24 years ago today...

My Mom lost her life 24 years ago today. I was 8 when she died. I wish I could remember more of her personality. I remember doing things with her though and I know that her and I were very close. It's hard to believe when I look at Deidra that I was just her age when I lost my own Mom. I hope I am around a long long time for Deidra and that I can meet my grandbabies one day. I know my Mom and I would fight over spending time with Deidra. My Mom loved kids and babies.... She did so much with me when I was young...she took me to the roller skating rink on a weekly basis, she helped in my class at school, we went 3-wheeling together, those are the types of things that I remember. I wish I could talk to her sometimes and know what she thinks of the person that I am today. I love you, Mom! You turned 24 in Heaven today! Happy birthday! I miss you!

Our 10th Anniversary Celebration

We celebrated 10 years of marriage together on September 12. We were a bit nervous about leaving for our 3-day weekend together with Hurricane Ike hitting Texas. Thankfully, we didn't get much here other than some wind and a little rain. We've had thunderstorms worse than that. But, I was worried and family and friends that we had down in the Houston area. I got word that they were safe and then I felt better.

Friday, we went and picked Deidra up from school and then we started dropping the kids off to where they were staying for the weekend and then we took Deidra to my Mom's work so that we could drop her off with my Mom. Then, we came home to change and we went to The Melting Pot for dinner. I had asked Andy if he thought we needed reservations and he didn't think so. We got there at 7 and they had to put us down for an 8:45 pm dinner as that was their first available opening. So, we wound up going to Sam's Club to walk around and check out a couple things. We headed back and ordered our dinner. They presented us with our own private little cubby hole to eat our dinner as well as an Anniversary card from all the waiters. We ordered and I had a bit of an embarrassing moment with our waiter while ordering (if you wnat to hear it just email me...but we giggled about it afterwards). We ate some really great food and were very stuffed by the time we were done. We got home about midnight and checked radar before heading to bed.

Saturday, I woke up at 6 am as the sounds of the wind picking up woke me. I came downstairs to check radar and went and got Andy up as well. We stood outside for a bit and then came back inside. We decided to get ready for breakfast and so we headed for IHOP. Breakfast was good and everyone was talking about the hurricane as it was due to hit by us later in the day. We left and the wind had really picked up then and we were watching the cloud bands come over us. We came home to pack for our hotel stay. We drove in to Dallas and made a couple stops along the way, including Fadi's for lunch, and then headed for our hotel. We stayed at the Magnolia Hotel in Dallas. http://www.magnoliahoteldallas.com/dallas.aspx and we found our suite was much bigger than our first apartment that we shared together. lol. It was really nice with a living room, kitchen, bedroom, and a huge bathroom. We loved it! They brought us a dozen chocolate covered strawberries and a bottle of champagne and we had matching very fuzzy and soft robes on our bed with a CD of love songs. They had complimentary happy hour at the hotel and then we went for a walk in the rain. Andy said it reminded him of the day he proposed although it was the completely wrong city and we weren't walking along the beach...but it was raining then too. Anyway, I had to go to the bathroom and nobody had public restrooms so we had to head back to the hotel. We wanted to watch a movie, but for some reason we couldn't get it to work and so I wound up falling asleep on the couch while he watched Man vs. Wild. Romantic huh? lol. Anyway, our bed was really comfortable and we slept really well. I asked Andy if he thought the hotel would notice if we tried to fit the mattress in the elevator when we checked out. lol.

Sunday, I woke up early and headed in to watch the news. I watched the hurricane coverage and I started crying while watching it. I felt so bad for those people. I woke Andy up around 8 and we ordered breakfast...I got some pound cake french toast that was to die for and he got a Mexican breakfast burrito that he really liked too. We vegged out for awhile and then we checked out so that we could go to church together at the Cathedral. After church, we wound up going to visit all the animals at the pet adoption center, we did some thrift shopping for our ebay business, and then we decided to head for my Mom's to pick up Deidra. Then, it was time to go get the kids from the other 2 places that they were. We came home and fed everyone and then got them ready for bed. They welcomed us back to reality really quick. lol. It was really nice to get away and we really had a good time together. It was nice being able to talk without interrruptions and to just have fun together.

Planning our 10-Year Anniversary

Planning Our 10-Year Anniversary
We've been talking about what we wanted to do for our 10-year wedding anniversary. We each had a couple different ideas. I wanted to get away from everything familiar and go on a cruise and just have that time together away from distractions and the everday things of our everyday lives. Andy wanted to go see Wicked...it's something he's wanted to see for quite awhile. I had also tossed out the idea of going to NYC or to London. We looked at the cruise books and decided that we may go around Thanksgiving or spring break next year. We decided finally on what we're going to do...Wicked is in the works along with our other plans. But, we decided we were going to retrace our history...this is Andy's idea and I thought it sounded incredibly romantic. So, now we're going to sit down one night this week and make the hotel arrangements and make our flight arrangements. Andy has an idea of where he wants us to stay even though I think it's a bit too expensive. But, it's a beautiful hotel and I told him it was up to him. I'm looking forward to our little get away. And to be honest, I really don't care where we go...I just want to spend the time with him.

I can't believe we've been married for 10 years already. I look at the things we've been through together and I know we can get through anything...we've been through a lot that's for sure. But, I'm just glad that we have each other and I love him more than anything. He sent me a card the other day too saying how he never would have thought we'd be where we are today when we first got married, but that now that we're here (Texas) he couldn't imagine it any other way and that I was the best wife he ever could have hoped for and that I was a great mother and that our children were lucky to have me. Everything that we've ever wanted has totally blossomed for us here and we are truly happy and feel very blessed. I love my husband and I'm so lucky to have him by my side. I know that no matter what life brings us, he'll see me through it and we grow stronger and stronger all the time.

Our 9th Anniversary

I used the Cherry Blossoms Jubilee kit for this one. Unfortunately, I'm not sure who made the kit as I didn't save the information though.

9 Years of Marriage

Taken by Deidra. 9 years of marriage. :-)

Getting all dressed up for my honey...

Can't wait to go out to dinner tonight for our anniversary. I found an online seller through ebay that I just love their clothes. I won my first item and got it yesterday. Some sellers say their sizes run small, so I ordered carefully. It's a little on the big side, but it will work. I can't wait to get all dressed up in it and my black skirt. I'll attach a picture so you can see. :-) We're going to Buca di Beppo's for dinner. www.bucadibeppo.com Mmmm! Can't wait to load up on italian food.

a close up of the beadwork


my new shirt...

Awww! Andy's Happy Anniversary Note to Me!

Saying "I Do" was the best thing I ever did. Happy 9 years of being married! I just want you to know that I think that you're the best wife and mother anybody could have. You never cease to amaze me at how much you care! I'm very happy to be with you and to be going through all these new things together. I love you so very much. Love, Mr. Rew


Awww! Talk about making a wife cry happy tears. I thinking I just needed to hear those words lately with everything we have going on, it's been easy to get overwhelmed with things and not take time for one another. Things have been very busy here lately. He is the best thing that has ever happened to me. My dear sweet hubby, I love you so very much too!

Happy anniversary to me!

I now have scabies. D had them when he first came here. J and I both have them now. I was up most of the night being itchy and trying not to scratch. Then, I had to kick Deidra out of bed because I don't want her to catch it. Then, I was up coughing and finally fell asleep. Then, I was up at 3 scratching more, went to the bathroom and found out I have splotches on my face. Went and got the perscription cream and doused myself in it and had Andy help me get the places I couldn't reach (this was at 3 am). Then, I finally fell asleep after a lot of tossing and turning to have Andy's dad call us at 5 am on accident. Tossed and turned again, finally fall asleep and Andy wakes me up at 6 am to say happy anniversary and good-bye but he's not touching me. I fall asleep again and Deidra tries to climb in bed with me again...this time I just got up. My mom is supposed to babysit tonight, although I can tell deep down she kind of leery about doing it, and I just don't know what to do. My friend told me that her mom still gets overwhelmed watching all 4 of her girls (her youngest is J's age and her oldest is 8) but not to feel bad about going. Andy and I desperately need some time together, but I just don't know what to do. We can't have a conversation without trying to talk over the kids and with interruptions and there's been so much going on lately that we just need that time together. Add in a really stressful day yesterday with D's visit (I do not want to send him back to his parents after yesterday) but that's a whole other story...I just need some time to connect with my husband. However, I am going to put in a call to the doctor first to see if I'm still considered to be contagious tonight or not.

11 Years

Today marks the day that Andy and I began the story of "us" and shared our first kiss 11 years ago. I cannot believe sometimes that we have been together that long. Then, I look at everything we've been through together...both the good and the bad...and then it does seem like it's been that long. Next week marks our 9 year wedding anniversary. Wow! I am so lucky to have him for a husband. He's been so good to me and has been a wonderful husband and father. He works hard to provide for us and I am so thankful to have him as a husband. He's so loving and caring and dedicated to us. 11 years together...wow!


Abba, please continue to bless our marriage and please bless my husband today as well.