Love Endures

All little girls need their Moms. All big girls do, too. It doesn't matter what my problem, issue or crisis is—my Mom is always there for me. It doesn't matter if she's a million miles away or if she's sitting right beside me. She always knows the right thing to say and it never fails to make me feel better.
"Kiley, calm down and listen to me ... " she says, in her soft-spoken voice. "Forgive. Always forgive. Then move on." The power and truth to that statement is unbelievable. That and remembering to trust and obey.

When I look back on life, I can't imagine any major event without my Mom. No, that's not true. I can't imagine any event without my Mom. She was always there. And not just there, but she made it all happen. She was there curling my hair, or sticking bows in my ponytails when I had a piano recital or I was dressing up for prom. She was there when I'd wake up every morning and always tucked me in at night. She was the one who listen to me gush over boyfriends, or fall apart during a breakup. She loved me when I was happy, mad, furious, unbearable, relentless and ... well ... just me. Mom was the first person I called when I got engaged and the one to wedding plan with me day and night for four CRAZY months. She's the one that solves all my problems and the one person that knows ALL of my button pushers. I can call her at any hour and tell her anything—and she loves it. She encourages me to do right, and discourages me from going the wrong way. She knows what I'm thinking without asking. She’s not just any mom, she’s mine.

I know Mom might've felt like she was losing me on my wedding day—but nothing could be more wrong. If anything, the planning, scheming, buying, making, cutting, ribbon-tying, sewing, glittery-blur that was my wedding weekend brought us closer together than ever before. I know that by the end of it she was relieved, sad and happy that it was over. Relieved that the sparkly whirlwind was over. Sad that her little girl was grown and moving away. But yet happy still, knowing that in Jake I found the fulfillment that I've always needed. That said, I’ll probably never grow up, but nothing will ever, ever replace a mother's love and the everlasting loyalty that accompanies it. Thank you, Mom, for teaching me what it means to be loyal, enduring and steadfast.

My Mom is my hero. I can only pray that one day I will grow up to be just like her. Until then ... Mom, I love you. Always and forever. That'll never, EVER change.

XO. ki

Lately.

My motto: Life goes on. Always.

For those of you I don't see as often as I like, and don't catch up with nearly enough—here are a few "recent happenings" in the life of the Frederick duo. We've moved from Pensacola to Corpus, settled down in our own, darling little apartment on the island, and attended the 2009 USMC Birthday Ball in Corpus Christi ... all before the holidays hit.

Jake has been studying hard. He is scheduled to start flight school Feb. 1. He's excited, and we're enjoying where God has us right now. It's been such a blessing to be close to Larry and Donna—affectionately dubbed our "playmates." The two of them, along with Deanna, Caryolyn and Verna threw us a "welcome to CC/wedding shower" before Christmas. We had a blast.

For the holiday season this year we hit the slopes in Colorado as a married couple for the first time ever, visted family in Dallas for Christmas and then made the treck back home to Corpus for the Frederick Christmas Day. The holidays make you realize more than ever the importance of family and all that this institution stands for. I love my family dearly. Nees. Frederick. McGhee. Tolbert. Bolles. Bridges. Hodges. Can't beat 'em.

The next few pictures are just random pictures taken in Pensacola, Texas and in between.

Until next time. XO. ki