6 Days to 15 Years

Dreams Do Come True

Motor Mouth was born on Sunday, March 23. Motor Mouth was, and is, our little blessing. He is the answer to countless prayers by J and me and by those in our lives. Motor Mouth is a reminder that the answer to our prayers might be no because God's got an even better plan for us!!!

When Motor Mouth was born, the love that was poured out on us by our friends, Sunday School class, co-workers, family, neighbors, and new friends was overwhelming. To this day, I can name all of our wonderful people and tell you how great they were to us with kind words, visits, gifts, emotional support, and prayers when we couldn't pray for ourselves.

So many of our FB friends were pulled along on our infertility and adoption journey. And now, they get to see pics and hear stories about the child they prayed and believed would come into our lives.

“So I prophesied to my dead dreams like God told me to. And I commanded life to come into my heart's desire. And that inner dream God gave me lived and rose up fully manifested.” 
- Ezekiel 37 paraphrase

7 Days to 15 Years

The Day the World Fell Apart

It felt like we were in a courtroom and had been handed a death sentence. J held my hand as I sobbed uncontrollably while an infertility doc told us we would never have biological children. It was a death sentence for our dreams that included a family.

8 Days to 15 Years

Elope Already!

This post is in honor of my sister's birthday today. My sister visited us in Tulsa, helped me pick out my wedding dress and shoes, etc. She bought a bridesmaid dress that, as it so happened, cost more than my wedding dress...

The Monday she flew home, J and I looked at each other and decided to get married that Friday. She was not able to return for our wedding. Fortunately, she attends many weddings and dress up events so she was able to use that dress several times.

We eloped with a twist!

Our family knew we were getting married – we told our parents on the Wednesday and our siblings on the Thursday. J’s parents walked me “down the aisle” and we got married. It was just the minister, Orlando Juarez, and his wife, the camera guy, Shawn Mitchell, the photographer, a guy we found at Camera Gallery, and J’s parents. That was it. And it was perfect for us!

9 Days to 15 Years

Tradition

It is a tradition in my mother's family to write a letter to the girl's parents, asking for her hand in marriage. We still have the letter my grandfather wrote for my grandmother's hand in marriage. My dad wrote for my mom.

J wrote a letter, asking for my hand in marriage. He wrote it by himself. It was honest and eloquent. In true J fashion, he picked out the perfect stationary. When the letter was complete, he FedEx'd it to my parents in Canada.

My parents were very happy to receive the letter. They wrote a letter back and we were free to plan our wedding!

10 Days to 15 Years

Wedding Planning FAIL!!!


We were planning our wedding while driving around Texas, providing ground support for Js dad's helicopter crew. J's 17-year old sister was with us and went into a store while we waited in the vehicle.

As you know, J is an event and production force. We were ARGUING about some outrageous thing he wanted to incorporate (maybe building a gazebo by the pond or the rental of the grand piano that was to accompany the opera singers - and of course, he wanted a 12-ft grand...??!!). All we both remember is me yelling: "FINE!!! Do whatever the hell you want to! You're going to do it anyway!!!" - just as his innocent little sister got back in.

There was complete silence for the next hour. That is, until J got a SPEEDING TICKET!!!
(Anyone know the statute of limitations on an unpaid traffic ticket in Texas...?)

11 Days to 15 Years

Most Memorable...


One anniversary, J told me he had to stop by the chapel before we head to dinner b/c he had to finish set up for an event and could I help him. I often help so I didn't think twice. We get to the Grace Church Chapel and we walk in....

There is a light shining down on the most beautiful bouquet of red roses. (Still not clued in.) J says the flowers are for me. He proceeds to give me a box of Kleenex and says I'll need it. (So confused.)

All of a sudden, a movie starts playing on this huge screen with a montage of our lives together and with Motor Mouth. It was like being in a movie theatre with us as the feature film! I BAWLED!!!

12 Days to 15 Years

Divorce!!!

About 3 years ago, J and I were done!!! We were dividing up kids, dishes, and furniture. 

At one point, we looked at each other and said: "I'm so angry with you but I love you and you are my best friend and I can't imagine living without you."

13 Days to 15 Years

Separate Vacations!

On our third wedding anniversary we had just closed on our house. J and I were working at the same church. Our offices were just 15 ft from each other. We drove to and from work together, had lunch together, dinner together, socialized together - you get the idea. We were together a LOT! 

So….to surprise J, I arranged for him to travel to Missouri, where he went to Bible College and where a whole community of people that he loved were still living there. It gave me a chance to tackle some decorating tasks on our new home! We were both very happy and excited. But the people in Missouri thought that J and I were having marriage problems. LoL! Sigh. Nope. Just one of the most thoughtful gifts I could give him – friends and a less for him to decorate when he got back home.

14 Days to 15 Years

Never Say Never!!!

J has a business trip coming up in Florida – on our 15^th wedding anniversary!!! We decided to tack a family vacation on to the end of his trip. 

I said: “Oh look, we’ll be on a beach in Florida on our 15^th wedding anniversary. It’s NOT like we are going to renew our vows or anything.” 

To which J said: “Ohhhhh!!!! That’s PERFECT!” 

To which I said: “But YOU always said that we would NEVER renew our vows. Ever!” 

To which J’s eyes glazed over and the vow renewal planning began.

15 Days to 15 Years

15 Days to Our 15th Wedding Anniversary!

15 yrs ago we were planning our pending nuptials, working on immigration and traipsing through the countryside for J’s dad's company. 2/3 are repeating this year. Actually, 3/3 sort of. We are planning a family vacation to Florida (traipsing sans J’s dad or his company), working on making me a citizen finally, and planning on renewing our wedding vows!

Join me every day for a new installment, leading up to the Big Day!

Playing with iPad

Somehow these positions are more comfortable for iPad usage....