October 18th, 1998... sounds like decades ago right? I mean it was (wow, I feel old) but it also doesn't feel that long ago. It is a day I (hopefully we) won't forget. It was raining. We were freshman at TCU and were going to spend the day in Dallas to watch the TCU vs. SMU game. This was before LT, before big 12. TCU games were lost way more than one, but we didn't care. Die hard fans, win or lose. We lost that game in the rain, soaking wet. But I sure didn't care... see the boy from Kansas that I was friends with... the tall hot guy that I was crushing on... he made his move. (Yeaaaa) We held hands, we sat together while our friends made eyes at us to tease us about what was going on in front of their eyes. And I just smiled all day long. (He did too if memory serves and I have the picture to prove it).
Flash forward five years to that day and we are getting MARRIED! I am looking at pictures of us and we look like babies - so young (and skinny). Now you would think I would have this amazing wedding photo.. and I do. On my walls at home - not so much a digital shot. For you kids out there, back in 2003 we still got our wedding pictures done with film. Look it up online, maybe you will find it in a history book. But I do have a few shots to share.. I spent two hours last night pulling a bunch of photos of us over the past nine years. So many memories, but not enough time or space. So I am going to glaze over the past nine years with some highlights... it was too hard to add family events and other things that we did love and cherish. I tried to focus on just the two of us. Nine years of memories condensed (rather poorly and rushed if I do say so myself) into one blog post. So:
Happy Anniversary honey! Here is to us, then and now, still in love and going strong.
Our engagement pictures and an unprofessional shot from our reception. Best.Wedding.Ever - just putting it out there.
At our rehearsal dinner the night before the big day
We loved our wedding - it was perfect. The best part: actually getting married! Sure the dancing and the cake were awesome - I mean it was the best wedding ever if I do say so myself. But getting to say "I do" and making what felt official to us five years earlier was the best.part.of.our.day. And doing it surrounding by our family and friends. And as great as our wedding day was, the feeling we had as we boarded the plane the next day for our first adventure as husband and wife was just as great. We were off to start our lives together!
Our honeymoon in Maui - about to walk into a volcano crater after watching the sunrise over the mountain on our first day. Very romantic (well the watching part was, we just about passed out trying to walk into the crater and then up out of it again - note to self: when you see signs all along the path that say "beware - returning to the top is farther than it looks" please pay attention next time).
Hmm - you will notice how all our shots have my hubby taking the picture... that is what happens when there are only two people. He does a great job - this is the theme of most of our pictures as you will see. We were on the Road to Hana and with one of our guidebooks, we searched for several hidden, elusive waterfalls by walking into the "jungle", red sand beaches, black sand beaches, (a nude beach that we didn't comprehend until we were on it fully clothed and immediately left haha). It was an adventure!
Buying our first Christmas tree together - it was an adventure finding a tree farm in Texas and buying a tree when the high was 80 :-)
We kept that travel bug and went on even more adventures in our first year of marriage. After Maui, we knew we loved sand and sea. First we hit Cancun and kicked up our feet (literally, see below).
After that trip, we decided to go crazy and ventured past Mexico to Aruba in the same summer. Here we learned that adventure comes hunting us sometimes. Cancun was safe enough. Lots of lying on the beach reading and relaxing. The hardest parts of our day were making ourselves get dressed to go to dinner at night. We wanted that relaxation again, and Aruba was calling with a great vacation deal and rumors of amazing sunsets. It seemed safe at the time... Aruba, an island that hasn't been hit by a hurricane for over 100 years.... well, until we landed on it.
They weren't lying about the sunsets - every night we would snuggle up on the beach and watch the sun go down over the water.
Us enjoying the beach together... hurricane is tracking towards Aruba but no one believes it will hit us (least of all us mid-westerners who haven't seen one ever).
The hurricane bands coming in over the island by our hotel. Luckily we were on the south side of the island and it was going to hit the north side. Granted the island is like, what, 5 miles wide? Not really seeing the difference. But it is vacation. And as smart, intelligent married people we did what normal people would do. Take pictures outside of the storm approaching.
Windy much? Still outside... storm is only few hours away. Note my dear husband even went swimming in the ocean (along with 30 other intelligent vacationers). I stayed on the shore. Someone had to be brave and scream for help if needed. (Insert image here of me running into the water Baywatch style like Pamela - AS IF haha).
Well in case you weren't sure: we survived Hurricane Ivan. At 6 p.m. that night the hotel required all guests to check in and stay inside the hotel. (Why? I mean, we obviously are natural hurricane ready people - didn't they see us on the beach taking pictures and swimming like it was the best day ever?).
Our hotel had a casino inside... but $20 and maybe 10 minutes later, we were broke and over it. Gambling not our strength despite being amazing accountants. So we went upstairs, where our patio furniture pressed up against the patio windows from inside. Not sure how that was going to save us, but I didn't give it much thought. We did what any normal person did during a major hurricane: We fell asleep and missed the whole darn thing. We awoke to sunny skies and a flooded island. We were forced to wait a few extra days before we could fly out, but otherwise we were safe. And we had the ongoing joke that any children created on this trip would have to be called Ivan or Ivana... another blessing there right? Poor child would be messed up! And this is what happens to you if you ask for adventure in your life.
Aruba didn't stop us from going to a fun Texas lodge to celebrate our first year together! It was much tamer. The bubbles in the hot tub didn't scare us for a minute. We are so tough.
Well believe it or not, that Ivan did not ruin our desire to be lazy on beaches together. In our second year of marriage we went back to Mexico, this time in Cabo, to have some fun.
Okay this picture is awkward, as my dear hubby pointed out. Not sure what we were thinking, but here is our old man and old woman pose.
Cabo was fun - lots of pool time and walks on the beach.
Opps honey, did I forget to mention that wave coming up behind you? hehe! We still have fun together...
Classic hubby taking the picture shot before we went out to dinner. Classic white pale skin on me next to my fabulously tanned hubby... I am jealous of that skin tone of his!
The golf courses along the ocean were impressive. This was back when we still golfed together (well golfed period lol). Actually I didn't get to golf, I rode along for fun. Someone who shall remain nameless felt my golfing abilities weren't up to "par" for the cost of the game. Luckily that same unknown person was sweet enough to arrange a massage on the beach for me. And this is how a marriage works, right? Totally teasing!
Cabo was greatness... and so when we were given a deal on a return trip to Cancun a few months later, we went for it. Looking back I am glad we did.
Everyone thought we were crazy for traveling so much so fast, but little did we (or anyone else) know that our travel bug was about to be extinguished for awhile... (insert mysterious music here please).
In our 3rd year of marriage, we decided to take a break from traveling to make a move into the adult world. We bought our first house together (we built it together too - well not literally, you know what I mean). Here is our first house - just perfect!
Little did we know that just a few months after moving into our big new nest, that we were going to get the surprise of our lives: a baby! So not in our plans, but it was okay. We were ready for a new adventure together, right babes? Well as "ready" as you can be.
Before our big news, we had planned to travel to Germany to visit my family over there. So baby came with us on her first trip too...
Walking in Bavaria
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Up on the highest mountain in Germany (Zugspitz)
Walking along the vineyards
This picture basically encompasses our impending parenthood. Slapped in the face without warning haha! Just teasing. This is a picture of our sweet niece who was on the trip with us and one of our big joys in our first years of marriage (she was born right before our wedding day). We loved being Aunt and Uncle to her and she was (and still is) such a sweet, amazing little girl. She definitely got us excited at the thought of a little one.
But wait! One last trip before we stop traveling the beaches and start traveling to grandparents houses for "vacation": and where else but MEXICO. Sorry, sandy beaches, blue waters, five star hotel and fun drinks (well not this time for me).
Greg golfing and soaking it in - who knows when he will be on the greens again :-)
We said goodbye to Cabo and hello to baby just a few months later. We knew parenthood was a new adventure, and we weren't wrong!
Five weeks early, showing up without a hint beforehand, our darling little KK was born. I laugh now thinking about how I almost drove myself to the hospital in shock, how Greg was white as a ghost when he arrived, how Oma almost didn't make a flight to be there in time. But 14 hours later, she was here. She was perfect and we were in love.
Parenthood is definitely an adventure. We walked into it unprepared and without a clue of what we were doing. But I think we survived and thrived just fine together. Sure there were long nights, crying (and not just the baby mind you) and irritated spouses - I would be lying if I said having a baby doesn't test your marriage and relationship - but those things rarely come to mind. Seeing my sweet hubby as a daddy is one of the biggest joys of my life! He is an amazing daddy.
Late night bottles, changing diapers, middle of the night runs to the store for something forgotten - there is nothing he won't do for us. KK is his little princess. So tiny she fit into one of his hands. The way he held her, carried her - such love and care..
Having KK didn't stop us from adventures... we just kept them closer to home. Lots of trips to visit families (way too many pictures to chose from so I am sorry, those are skipped). Instead of beaches we shared our love of TCU with KK. She never missed a football game!
We learned that trips to the bookstore and park were just as exciting as beaches and hurricanes (and maybe just a little safer - well, watch out for the angry duck at the park).
Before we knew it, our KK was a toddler and we decided to keep the adventure going for our little family. Sweet AJ was born soon after KK turned two. Once again we were in love, all four of us.
And once again I got to fall in love with my sweet hubby all over again as I watched him become a daddy all over again. Promises of teaching him baseball and sports were whispered as he held our little boy... I think more adventures are in store for us.
To say we were excited about our AJ would be an understatement! We couldn't contain ourselves. KK was ready for the next adventure: Big Sisterhood.
Our sweet AJ
Time seems to fly right past you doesn't it? I mean I am sitting here writing and wasn't I just looking at pictures of our wedding? How did that happen?
Well, to glaze over and get to it, our adventures continue and our kiddos seem to have the same love for it that we share. While no passports have been needed, we find that our love for the blue oceans can be satisfied with the pool water!
And our love for TCU football continued to be passed down. AJ too never missed a game :-)
This is the part where I really struggle. How can I possible encompass our lives together in one little blog. Our adventures are no longer trips taken but rather little moments that happen daily. So I give up. There isn't a way (at least not with three kiddos, one of them fussing daddy right now that needs me soon)... so I will just say that the joy in my life since having our babies occurs every day. It is the little moments that make you laugh or touch you that I live for. And I get to share all those moments with my best friend (ummm that's my husband for anyone who started to nod off during my ramble).
He is the cool daddy who attempts carving pumpkins while two other pumpkins are crawling all over him. (He is the cool daddy who has to surpass his pumpkin carvings from years past and brought home sketches and ideas so this year's pumpkins will rock even more - I love the kid in him, another reason is a a great daddy).
He puts up with my need for pictures and smiles through it all just for me
My hubby isn't afraid to combine working out with babysitting :-)
His lap is always big enough for everyone to sit in!
I could go on and on, he is one amazing guy! I love you babes!
Before we knew it, our kiddos were old enough to go on a real VACATION! On a beach. With the ocean.... I am giddy just thinking about it again. We packed up the car and headed to Gulf Shores, Alabama. See our little travel bugs, decked out and ready to road trip.
We didn't just sit on the beach (though we did a lot of that), we also took a boat out on the ocean and watched the dolphins play.
Ahh - the classic hubby taking our picture pose! Love it!
Our family shot on the beach
Our two little adventurers digging for China!
After our awesome beach trip, our family jumped right into the next adventure of our lives... Baby K was announced at the beginning of this year.
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To say KK and AJ were excited about this new addition would be another understatement! We couldn't wait to meet our new little sister.
Now her birth was a different journey all together - one that our family would not have survived had it not been for my hubby/our Daddy. He held us together and took care of us all, even others, despite the toll and trials he himself was going through. He was our rock, our strength through a dark walk in our lives. He was my rock, my strength.
Here is our sweet Baby K
Our first photo of five
After two long weeks in the NICU, we got to bring baby K home!
I guess you could say we were thrilled to be a family again, all together for the first time in 6 weeks! While I wouldn't say I didn't appreciate our simple lives spent at home together, having baby K and being home together again took on an even deeper meaning and appreciation for me. The same could be said about my feelings for my hubby - seeing him through new eyes and loving him even more.
Daddy and baby K having some middle of the night pillow talk
Our blessings
Sweet sweet sisters in love with each other
My babies and me
So there it is: nine years in a completely random disorderly manner.
{There is so much more I shoulda coulda added - our family and our friends our a huge part of our lives and it was so hard to pick and choose that I simply made this about our family of five. That doesn't mean that they aren't important and a part of us and our lives - just the opposite is true. So please don't take it that way. It is very very hard to put together years into one little blog (well long rambling blog as it stands by now). I started out wanting to look at pictures of us as the babes we were nine years ago when we said "I Do" and it rolled into this long look at some of our adventures together... }
So my point to this whole post? I honestly cannot remember. I blame lack of sleep due to a three month old.. Honey, if you are still reading by some miracle: Happy Anniversary! I love you so much. Our life together has been one big adventure with our share of both highs and lows, and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world! Now I will shut up and let you get that bottle of champagne out of the fridge while I open the box of chocolates you brought home. Let's go crazy and watch one of our TV shows from the CW ha-ha! My kind of night!
Sweet dreams :-)
