My Mr. Wonderful

My Andrew, my husband is my Mr. Wonderful ...

because he didn't have to be.

After a year and a half of dating, I thought I wanted to date other people.  The only problem was I couldn't stay away from Andrew.

When I found out in January 2007 that I was pregnant he could have left.  He could have claimed 'it' wasn't his.  He could have just moved on with his life.

but he didn't ... because he is my Mr. Wonderful

When I tried to make a life altering rash decision for the worse, he could have let me take the easy way out.

but he didn't.  He showed me love and grace and reminded me of my Father in heaven's love for us.

because he is my Mr. Wonderful

When I thought adoption was the best option because I thought that's what other people would expect, he could have accepted the fact that he didn't have to raise a child.

but he didn't.  He fought me with love and support.  He showed me that he could mature and that he was ready to be a dad.  And he asked me to marry him and start a family with him.

because he is my Mr. Wonderful

He changed Leah's first diaper.  He has always been better at swaddling than me.  He showered me after my emergency C-section because I couldn't support myself.  He held me when Leah cried and then I cried.  He is my rock, my best friend and the love of my life.

When the economy downsized two jobs and our second baby was born, he put his career dreams of finishing school aside and overlooked the stereotypes to stay at home with our babies.  He is such a wonderful father, already teaching 2 year old Leah to read.  He even saved her life.

He is the best father to our girls.

He calms me down and holds me strong.  He is the ying to my yang.

He is the spiritual leader of his household.

He is my Mr. Wonderful

and he is the reason we are a family today.

Happy Father's Day Andrew!

Visit Mama M for other Mr. Wonderful stories

You Complete Me pt.1

I could have taken the easy way out ... with the 'easy' relationship.  You see ... I'm a selfish person.  gasp...did she really just say that   I want everything to go my way, and I want it to go my way right now, and why can't the whole freaking world just figure it out ... my way ... let's get it right ... MY WAY ... right now!!!!!!

I could have married a guy who would cave in to my every demand and wish.  I dated a few.  No, let me change that ... every guy I dated before Andrew was that kind of guy.  Sweet ... but I could step right over them, and they would smile and let me do it.

Ever since we started dating, I always said Andrew was different...even when I couldn't put my finger on it.  Now I know.  He challenges me not to be selfish.  He will not let me be a selfish brat.  and even though I kick, scream, whine and yell ... deep down I know he is making me a better person.  He is completing me ... and I want to complete him.  I want to be better for him.

and that's why I find this challenge so interesting and intriguing and I'm excited to participate!

June 14 – Post Pictures from your dating days (or tell us all about it!). Think about one thing you used to do or have as a couple that you have lost in the shuffle of life. How can you regain it?

We met early one winter morning.  He knew who I was ... I was clueless.  He sent me a facebook message with his AIM screen name, and two normally shy people developed a wonderful relationship online.  Every time I was on the computer, I was checking my AIM to see if billytheeuph13 was on.  Our friendship was the deepest friendship I have ever built with someone in the shortest amount of time.  I think within a few weeks, he was just as good of a friend as a best friend I had known for years.

I talked to him about this guy I was totally crushing on.  Later in life he told me it killed him to give me advice, but he stood there and backed me up when I asked this other dude to go to formal with me.  He smiled, and told me congratulations.

And then, we went on a pep band trip.  I can't really explain, but on that trip something just triggered.  I didn't want to leave his side.  We explored the hotel together.  We watched tv in the lobby, and I gave him my gum.  For real, just put my chewed up used gum in his hand.  We played elbows in the hotel room until his roommates kicked me out so they could get some sleep.  I believe we feel in love that weekend.

But wait ... the Thursday before this trip, I had asked this other dude to formal, and here I am falling for my best friend.  Well guess what ... this other dude calls me on Sunday saying he would like to meet with me.  To make a long story short he pretty much tells me "God has told me that I'm not dating anyone until I meet the girl that I'm going to marry."  In a way I was crushed.  The first person I called was Andrew ... who was away on an Auburn Singers trip (yes, the day we got home he left again).  

He was sad for me (well, that's what he told me).  Before their performance I got an instant message asking me to that same formal.  I said "yes!" and it's happily ever after from there.

Well, mostly happily ever after ...

You know, we had our ups and downs while dating

and we have already had some ups and downs in our young marriage

but you know what

I believe in our relationship

because true love always works out

especially when you work to keep the true love strong!

These are my two favorite dating pictures ... I think they are both from 2005:

This post was so much fun ... ahhhh ... the memories!  I highly recommended this challenge to anyone, even if it's just to take a trip down memory lane

You know what I'm going to do to bring this feeling back -- I'm going to flirt more with my husband.  Back in the day ... someone once called me a flirt.  I'm sure it was meant to be a bit of an insult, but I just smiled.  I liked to flirt and I liked the attention.  So, I'm going to flirt more with my hubby to bring back those fun smiles and times!

...and he reads this :-)

Thought for this week:

How much time do you spend on a daily/weekly basis cultivating your marriage now? In what ways can you regain some of what has been lost in the daily shuffle of life?

  

My Husband = My Hero

My husband is my hero, and his actions reminded me of that again last night.  Here ... I'll let him tell you via Facebook:

Andrew's status:  "Just had the scariest moment of his life!"
People commented on his status kinda like 'what happened', 'this was mine' and here is what he put next:
"Well mine was me in the kitchen, making a bottle for the baby, and seeing Leah walk around the corner bright red with her mouth open and point to it not being able to breath! I did the Heimlich (I think) and she coughed everything up. It will probably take me a good while to recover from that. Leah on the other hand, is right back to normal. :-)"


Leah then went back to eating ... halfway through she said "Look Daddy ... I no spit up anymore."


When he called me at work and told me what happened, I just started crying.  and then I prayed.  I thanked the Lord for giving Leah an awesome dad, I thanked Him for giving Andrew the ability to remain calm at a time of crisis.  and I just thanked Him for Andrew.

Andrew jokes that he's here to calm me down.  That's for sure!  I freak out at the slightest thing.  When Leah got 2nd degree burns, sure I took care of her, but I was freaking out the entire time.  In a crisis is when I need to have my husband standing beside me and guiding me.  I can not express how thankful I am for him.

When I told him he is my hero and he stammered that it was all Leah's doing for coming to him and so on...yeah honey that's true, but it's also true that you are my hero.  I am so glad and thankful my girls have a dad who can and will save their lives in a physical and spiritual way.

Renewal wedding

I picked this theme this week:
2.) If you could do your wedding over, how would you do it?


For me, this really isn't an 'if'.  I am totally planning to do my wedding over ... ok, not really, but I am planning a Vow Renewal, hopefully in 2012.  


My wedding was super small, like only close family and close friends.  It was planned in a couple of weeks.  It rained, so the service had to be moved inside.  Oh yeah ... and I was 8 months pregnant.  However, I do love the colors in my bouquet and on my cake!

This next time around though, I'm going to wear a white dress ... like one of these:

and I'm going to have bridesmaids standing with me ...

wearing these totally cute dresses ... or something like that ... my goal is to have a dress that they would want to wear later in life!

and I would have decor something like this ...

but you know the one thing I would not change?

my dear sweet husband!


My color inspiration came from here:

my florist totally rocked!  It was the one thing we splurged a bit on, and they hit the inspiration right on the head!

The common house spider

I had a great lab meeting and my presentation went really well...expect I think I overloaded my brain.  Now I remember why immunology was the hardest science class for me in college.  So before I start going through my meeting notes, I thought I'd pop by here and share with yall the story of my incounter with the comon house spider last night.

**its kinda long, but I think worth the laugh read**

I'm getting ready to go to bed last night.  We sleep with a sheet, blanket and then duvet on our bed.  I noticed the blanket wasn't on our bed.  hmmm...must have fallen off last night during ... well...this is a family friendly blog, lol!  So, I reach down onto the floor to pull the blue blanket back up onto the bed.  I'm straightening it out and that's when I notice it.  A freaking huge spider!!!!!  I HATE spiders!!!!  So, what do I do?  SCREAM at the top of my lungs!!!!!  ANDREW GET IN HERE!!!!  **side note, we live in a kinda small apartment and the wall our bed backs up to has the couch on the other side.  really all I had to do was say his name really loud, but somehow screaming seemed such a better idea**

The spider is wrapped up the blankets in the far corner of the bed.  I'm sitting making myself as small as I can on the opposite corner.  Andrew comes in: "yes?"
Me: "THERE'S A SPIDER IN THE BLANKETS.  KILL IT, KILL IT NOW!"
Andrew:  "Oh, where exactly?"
Me: "in that blanket!!!  Kill it!"
Andrew...going to get a shoe: "Yeah the neighbor was talking about how he was seeing alot of big spiders in his house.  He thinks they are the common house spider or something."
Me (thinking): I don't give a hoot, just kill the dang spider!  (well, if I'm honest my brain cusses...)

Andrew gets the shoe and moves the blanket of course in my direction.  He can't find the spider.  So now I'm standing up on the bed and screaming "OH MY GOODNESS KILL THE SPIDER".  He finally finds it and kills it.  I look at him terrified "Why did you flip the blanket towards me????"  He answers: "I don't know.  But at least I didn't use your shoe."

Spider dead = the end, right?

So, I'm getting up to grab a new sheet for the bed, because you can't use the one with spider guts and shoe ick on it.  And of course, Andrew is mocking me.  Now I have to insert here that I am one of the most gulible people you will ever meet.  Maybe its because of my naiive trust in people?  Or maybe I'm just gullible.  I was one of those kids that if you said "There's gulible written on the ceiling" I had to look.  Just had to!  I mean, what if it really was and I missed it?

So, Andrew is mocking me nonstop...oh, there's a spider on the dresser, oh there's a spider on Marty's cage, oh there's a spider on the table, and then oh, there's a spider on the ceiling.  Of course I've checked each place...just in case and of course there was no spider.  I look at the ceiling (getting tired of his mocking)..there is no spider on the ceiling.

And then he talks to me in that super-serious you have to belive me voice, and I'm hooked.  "I know, it just fell into your hair."
Me: "oh hahaha, ok there is no spider in my hair"
Andrew: "No really, don't move I'm going to come get it out."
Me (starting to panic): "you're kidding right?  There's not a spider in my hair..."
Andrew: "Don't move."
So of course I put my hands on my head...
Andrew: "Oh my christy it just went into your hair"
I'm on the verge of screaming again and almost in tears when he comes over and messes up my hair and says "I'm just kidding baby...(me = sigh) but be careful because the spider had babies"

Me: "What!  No, you're not fooling me again, there were no babies..."
Andrew (while shutting the door, kinda in that sing-song voice): "Ok, sure, whatever you say, I didn't see any babies."

Now, I'm in a dark room, sitting on the bed completely freaked out about spiders and starting to get concerned that there are baby spiders crawling around our room.  The panic factor creeps in, but I don't want to get off the bed.  What if they are on the floor?

"ANDREW, get in here, are you kidding, are there babies, OH MY GOSH, come back, I can't go to sleep, YOU HAVE TO TELL ME THE TRUTH!!!!!!"

He comes back in and calms me down.  Of course he's joking again (not very funny jokes...) and I go to sleep and dream about spiders.  Oh yeah, called the pest guy and he's coming on Friday, lol!

Concert in the Park

Saturday was Vanderbilt Community Band's annual concert at Dragon Park.  It was the perfect day for it!

My husband plays euphonium.  This is the only concert we get to go to because its outside and people can't be quite as annoyed when Leah yells "Yay Daddy" at every quiet point before, after or in the middle of a song.

Before the Alma Mater, they end with a march and invite anyone to come direct the band.

During the Alma Mater, all Vanderbilt alums, students etc join to sing with the band.  So, I let Leah go stand next to Daddy.

Make sure you come back by tomorrow to see what Leah did NOT do in front of the whole crowd...(hint: it has something to do with her blue panties)  Come read it HERE!

Visit the Unknown Mami for more Sundays in my City!

Want some Ice Cream?

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Want to vent about dieting?  Click the button!

On my huge list of suggestions to vent about, I forgot to include husbands. Especially husbands who want ice cream. This is how is went down at my house last night....




A arrives home from work tired, and plops down on the couch. (He works evenings so the kids are already in bed.) I tell him I’m going to be on the computer for this and that. He interrupts with a “Whatever.”

~10 minutes later


A: “You know what would be good right now?”
C: “No, what?”
A: “Some ice cream. Do you want some?”
C: “No, I’m trying to lose weight, remember?”
A: “Oh. But I think some ice cream would taste good.”
C: “Ok. Whatever.  I'm busy.”

~5 more minutes pass


A: “Would you go get me some ice cream?”
C: “No. I don’t want to go out right now.”
A: “But I would go out for you if you wanted some.”
C: “But I don’t want some.”
A:  "Yeah, but if you did want some then I would go get it."

A: “I wish you would get caught up with your blog. I miss sitting on the couch and watching tv shows with you. You’re always on the computer blogging now.”
C: “I told you I was going to be on the computer tonight. You said it didn’t bother you.”
---side note: we don’t have a laptop, only a desktop that is in the same room as him---
A: “It doesn’t. It would just be nice to hang out with you.”


~10 more minutes…I finish adding MckLinky


C (feeling guilty): “Do you still want some ice cream?”
A: “Yes, I would love some! And why don’t you take the dog out before you leave, since you’re going out an all.”


So, I went to the store and bought only him a small container of ice cream. And I watched him eat the whole cookies and cream pint. I really like ice cream…The things we do for permission to blog a happy husband and my sanity love.

I love my hubby in black and white

Symphonies,
Harmonies,
Intricate within my heart,
The sweet music, you control,
Hypnotic tunes play vividly in my thoughts,
Images dance through out my soul,
Nourish this love.

Virtuoso,
A masterpiece,
Rapture from every cord,
Gateways to our future song,
Heartfelt moments,
Everlasting music will play,
Symphonies, this is where we belong;
Evolving love.

Poem found here...

A Valentine from Daddy

We woke up to three red roses on Valentine's day morning.  A rose for Christy, a rose for Leah and a rose for Audrey.  I thought I'd share the wonderful words written by Andrew with you as my black and white Wednesday.  Please visit A Long Road to China for more Black & White Wednesdays and a great blog.  Also linked at Seven Clown Circus.

A Rose for Audrey:

Audrey Anne, you have brought so much joy into my life in the last few months. I love you so much and I’m so excited to see you grow up, just like your big sister.

A Rose for Leah:

Leah Grace, you are my little booger! I love you more than words can describe. When I found out that I was going to be a daddy I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but you have made ever moment in the last few years the best moments of my life. I never feel happier than when I am holding you in my arms.

Are you listening? Stick it Up Tuesday

A Romantic Wordless Post

Since Valentine's day is about us as a couple, I've posted my favorite before kids photos! Thanks Mama M for hosting!