What a Way to Start Our Anniversary

Today I feel Content
Reading: “Little House in the Highlands” by Melissa Wiley
Today it is partially cloudy and is currently 57º
http://www.junglemom.com/Images/Icons/WeatherIcon-PartlyCloudy.gif

I called Joe this morning to wish him a happy anniversary. He told me that he woke up a little before his alarm went off and heard me say, “And stay out!”…. So he got up and went to work! He seemed quite amused by this, and I’m just sitting here wondering what I was dreaming about.

I can’t believe it’s been 10 years today… I suppose I could say that it seems like only yesterday, but it really doesn’t. I have a hard time remembering what life was like before we were married. It seems like we’ve always been married…. Know what I mean?

I thought I’d give you a brief recap of the last 10 years… (very brief, as not to bore you! )

1994 - Finally married!!! Went on a wonderful honeymoon in Nashville, Tennessee. Even drove to Memphis to see Graceland. Decided then that we would return for our 10 year anniversary (what a hoot! :lol:). We decided that we wanted a baby and a house right away, so we started saving for a house, and started trying for that baby.

1995 - Saw Dr. Prescott for the 1st time in January, to figure out why we weren’t getting pregnant. Since he decided that I wasn’t ovulating (hadn’t had a cycle since we’d been married) he put us on a drug to start my cycle and on Clomid… Did this for 2 to 3 months, before finding out that our insurance didn’t cover infertility and had to stop. Meanwhile, we started looking for our first home in May, and put an offer on this house in June. We moved in on July 15. While very excited and distracted by the house, I was getting more and more depressed by the lack of a pregnancy…. As for the house, that year we got new carpet, we put up and painted the shed, started putting up a new fence, and painted the house. Oh, and when we got the house we got a couple tabby cats, who we named, “Brooks and Dunn”.

1996 - Finally had my first cycle since we’d been married in January. (Turned out to actually be my second miscarriage) Got more and more depressed over the lack of a baby. Had a hard time with all the babies born that year to friends and relatives. My cycle started coming back very irregular, waiting 3 to 5 months between each one. We did buy our first travel trailer that year, in October. It was a 21 foot, 1971 Prowler. We also bought a used 1991 Ford Explorer to pull it. As for the house, we had to redo the bathroom, and put in a new tub, sink, drywall and linoleum…. Since we weren’t getting any closer to becoming pregnant, in September we started going through classes, through the state, to adopt a special needs child.

1997 - In January we started a remodel of our second bedroom. We gutted the room, because had an electrician come in and re-wire the room and take out the old fuse box and put in a new circuit breaker box. We then put in some built-in shelves and moved the closets to another wall. (So that it would pass inspection) The room also got brand new carpet. (Which is MUCH nicer than the cheap stuff we put in the rest of the house. We had been planning that the room be for the little girl we were hoping to adopt, but then in April a miracle happened… I finally got pregnant!!!! So for most of 1997 we looked forward to the blessing that was on the way. I also quit my job as a bookkeeper for Payless Drug (RiteAid) in November, anticipating being a stay-at-home-mom when Jared arrived.

1998 - In January that little blessing finally arrived!!! Jared was born on January 10th, a year to the day that we started the remodel on *his* bedroom. We were blissfully happy, and spent every moment enjoying having him. Since it took so long to get pregnant with Jared, we started trying for another baby in February. We didn’t do too much to the house that year, except for putting up a second, metal shed…. Oh, and Brooks and Dunn, whom I had over-spoiled before Jared came, had to go to another home in February. They didn’t take to our newest addition at all, and were very jealous…. Joe also switched jobs that year. He quite his management job with Payless (RiteAid) and started driving truck for Crinc (Container Recovery Inc.). With that he also started getting Sundays off and was able to go to church for the first time in our marriage. We attended Good Shepherd Community Church, which was HUGE.

1999 - In February we finally got pregnant with baby #2, when Jared was 13 months old. So now I was happily busy with Jared (who had just started walking) and happily pregnant again. That summer we gutted out our little bonus/hobby room and turned it into a 3rd bedroom for our newest little miracle. We added insulation too, as most of the house isn’t insulated at all. That way Jared wouldn’t have to share a room with a newborn. We also replaced the ugly linoleum in the kitchen/dining room with some inexpensive tiles. Then in November the exciting moment came. Josh was born on the 10th, and we couldn’t have been more happy!

2000 - We were very happy with our little family, but come March I was ready to start trying for #3… We were both hoping for a girl!!! Of course, my cycle was still out-of-whack, which makes conception hard. We did get pregnant in September, but lost it a few weeks later. (my 3rd miscarriage) As for the house, that year we took out the old front door and back door and replaced them with new ones. We also took out the paper-thin front window and put in an insulated vinyl window like we had put in the boy’s rooms. Oh, and we insulated the living room as well. We also painted the house and shed, in hopes to sell the next Spring.

2001 - In January we finally got pregnant again, when Jared was 3 years old and Josh was 14 months. Since our little house was starting to get crowded, we were hoping to sell and get into something bigger. We put the house on the market in April, but the thing never did sell. The listing expired in October, and Joe decided that he didn’t want to re-list, due to the fact that we had a new baby in the house. That’s right, we got our little girl on October 10, and we were ALL thrilled. Even the boys were instantly smitten with their new baby sister!… Oh, and that year we decided to change churches. We needed to find something smaller, so in January we started to attend Lifegate Baptist Church.

2002 - We continued to enjoy our wonderful children, and in June we started trying for #4. For the first time ever, we actually achieved pregnancy the first time we tried… But it can never be that easy, can it? I lost that baby soon after. One of the hardest things I ever had to do was to tell Jared that the baby had died. The poor little man, who was 4 at the time, was as devastated as I was, and cried and cried. We finally got pregnant again in December, and the year ended in complete happiness.

2003 - In January, right after Jared’s 5th birthday, I started to officially homeschool the kids. I had been doing a little of it already, just making things up as I went a long, but now it was official. I also became the new church treasurer for Lifegate…. I had a harder pregnancy this time around, and ended up with Pre-Eclampsia. Amanda had been due on September 3rd, but was taken early on August 16… Our first baby not to be born on the 10th of the month! She’s our little pattern breaker (she was also the first baby not to be due on the 19th of the month, or to come 9 days early). Fall of 2003 was VERY busy, with full time homeschooling, church bookkeeping, and a new baby. But we survived!

2004 - In January I gave up being the church treasurer, which was a relief! (couldn’t take the stress) We continued to happily homeschool and the kids are thriving. In June we had a new addiction, a new kitten for Jared. Jared had a bit of a rough year, as it was filled with doctor’s appointments and finally surgery a month ago. But all is well with him now. As for the house, we added a concrete patio off the back door, and are hoping to put a cover over it. We also replanted the front lawn, and added a fancy raised flower bed to the back yard.

Well, there you have it, the last 10 years in review. Hope I didn’t bore you too much with my reminiscing….

(Edited to add)

OH MY GOSH!!! Look what just showed up at my door!

I can’t remember the last time Joe got me flowers, and I’ve NEVER had them delivered to the door before!!!!!! (Heck, when I heard the knock I almost didn’t answer, because I haven’t showered yet, but changed my mind when I saw the Van Kirk’s van! *grins*)

Wasn’t that just too sweet? And yes Joe, I would do it again too! I love you!

I’m going to go cry now…