Best Moments

Hubby and I will be celebrating our 11th wedding anniversary in less than 2 weeks. Life gets hectic and crazy, and around your special days you start to think about all that you have experienced and shared together. So I thought I would share some of our very best moments in our years together.

Our wedding was a blur, as I am sure most would agree. Our honeymoon however, was like a dream! We traveled to St. Thomas and proceeded to spend several days in swim wear, lounging the beach with umbrella drinks and avoiding iguanas at all costs. I took naps in a hammock on the beach, while my sweetie snorkeled. We shopped, we ate way too much, but my most favorite memory is how much we just enjoyed each others company, completely relaxed. No decisions to be made, no jobs or families to think about. We just laid in our lounge chairs and soaked up the sun and loved being near one another. It was perfect, exactly how a honeymoon should be.

When we returned, we came back to our newly built, apartment. Both of us had only lived at home with our parents (we married at 21) and although we didn't have much to fill up our new pad, we didn't care. When I think back, we had a full sized bed, a 13 inch tv, our clothes and wedding presents. That is it. We had the best time just lying on our living room floor eating chicken because that is all I knew how to cook at the time and talking for hours. We shopped often and picked out pieces that we dreamed of filling our new place with and it was such an exciting experience to feel like a real adult. We had our own place! It was amazing!

Hubby and I both had great jobs and while our apartment was brand new and in a new trendy part of town, we knew our next move was to our first house. I searched with my Mom for fun and when I felt like I found a great deal, I set it up so Hubby could walk through it with me. It was a 3 bedroom ranch with all hardwood floors and an unfinished basement. An older couple had built the house together and shortly after, the husband passed. It was an older house at the time, but it felt barely lived in. We both saw the potential and decided to put an offer in. Next thing I know, we are moving our stuff (I say this lightly, because I think we only added a couch and a huge tv to our list to this point.) into our very own house. We had family over for a painting and pizza party and spent all of our time making it our own. I loved that house.

Something about owning your own home makes you feel like you need something. We weren't quite ready for babies, just yet, but a puppy? Yes! One day, I came home with a 8 week old Brindle Boxer puppy. He was adorable and my very first baby boy. We named him Pele'. He was a perfect fit.

This house is also where we conceived our first two boys. We never had the chance to bring Judah home, but one of my best memories, is bringing my itty bitty Izzy home. Born at 32 weeks, 8 weeks early, we were able to bring him home at the 35 week mark. I was scared to death and didn't know how to care for a preemie. I remember walking in with our little carrier sitting him in the living room and Hubby and I staring at each other like, "What do we do now?" Don't worry, it only took us a few minutes to figure it out. Soon enough the house was overflowing with baby stuff. My favorite picture of all time is when Izzy was probably 10 lbs (around 3 months) and sitting in the front yard in the grass. He looked so tiny and now when I drive by that house I just picture my little baby feeling the sunshine and grass for the first time at that house.

Remodeling... it was a tough job, but after months of hard work, Hubby and my Dad finished off the basement into an amazing area. We had a room for storage and laundry, a 4th bedroom and bathroom and a large entertainment room. It was so fun to have friends over to hang out and we really enjoyed that space.

Before you know it, we've been married 7 years and our little Izzy is now 18 months. Grammy came to visit to stay with Izzy while Hubby whisks me back to St. Thomas for a second honeymoon. It was just as glorious as the first, but we were even more in love. We visited St. John, snorkeled a underwater trail, shopped til we dropped, enjoyed boat rides, kayak trips, hiking, delicious food and each others company. It was wonderful.

A few moves and years of pre-med schooling later, we find out we are pregnant with our third little boy. I remember being hugely pregnant and potty training Izzy who was 2 at the time, sitting in a chair in the driveway watching him ride his tricycle and snuggling extra during the day since Mommy had no energy to do anything else.

Last year we took our first family of 4 vacation that wasn't to visit family. It was all about the kids and we did so many things. In St. Louis, we visited the children's museum, the arch, did some shopping and spent some time downtown. Then we finished up our road trip in Chicago where we hit everything you can imagine. It is our favorite and I could totally see us living there some day. I love those memories. Two little guys with no pressure, time line and only focused on fun. I will never forget the four of us in the giant Ferris Wheel overlooking downtown Chicago. I didn't want it to end!

We have made so many great memories since Asher was born. Family vacations, Friday family movie nights, sports outings, nights with friends, but my most favorite are the moments he doesn't know I see. Catching him go in after the kids are asleep to give them one last kiss. Reading them stories or teaching them something only a Daddy can teach.

I love picturing Hubby and Izzy holding hands as we walked him to his first day of Preschool. Then Kindergarten and now First Grade. OH it is going way too fast! What better highlight in marriage, than watching the babies you made together grow? Um...nothing.


Over the years he has given me so many things I didn't deserve, trips and hugely expensive presents that he had saved for months for. Fancy steak dinners at Mortons or surprise overnights at our wedding night hotel, and of course the 2nd trip to St. Thomas. I don't think there has been a single anniversary that he didn't completely blow me away. Oh I forgot to mention the one with a tiny blue box and white ribbon with TIFFANY DIAMOND EARRINGS! Oh yeah...he is that amazing. Even more than all of that, the best gift he has ever given to me is his faithfulness and love. We have been through a lot. A. L. O. T. over our 11 year marriage. I love that I still get love notes left for me in the bathroom randomly and thoughtful gifts of things he heard me mention months before (he does listen!) One of my most treasured gifts, a love note he wrote to me and framed. Or maybe it is the photo book he made for me with all three of my boys inside and sweet sayings fill the page. Or maybe it is the large photo canvas he gave to me of my pregnant belly with my Asher. Then there was the NYC trip, (a trip we have discussed for years) that he planned as a surprise with our amazing friends and handmade a card with clues as our Mothers Day gift.

Hubs is an excellent at fulfilling my love of surprises, gifts and affirmation. God truly knew the kind of man I would need to get through this life and I am ever so grateful that he created him just for me.

Eleven years, it's been a flash in one sense and in another I feel like we have been joined for a lifetime. Hubby, I love you with all of my heart and I am thankful for each and every day I have spent with you by my side. Happy Anniversary!

Relief!

This was finals week, which means I have been working as a single mother for 2 weeks. I. am. exhausted.

On top of finals, Asher has molars coming in and a growth spurt, we have had a birthday and a holiday, a family member came into town unexpectedly, lots of shopping trips, lots of play dates, found a new doctor, filled out kindergarten paperwork, scheduled appointments, party planning, we set up Izzy's new big boy bed, cleaning, cleaning and more cleaning, late nights with friends, and the biggest of all caring for my two little guys. All of this has left me feeling very drained this week.

Today, my big plan was to take an hour for myself, go to the gym and enjoy a class, but instead I woke up at 5:00 like "how did I get here?" One minute I am on my computer looking up the gym schedule, and next thing I know it is 3 hours later and my workout consisted of closing my eyes. *sigh*

I don't know about you, but I am totally the girl who takes in everything that is going on in the lives of people I care about and right now, it seems like almost everyone in my circle is facing challenges of some sort. In no fault on their part, I not only internalize my problems, but theirs as well. Which many nights, leaves me almost sick and unable to sleep until I process and figure out a solution. I am pretty sure this is just how all women work, but I do need to take better care of myself and learn how to turn off my brain and relax a little bit. Many nights, I find myself thinking out my day and trying to prepare myself for the possible battles of the future and how I might better attack those issues that might have gotten away from me. In short, my need for problem-solving is slowly killing me.

Take Tuesday for instance, not such a good day on the Asher front. He wasn't feeling well, and his temper showed it. I spent that night rehashing the situations and figuring out what I should do if the day played out much the same on Wednesday. Luckily, it did not and he was back to his normal happy self. But if it had, I would have been in a better frame of mind, or would I? I probably laid in bed thinking about it for 3 hours that I could have been sleeping. It is like a sick cycle that I can't seem to break.

Then Thursday came. Finals are over, Hubby is back and we can resume family life!!! My kids were beyond excited to see Daddy and tell him stories about their week and have some play time. After the boys went to bed, Hubby and I decided to go on an impromptu date night. My mom was home, and offered to sit with them so we could go out and catch up. I can't even tell you the relief my heart felt, just having a normal conversation with my Hubby. It is amazing how much you can take your partner for granted until you are put in a situation where they aren't available for little chats, advice and affection.

We went shopping, and grabbed a bite to eat and I just felt relaxed again. I can't imagine how he feels during this time. My brain can't fathom studying from 8am-11pm for 2 weeks straight. What I do know, is today was the first time I have seen him smile in a few days and that made me very happy.

I started reading this book called "Cinderella meets the Caveman-How to stop boredom and jump start the passion in your marriage."

It is intended to be a couple read that you both answer questions at the end of each chapter. Obviously, I can't exactly ask my Hubby to add another reading assignment to his already insane school schedule, so I have decided to do the work on my own for now and hope that on his break he will be able to catch up with me. I think I can safely say, we are at probably the best place in our almost 10 year marriage. We have issues just like everyone else, but we have really chilled out on each other and the stuff that used to drive us insane, well blame it on the schedule, but neither of us want to spend any of the time we have together nagging at the other. But with the schedule also brings little time to have quality time and deep conversations. I am hoping this book will show me how to make my time more intimate and break some bad habits and I know Hubby will appreciate that. :)

If you are looking for a great book on marriage, this is it. I think it should be a pre-req to marriage. It is an honest look at the emotional make-up of men and women and shows you how to break common bad habits in marriage. And really, who doesn't want more passion in their lives?

My new goal is to take better care of myself and funnel that extra energy into my marriage. It is too easy to become completely drained and give your spouse the almost nothing that is leftover. It is time to refuel. :)

I do.

"To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part."

9 years ago today, I exchanged those vows with the most incredible man I have ever met. I can say that 9 years ago, those words were meant, but not fully understood. Years later, I could and would say those again with full understanding of what it is to say "I do."

Better or Worse:
Hubby has loved me through all of my annoying habits and I his.
I don't think he knew that I would be compulsively organized in every room, except our bedroom. Or that I only knew how to cook chicken when we first married. Or that I sing to the radio, but never really know the words to the song. Or that I have the thickest hair God ever created and shed like a boxer.
I can say I didn't know that he takes just as long as I do to get ready to go out. Or that he would make the bed while I was still in it. Or that I will never be able to satisfy his shoe addiction and that he would require more room in the walk-in closet than I. On the other hand, I didn't know I would still get love notes taped to the mirror 9 years later. Or that he would be the absolute best Father you could EVER imagine. Or that even though he has only mere minutes of alone time during his week, he would give them up to spend them with me at every chance.


Richer or Poorer:

As you have read before, Hubby and I had a great start to our new life. We both had great jobs and expensive taste. We had lots of fun building a new life together and spoiling each other rotten. We are more budgeted these days, but honestly, we still spoil each other. It just may take a little longer to save for it.

In Sickness and in Health:
Hubby loved me through 3 major surgeries, lots of procedures, months and months of recovery, and 3 very difficult pregnancies. I have loved him through the stomach flu and a knee surgery. The knee surgery was easier. ;) I think he got the short stick on this vow, sorry Honey.

To Love and Cherish:

Hubby has seen me in my deepest, darkest place, and loved me still. As we grieved the loss of our baby together, he showed me a love I never knew before. He is faithful in every sense of the word and that gives me security to know that no matter what comes in the future, I will still have a partner to walk this life with. Hubby has made my dreams come true and given me the best gifts that have ever been created, Judah, Israel and Asher.

So Hubby, until death do us part, I Do. Happy Anniversary Baby!!!!