Ten

August 22, 1998

I'm standing in the stairwell of my church with 4 of my best friends (ADC, Vee, NBC & Eva). I'm trying not to step on my dress while we're waiting to go into the foyer and Jon's wedding ring slips off my finger and rolls down the stairs.

Great. Way to get that off to a good start.

But, it was a wonderful ceremony. We wrote our own vows and we used a small white Bible that my mother carried in her wedding. All our friends present and accounted for (except SEDW who was off on the Phi Mu trail) and everything went off without a hitch. A big thanks to Nat, JD, and CEB since you had to miss a bit of partying at ol' GC to be with me

The first 5 years were rough - I don't recommend being a residence hall director during your first two years of marriage. We moved three times and both of us went back to school. But, on our 6th anniversary we were also celebrating a baby shower. After Emelia came along everything I felt about Jon changed.

It seemed like I loved him more, respected him more, needed him more. We were in sync in a way we hadn't been before - I suppose she was our first common purpose. Then, a day after our 8th anniversary, we found out that Landon would join our family. His arrival only made my feelings for Jon stronger.

Jon is my best friend. I'm glad to go home to him. I look forward to seeing him and hearing about his wild nights in the ER. I don't always understand what he's thinking and I wish he were slightly more verbal about what's going on in his head, but I know he loves me. And I know he loves the kids and has the same goals for them that I do. I don't wonder where I stand with him - I know that our family is his priority.

August 23, 2008

Jon and I check into the same downtown Louisville hotel where we spent our wedding night. We go out to dinner and talk about the last 10 years. At some point in the night, we agree - we love each other more than the day we married.

Isn't that great?

To Good Moms

Emelia likes me to tell her “a tale” at bedtime. One night last week I told her all the reasons I love her and for some reason during that I mentioned that she’s good to her babies. Now, she wants me to tell her all the ways she’s good to her babies – why she’s a “good mommy”.

I was thinking about it last night and I realized that real mommies usually don’t hear what makes them such good mommies from their kids or from their husbands, so here’s to all my mommy-friends:

NBC – you are a good mom because you had the courage to try again after your loss. You are a good mom because you ran the marathon of a stressful pregnancy and finished with flying colors. You are a good mom because you schlepped CC to every specialist you could find (even in utero!) and never slacked off finding the best care for her. You are a good mom because you will pass on to her your strength, your loyalty and your humor.

SEDW – you are a good mom because you went through hours upon hours of all that blood stuff to get ESW here safely! You are a good mom because you’ve already filled out pre-school applications for DJW. You are a good mom because you aren’t afraid to haul two kiddos on a plane for visits to Gigi. You are a good mom because you will pass on to your children your tenacity and love of family.

ADC - you are a good mom because you suffer through the husband working nights crap with me! You are a good mom because you've got the bath schedule down pat! You are a good mom because you don't let your kids run in church. You are a good mom because you constantly put them first. You are a good mom because you will pass on to them down-home values and a sense of responsibility.

VBS – you are a good mom because you’ve given life to the fourth generation of TLS’s! You’re a good mom because TL has God-awful reflux and you’ve learned to handle puke like a pro. You are a good mom because you spend hours upon hours chasing down a busy little man to give breathing treatments. You are a good mom because you will pass on to him your patience and nurturing abilities.

JRM – you are a good mom solely because you have 4 kids and are still alive and sane! You mange 4 kids, 2 dogs and a husband with style! You are a good mom because you take all 4 swimming and to the park and the zoo! Can you tell I’m amazed at this feat of having 4 kids? You are a good mom because you will pass on to them your love of family, a wonderful education, and a commitment to service.

You are all good moms! And good mom-friends!

Only a matter of time

What I remember most about going to the mall when I was a teenager was that my dad couldn't walk the length of the mall. His feet and legs would go to sleep. So, he sat around holding our coats. Sometime around my sophomore year of high school he went to a doctor who diagnosed him with a ruptured disc and spinal stenosis.

I moved into Georgetown on August 19 and on the 24th during my first day of class as a college freshman my dad had 17 hour back surgery. He now has full blown degenerative disc disease and the pain is so bad that he has a pain pump.

I figured it was only a matter of time for my back to go too. My sciatica started in earnest when I was pregnant with E. It dulled after she was born, was awful when I was pregnant with L, but hasn't gotten much better since his birth. The last 4 - 6 weeks have been the worst. Last week I finally broke down and saw my family doctor specifically for the back pain. She ordered an MRI.

The MRI showed 3 bulging discs and mild spinal stenosis. I will have my first consultation with a neurosurgeon on August 14.

I'm hopeful it's not bad enough yet that surgery is the first option. I'm hoping for stronger pain medication, bed rest or some physical therapy.

I realize this isn't the end of the world, but I remember so many times things dad and I couldn't do together because of his back pain. I don't want to miss out on anything with the kids because of that. I don't want to lose my level of activity because of it.

I just want to be comfortable and able to enjoy everyday things.

Little Man

Just a picture of the little man. We got a new camera and I've discovered the Walgreens photo site. Needless to say, I'm addicted.

My girl

My girl is growing up.

Summer Love

You can blame this post on Nat's favorite boy band - their new song has me thinking back to my teenage days....

Do you remember Summer Love? Meeting that special someone on vacation or at camp and falling head over heels only to part in 4 days? Ahh yes, I've had a few summer loves....

Chris was the first. It was the summer after 8th grade and I met him on vacation. I remember walking the streets of Gatlinburg holding hands with that giddy feeling in my stomach and I remember driving away sobbing that I wouldn't seem him again. (But I did - he started stalking my best friend's little sister who happens to share my first name - creepy)

Then Brian. It was the summer before my sophomore year of high school and we met at church camp. My parents actually drove me to Bowling Green later in the summer to meet him at Greenwood Mall. Can you believe that? He sent me flowers several times that summer but then September came and it was back to real life. We lost touch and moved on.

And Joe...I get weak in the knees to this day thinking about Joe. I met him at a conference the summer before my junior year of high school. He was tan with dark hair and brown eyes. The conference was at a small college in Minneapolis and one night he walked me back to my hall. For some reason, I think I will always remember him kissing me goodnight- maybe it's the romantic in me - but it seemed perfect. The setting, the guy, the night air - just like it happens in the movies. But he was the one that didn't write, didn't call, didn't try to stay connected at all. It still makes me a little sad, but maybe he was just a realist and knew nothing would ever come of a summer love.

Any good summer love stories out there in the blog-o-sphere?

What a week

A week ago today I got a positive digital pregnancy test. That was WILD! I was thrilled, nervous, overwhelmed. Then Tuesday morning I got a negative. Hmmm, well one of those is wrong so I had a blood draw.

Negative hcg.

I have to say, I was a little disappointed. Being pregnant unexpectedly is certainly not the worst thing ever nor the end of the world. I have that in perspective - I was completely fine either way. We would have made adjustments, Jon would have worked a couple of extra shifts - my greatest fear of the whole thing was telling my mother. I honestly think she would have lost her mind.

Anyway, Aunt Flo came to visit Friday and I hightailed it over to Gigi's office to have an IUD inserted. I forked out $450 and had a nice visit with a speculum.

Afterward, I prompltly went to Victoria's Secret for some goodies and told Jon I'd better get my money's worth out of this birth control!