~ When I Said I Do...Letter To Roberto ~

"When I said I do, I meant that I will 'til the end of all time, be faithful & true, devoted to you, that's what I had in mind when I said I do." Clint Black...  This is one of our songs...

 Today I am celebrating four years with my Roberto! You, Robert Fulton Scarborough are the best decision I've ever made, (only second to deciding to follow Christ.)

I am FAR from being the perfect woman, wife or friend! To this day, I'm still not sure why God blessed me so much...He must really love me!! It isn't because I am deserving or because I've been wise...

I can always count on you to fix things that need to be fixed & to try to fix everything I don't want you to fix! :) I love you! You are my "Boss Man!"

Thank-you for ALWAYS being on my side but for not being afraid to tell me when you think I'm wrong or am just being a brat! Thank-you for loving a woman who has been told she is full of piss & vinegar! Thank-you for loving me but most importantly, for loving God more!

We are two flawed individuals whom God brought together...I love that you were barefoot!!!! :)

I love that your dad prayed over us!!!

I love that my dad read some wonderful scriptures for us to remember! 1 Cor 13:4-8

I love that I wasn't stressing about the weather, pictures, flowers or my veil...all I could think of was that I wanted to marry you & I didn't care if there was a hurricane! Turned out, we could not have asked for a more perfect day...beautiful day, (my mom said she prayed for that!) magical pictures, flowers from my mom & dad that were more beautiful than I could have ever imagined & no veil... thankfully not a bad hair day!)

I love that your sister preserved my flowers for me! I love that God blessed me with such wonderful in-laws! I love them so much!

I think it's funny that some of our first few biggest arguments were over the Nancy Grace Show! I couldn't believe how inevitably you would take the side of the one who in my mind, seemed so obviously guilty! Gosh darn it, you made me so mad!!! Then when I read 2 Tim 2:23-24 " But avoid foolish & ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife; A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, be patient." 

I knew I could not argue with you anymore, no matter how wrong I thought you were!!! That kinda made me mad too! :)

I love that as hard as I tried to prove I did not need to be taken care of, you took care of me & you take care of me! I love that you still open my car door! I love how you make me laugh & I love when you do your"Happy Dance!"

I love how when we got married, you adopted my 5 dogs & treated them like your babies!

I love your gentleness & your integrity. I once lived in a house with broken down doors & holes in the walls...now it is a peaceful home with beautifully painted walls, gardens & a pond. Thank-you for always being patient, loving & kind & for showing me I can trust again! Most of all, for letting me see Christ through you! That has happened more times than you'll ever know!

I love how when I tell you I'm happy & love our life together you say,"It's gonna keep getting better!" ... it does!

Happy Anniversary Baby! See you in Jamaica! I Love You!!!

~ Celebrating Life's Seasons ~

 "To everything there is a season & a time to every purpose under heaven." Ecc 3:1

I love decorating for fall & I'm so looking forward to the change of seasons but this year saying goodbye to summer feels a little bittersweet...
Over the summer Bob & I became "host mom & dad" to a couple of Latvian orphans. For a season, Marija & Gvido became part of our family through a wonderful ministry called Project One Forty Three. It was by far the most challenging thing we have ever done but we were so blessed by having done it!
While we are praying about what God's next step is for us, we know our continued involvement with this ministry will most likely be a life long thing. We want to continue to be part of the "domino effect" & help advocate for older orphans who need forever homes. www.projectonefortythree.com

Over the summer we took a trip to Cape Hatteras, N.C. to visit Bob's parents. Anytime we visit it feels like being at a bed & breakfast! I love my mommy & daddy in- law, they are wonderful folks & they have a beautiful, comfy home!

Most of the time we fly but this time we drove with 2 kids & 2 dogs & yes, it was an adventure! Normally, Cape Hatteras is a peaceful haven that feels far, far away from the rest of the world & all it's chaos...only this time we brought the chaos with us! Ha! :)

 Relaxing activities like going to our favorite cafe for coffee in the morning, taking the ferry to Oracoke Island to shop & have lunch, taking quiet walks around the island & lounging on the beach were all replaced with making sure the kids didn't drown in the ocean & trying to cram as much into one day in hopes of wearing them out by bedtime, (which never worked, by the way!) The only two who were tired & ready for bed were Bob & I! Well...actually, the dogs looked pretty tuckered out too!

Gracie & Miss Pookerdoo

Boat harbor in Hatteras Village

Over looking the bay side in Hatteras

With fall officially beginning this week & the weather cooling down, Bob & I have started a list of fun things we want to do together before our schedules become really busy...at the top of the list is spending more evenings together on the patio grilling out & sitting by the fire...no TV, no computers, no

cell phones! We also plan to make better use of our botanical gardens & zoo memberships. 

I'm amazed at how easy it is to be distracted by all of the things that keep us busy in this life. It's so easy to get caught up in "working" for the future that we miss enjoying the here & now moments. I'm guilty of never saying no to work & trying to squeeze one more demo session or writing project into an already full schedule... Bob has been gently encouraging me to change this! Ha! He's so good about not bringing his work home with him! When he is home, he is ready to relax & spend time with me! I need  some improvement in the area of putting proper boundaries around my work! Maybe that comes from being able to make my own schedule & not ever really having to answer to a boss...or maybe I'm just that stereotypical "undisciplined & unorganized artist type!"

This past spring we spent much of our weekends working in our yard. I love gardening & working in the yard with Bob...feels so relaxing & very therapeutic. The children loved playing in the yard & picking all of the tomatoes, even the green ones! They were thrilled anytime they spotted a hummingbird or the cute little frog that moved into our pond over the summer! We're still reaping the benefits from the garden with an abundance of tomatoes & fresh herbs!

Come November, things will become busy for both of us. Bob will be leaving for a Mexico mission trip to help finish a house that has been standing vacant for 3 years. By the time the team leaves, a woman & her children will able to move in! Praise be to God!  www.casadelpastor.com



Working on one of the houses for Casa Del Pastor



Soon after Thanksgiving, I will be leaving for Denmark. I'm so excited about the upcoming Christmas tour as well as shooting a couple of Christmas videos. I'm especially excited that my husband & I will get to work together on the videos! Some of the footage will be shot in Nashville & some in Denmark.

Early Christmas decorations on a famous Danish landmark street in Copenhagen

 I read that the Christmas season in Denmark actually starts in October! As I look at pictures, I am fascinated by the Christmas decorations - lots of big red hearts! :)


Soro, Denmark

A few shows are scheduled in Soro. We'll also be shooting video footage around the lake in Soro.

I love this picture of Christmas time in Copenhagen! The Danish are supposedly the "happiest" people in the world! It's no wonder, look at all those bright & beautifully colored buildings, the lights, the hearts & the snow!

The Christmas Market in Copenhagen



Castle in Tivoli, Denmark

I'll be posting the Denmark tour itinerary soon & more pictures! Thanks for stopping by! :)