Lovely Love

Today Tony and I have been married 9 years!! We couldn't wait last night, so I opened my present early - a Nook Color!!! I was shocked - I never would have guessed that Tony had gotten me one! It is very cool. I already got a book on it and was surprised at how easy it is to read on - not at all like a computer screen. Then today I got beautiful earrings and a matching braclet....needless to say - Tony did good!!
Tonight we went to dinner at Armando's and had a really nice time.

Here's a photo recap of the past years:

Fall 2000 - Shortly after we started dating

Clear Lake, Iowa Summer 2001 - first road trip together

Washington DC 2002

Summer 2003 - UP of Michigan

Graduation Dec. 2004

Jenni and Rob's wedding - 2005

2006 - Craig's new condo party

New Year's - Ringing in 2008

March in Italy - 2008

Fall 2008 - Rockies game

Moab May 2009

May 2010 - Twins Stadium

There are more recent pics of me and Tony - but they are from Will and Andrea's wedding in Oct. and I don't have any of them yet - as soon as I do I will post them.
It's fun to look back on these and remember all the great times we have had and how many more great times lay in front of us.
I wish I had time to put these into some kind of slide show - maybe I'll learn how to do that some time soon, since I'll probably want to do something like that with pictures of the baby.

Absence - Where have I been? Wait....where have you been?

I've been so bad about blogging....but I haven't been the only one (you guys know who you are....those bloggers I depend on for weekly entertainment!!!). But I have good excuses -
Second weekend of Oct. - home to New Mexico for baby shower.
Third weekend of Oct. - Minneapolis for Brother in Law's wedding
Got home from Minneapolis on Sunday the 17th and had to fly out to MD that Monday - Friday. Then I flew out that next Sunday for Ohio, came back Monday night and left again on Wednesday for MD. I was exhausted!! I wanted to cry on that last trip to MD - really not looking forward to the plane ride and hotel....but everything went well. And it's always so GREAT to see our friends in MD!!! I couldn't help but cry when I left....on top of being super emotional already, saying goodbye to friends and knowing I probably won't see them for a long time....I just really miss our friends in Maryland.
This past weekend Tony flew to Duluth to go deer hunting with his dad and brothers. (And he did get a deer!!) My mom flew up to stay with me and we had a wonderful time!! We got to go to a couple of Crap (craft) fairs, which were actually really good! We mostly just shopped and ate out. It was great - but too quick and there are never enough hours in the day.
On Sunday after I took my mom to the airport I did one of the activities I love most in the world - I went to Barnes and Nobles and got some coffee and read magazines!! It was so relaxing. Then I went home, turned up the Frank Sinatra Christmas CD and started to put out my Christmas decorations. I know it's kind of early, but I figured I better do it now while I still feel up to it.
We started Lamaze last week. It's not just a lamaze class - they teach you all kinds of things, like the stages of labor and all that good stuff. The video's were not for the weak...and I am weak! I wanted to throw up but then started laughing and couldn't stop. Of course Tony only egged me on by making comments. But the best part about it is getting to spend time together during the week. Things are always so crazy, it seems like we always have something to do, so the class is really nice in that respect. We are also going to take a baby prep class in a few weeks, which I think will make us feel less anxious....perhaps.
I can't believe it's going to be Thanksgiving next week!! We don't have any big plans - we are just going to stick around home and I'm going to cook. It's always nice to have that day together just to eat and relax.
I'll try to be better about the blog and updates! Hopefully tomorrow I'll remember to take a pic of the belly BEFORE I put on pj's (which usually happens the minute I walk in the door) to post for my 34th week.

Three brothers - this was at the rehersal at the church. Tony was practicing reading out loud.

All the siblings - this was at the rehersal dinner in downtown St. Paul. The neighborhood was amazing!! I told Tony if we move to the Twin Cities that this area is where I want to live!

A surprise party!

So last Friday was Tony's 30th birthday! 30?!? Where has the time gone? So I planned a surprise party for him and it went off so well!! I wish I could have taken a picture of his face - it was enough to make me cry! The biggest surprise of all? Tony's parents drove down and arrived Friday afternoon. Tony was completely shocked....I don't think he would have been any more shocked if Godzilla was standing in our kitchen. Mandy and the kids helped out by sitting on the stairs when Tony walked in they shouted surprise! Then I took him to the kitchen where his family jumped out. It was so wonderful!!! I'm so glad that they were able to make the LONG drive down!
Justin arrived about 10 minutes after Tony got home and Amy and Brian arrived later. It was a wonderful party and Tony said it was his best birthday ever...isn't that a wonderful sentiment to say about the big 3-0?
Tony said that he thought I had something up my sleeve, that perhaps I was going to have a party for him and maybe Justin was going to drive down and Michael and Mandy would be here with the kiddos - but he was not expecting his parents and Danny! He said I was cleaning way too much during the week for nothing to be planned.
I can't believe I kept it a secret though - that was the hardest part....and I know that this birthday is going to be hard to beat next year.
So here's to a wonderful 30th year to my wonderful, ever evolving husband. May it be the best year yet!

In this picture - Chuck, Tony, Dan-o, Justin and Garce

Michael and Chuck

Picture of the whole crew

Tony opening Grace and Josh's cards

Didn't this picture turn out wonderful? I just love it!

This picture is probably my favorite of the evening. I love how happy everyone looks!

Love Day

In honor of the commercialized day to celebrate love, I thought I would post a picture of Tony and I on our wedding day.

We got married on a chilly November afternoon at my home church in Roswell. It was a medium sized ceremony and my family's good friend officiated. I felt like a princess. Looking back on it I wouldn't change a thing. The entire planning was low stress because our family pitched in so much. We didn't want anything extravagent. We just had a simple reception that went by like whirl wind. My cousin made the cakes for us, my aunt and grandma made the punch and mints. The church was filled with people we loved. Some of our family couldn't make it, and that was sad. After the ceremony and reception we went to the hospital to visit my great grandma, I'm so glad that we did that, it was hard to not have her there.
It's funny to look back at the pictures. We look so young (of course we were)! My grandma made the comment later that it looked like two kids playing wedding. It's funny to see pictures of the kids too, they were just babies.
Happy Valentine's Day!

New Starts

New adventures, new changes...life changes. In some respects it's scarier as you get older, you have more responsibilities and you feel as though you have more to lose than when you were yonger. But in some ways it's not quite as frightening because you have gambled before and landed on your feet. You can analyze the risk and your perspective is different.
I am so proud of Tony and really excited for him and for us. Leaving a good job to persue a dream. It takes courage and most of us never take that leap. We stay with what is safe. But who wants to live their life having never taken a chance? Tony is jumping at his chance - on Wednesday he starts back to school. He is going for a degree in Forestry. Everything about this feels right and we know there is no time like the present. It is scary, financially, but we are putting our trust in God and relying on Him to get us through this exciting new chapter. After all, we don't know what tomorrow holds, but we know Who holds tomorrow.
Amy is also starting a new phase in her life - she is moving to Las Cruces to go back to school. She actually started back in the fall, but now she is transfering to finish her degree. I'm so excited for her too! She is uprooting and moving to a new place, but I know she's going to do great. She has a goal in sight and knowing what you want is half the battle. Plus Tony and I are really looking forward to taking a road trip down to Cruces to visit her!

7 Year Itch

After reading Trisha's post today I remembered that I had meant to post about November 24th....Tony and I's 7 year anniversary! 7 years! It really has flown by. And it's been a lot of fun. Ups and Downs and we have come out on top. We have gone from newlywed college students in NM to being lonely and scared moving to Maryland, adjusting and coming to love so many friends in Maryland and really, growing up and becoming adults. Now we are in Colorado and homeowners. We are really blessed. We have gotten to travel and see things we never dreamed of.
Tony has been a rock for me and I am so thankful for him. We go great together and things just keep getting better. I am so excited for what is to come.
Here is some photos from over the past couple of years.