to keep these attacks camouflaged through feelings. They seemed more like suggestions of feelings so when I would wake up in the morning my whole attitude was already negative, bitter, sour, doubtful, untrusting of others, etc... And because I was the hostess and the primary caregiver to their precious granddaughter, he knew that if he could take me down, even just a little, then he could do a lot more damage.
Well, I was just taking the punches at first. But then after the third or fourth day of this, the pattern started to emerge. The Lord opened my eyes to what was going on and then gave me the strength, through His Word and singing praises to Him while in the shower, to defend against him. Praise God for it! He changed my attitude to align with His. So although it was busy, we all had the best week! It could not have gone any better. Alyssum loved all of her grandparents and was on cloud nine all week long. Also, I had some of the best conversations with both of our parents. We were encouraged by them and I believe they were encouraged by us.
Thank you Lord for protecting us and giving us your grace and strength to get through!
If you're reading this please take a moment and pray for my dad (and all the firefighters for that matter) as he was just called to go to the Mariposa fire (the one by Yosemite National Park). Most people don't know that there have already been a couple of firefighters that have died on all these fires on the west coast. It is very dangerous stuff and all of your prayers of safety and protection are greatly appreciated!!! Thank you so much!!!
