I tend to leave comments around the place talking to you like I've known you for ages, which I am wont do with people after being introduced, probably in some desperate attempt to allow all of us to feel comfortable without all the 'I've just met you, you've just met me, what do we have in common' awkwardness. But I was thinking, that, over the Internets, it might very well come across as nothing short of creepy, so I thought I might try and remedy that, if it is in fact the case.
My name, obviously, is Jenny (not Jennifer... I would have to ignore you if you called me that... and I have a few very amusing anecdotes involving teachers on the subject), I'm 30 and I am married to Adam. We met in grade 12 (Senior Year), in Tasmania, Australia and have been together ever since. We were a very cute couple, and still are, even if we are a little.... wider than we were. We have been together for 13 years, and celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary in June
This is us around our first Christmas in 1997.. I was 17, He'd just turned 19.
And then.. well... life happened....
This is our adorable selves, and it is the most recent photo I have of the two of us, taken at our friends wedding in October last year. Adam's lost 40lbs since then, and I had a baby.
We are both introverted, though most people laugh in our faces when we mention it. But we are home-bodies, and read wikipedia for fun. We enjoy watching stand up comedians, going out to dinner alone, and both have a deep love for history.
Our story is one we may share one day. It hasn't always been roses, infact, we put said roses through the mulcher. But, thanks to God, we used the ready available natural fertiliser to help us grow something beautiful.
This is Adam, aka The Hubsand.
Pretty spunky, no?
He is musical and sporty and smart.
Disgustingly so.
He trains staff to work in supported living houses for people with mental and physical disabilities.
We are heading up the worship ministry of our church here in Palmerston, Northern Territory. Adam plays guitar, sings and leads, and I also lead worship most Sundays.
Adam and I write songs. Well, we write bits of songs. I think we've only managed to finish one. We have some awesome verses and choruses... but none of them actually go together to complete a final outcome. We really should sit down one day and finish them. My greatest desire is to see God glorified through worship... to see His name praised and proclaimed, and also to lead His people into the throne room... to guide them and help them get to that place where they can be free to dance before him without fear, awkwardness or self concern. I am constantly making sure my pride is in check... most often it's not... which bites the big one, and to be brutally honest, I really don't know how to overcome it. Trying to find that balance between acknowledgment of talent vs pride in it is so tough. Finding the balance between that sounded great and we sounded great is also hard. But, I'll keep on keeping on... dying to self is such a continual thing... sometimes I wish it would just let up a bit already, but every time I think I've finally got it, God gently reminds me that I haven't and to keep going. I get lots of heavenly nudges.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5... the baby was sleeping.
Yes... this was totally staged. Just this morning at church, in fact.
Troy, our eldest, just turned 10 yesterday. This is his I-am-cool-and-sophisticated facial expression. Amazingly, this is the only half decent picture I have of him. But he either completely hams it up or gives the most appalling idea of a posed smile I have ever seen. I shall spare you that disturbing image. Because I like you. And I do not want to frighten you away.
Troy is a natural born athlete, and basically excells at any field he runs out on. At the moment he's right into football (Aussie Rules), but we're going to put him into swimming in the mornings, hopefully to get rid of some of that energy before the day begins. I'll let you know how that goes.
He's cheeky and likes dinosaurs. We have awesome stories already about his attempts to keep up with his brother... it doesn't work, mostly, so he has devised certain tactics to... help.
Bethany is the other twin. She's taller than Drew, for the moment, and it almost eases the irritation of being younger.
She is girly. She sings, she loves to draw and dance. She takes a handbag everywhere, filled with treasures.
This is Amy. She's 4. She is the sweetest, most adorably cute munchkin ever. (She's going through a shrill stage at the moment, but we won't dwell on that)
Amy l.o.v.e.s Tinkerbelle. There's not a real lot more to say after that. She also likes Littlest Pet Shop... "my teeny ones", she calls them. I often catch her singing to herself, and she always dances at church. Right up the front. It's awesome.
This is what 2.5 looks like. Eli is all. boy. You name a cliché, he has it in spades. He climbs, he jumps, he throws, he get's into. Eli constantly fights outside his weight belt... thing is... he wins sometimes. He is tough and tumble, and yet heart meltingly sweet. He practices his grouchy face in the mirror. It's hilarious.
My baby. Cora was born on March 31st, 2010. I don't think any baby could possibly bring more joy than she does. She was born smiling, and she hasn't stopped since. This child is adored. Every time we go anywhere, there is a fight over who gets to sit next to her in the car. I love what she brings to our family, even now as her personality is yet largely unknown.
Your family is beautiful. I didn't realize you had twins.
Wow! I've admired your blog for a few weeks now, but hadn't had time to click on the different pages. You have a beautiful family! I'd imagine that the story of You-And-Adam is a GREAT one, having survived(!) 6 kiddos and all that work. Can't wait to read more. Ta-Ta!