"I Do"

Nineteen and twenty-one...

We were just babies in reality. However, we thought we had it all together and knew it all too. We really only knew one thing...we HAD to be with each other 24/7 for the rest of our lives...

So, on July 13, 1991, we said "I do" to each other and promised to "hold each other from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, from this day forward until death do us part."

Did we really understand those vows?? Did I really think about where we would be 20 years from that moment and what it would take to get there??? No.

Weddings are an exciting time of planning and prepping and spending. People tell you not to concentrate on the wedding; but, instead to concentrate on the marriage. Twenty years later I can agree with that -- but as a 19-year-old -- that was VERY hard! I was more worried about whether my bridesmaids would wear their hair up or down; if we should put toile bows around the candelabras; what to pack for our honeymoon...

The wedding came and went; the honeymoon came and went; the real world began and we were married College Students, then in the working world, then parents...

If someone had told me at 7pm on July 13, 1991 that in the next twenty years we would move nine times and never live close to family; that we would live in a mouse-infested, ceiling-falling-down-house while in college; that we would have an extremely strong-willed firstborn that would test me beyond what I thought I could handle; that we would be through family illnesses and deaths and marriages and births; that I would spend the past four or five anniversaries eating hot dogs at a baseball park cheering our boys on to victory...would I have still said "I do"?

This makes me realize why God does not let us get a sneak peak at the future. At 19, if I knew I wasn't going to be able to go shopping with my mom every Saturday like we had for about 19 years, I might have thought a little harder. That would have been the wrong decision. God knew I did not need to shop every Saturday with my mom -- in fact, when we do get those several Saturdays a year to shop together, they are much more precious to me.

God is pretty smart. And there is nothing on that list that I would change now. I can look back and see how it has shaped our lives. And our life is blessed beyond measure. I am married to my best friend.

Makes me wonder what the next 20 years hold...

...I really only know one thing...I HAVE to be with Chris 24/7 for the rest of our lives!

A Few Of My Favorite Things

Chris travels a LOT.

I don't like it.

However, I do remind myself how lucky we are that he has such a great job and that he doesn't enjoy traveling by himself either.

He just returned from a 10 day trip to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. I was so thrilled to have him home that when he started handing me gifts it was like a party!

We watch "The Amazing Race" and last season the contestants had to go through a field full of Genie Lamps finding a certain clue in them. I told him then that I wanted a Genie Lamp of my own one day.

...He brought me a Genie Lamp :0)...

and beautiful vases.
This made me think about all the things around my house that Chris has brought me from different places in the world.

Scarves and intricately painted eggs from Austria...

A gorgeous wooden chopstick set from Singapore...
Pearls and a jewelry box from China...

As much as I dislike him being gone, I won't lie...I DO like a gift now and then!

However, I do look forward to being able to go WITH him on his adventures and pick out a few gifts as well!

Responding to "Anonymous"

Apparently, my fans have been wondering what happened to me. :) Hee! Hee!

I received an e-mail from "Anonymous" yesterday wondering where March and April went. (My previous entry was "February...Where Did You Go?") I am 99% certain I know who sent that anonymous e-mail since that person was sitting in an airport waiting to get on a plane to Singapore and had nothing better to do than check my blog. :)

Although, I could be wrong and maybe it was one of the other few people who read about my exciting life!! I can guarantee it wasn't my mom or dad -- she didn't call me to ask how to log in to leave a comment! :)

So, without further ado, here is an update of the latest two months in this household:

MARCH:

* Lots of league baseball for Colby. One tournament for each boy. A nice change from February!!

* My boys took me to see Kenny Chesney (ie., my boyfriend) at the rodeo.

The boys waiting for the rodeo to start.

Apparently, Colby takes after me. He couldn't stand watching the Steer Wrestling. "They're going to break those poor cows' necks!"

* The next week, we went to see Toby Keith at the rodeo (not my boyfriend). :)

* That night we stayed down in the Galleria area so we could spend the next day at the fair. We stayed at a swanky hotel that had robes and slippers for all of us to go with the candy bars, cokes, wine and fruit!

* A day at the fair...

Eating junk food

Watching the Pig Races

Playing games and winning prizes

* Spring Break!! My sister and her four kids came for the last half of the week. We spent lots of time in the pool and at the park. I even tried to teach my sister and nieces how to sew!

APRIL:

* We had a weekend off of baseball for Easter weekend and what do we do? ...

Go to an Astros game!!

* The first year that we did not dye Easter eggs. Instead I blew out 24 eggs and we stuffed them full of confetti.

* Easter Sunday and three of my favorite boys!!!

* Baseball news for April --

The Texas Steel became the first team in the Nation's Baseball League in any age group and in all 50 states to win 40 games before any other team this year! Woo Hoo!!

The Steel played in two tournaments in April, coming in First Place in one and Second Place in the other.

The Steel also won their league End of Season Tournament.

The Hooks also played in two tournaments this month and took Second Place in each. Unfortunately, the Hooks and the Steel played on the same weekends so mom was not with Connor to get pictures of him and his trophies!!

* Our niece, who will graduate from Texas A&M in May, came and took both boys back to College Station for a weekend of baseball. A&M (Ashley and Colby's favorite team) was playing UT (Connor's favorite team). They had a blast with Ashley all weekend and mom and dad had a great weekend at home too!!

* We ended the month with both boys taking their TAKS tests and informing me that there are only 24 days of school left. YIKES!!