Lucky Number Seven

Back when it all began...we were babies (18 & 16).  When we left the house that night, my dad told my mom that I'd just left with their son-in-law so she'd better get used to him.  Father's intuition...

Seven years...  That is such a hard number for me to wrap my head around.  How on earth have we already been married for seven years?

Hunter,
There are a lot of things I really don't like about our right now.
I hate your turnaround work schedule.
I hate how stressed out you have been lately and that it's made you snore again.
I hate that our future plans just got thrown up in the air.
I hate that we can't fully and completely be overwhelmed with and solely focused on this pregnancy.
I hate that I'm moody most of the time, most days.
I hate that we are always busy.

But...
I love us so much.
I love our little girl and I'm already pretty smitten with our little boy.
I love how you make me giggle.
I love how my head fits perfectly in your chest when we hug.
I love our memories and I love our friends.
I love the few moments of downtime we get together.
I love how you lead our family, but never overshadow me.  I love that we are a team.
I love that no matter how up in the air everything else is, we are grounded together.

It's not always easy, it's not always fun, it's not always what we ever expected; but there is no journey I would choose to walk other than ours.

It's you and me, babe.  Forever.

Let's never stop dancing.  Minefields and all.
Happy Anniversary

love, angie

Thankful Thursday

I'm going to focus on one thing in particular today because my heart settled in on this little tie bit last night as my husband drifted off to dreamland...and I laid there wide awake.

I am so thankful to have my boy back home.  Between all of the traveling we've both been doing, all of the traveling he's been doing for work, and the 8 day hunting trip he just went on, we haven't spent much time at home together lately.  So for us all three to be home this whole week has been so very, very nice.

I am not a snuggler when I sleep.  I want my space, I want to be curled up in my covers, I want to bend and twist and turn comfortably, I don't want to be touched.  This is much to my boy's dismay as he usually tries to sneak a hand or a foot over to my side...  Negative.  I'm reminded of Ross's "hug and roll" technique on Friends...except I'm the roller.  This girl needs her space to dream!

But this week, I have noticed my feet drifting over to touch my sweet boy's legs.   After sleeping in that big old bed alone more nights these past few months than I prefer to count, his presence is so comforting.  {although you can bet your biscuits that I curl right on back over to my side before I actually fall asleep...}

This is all a long, possibly too detailed way for me to express how thankful I am to have my husband home.  Even the smallest moments together make me realize how lonely I had been for him.  We've giggled and played with our sweet little petunia a lot this week.  And it has been grand.

So enjoy the time you have with your spouse or your significant other or you kids or whomever your love(s) may be...  Even give them a little extra snuggle every once in a while :)  Because you'll miss it so bad when you can't...

love, angie

l'amour, amore, amor

Six years I've been lucky enough to be married to that stud of mine.  He is one cool cat who stole my heart immediately.  That big ole frame just houses my big ole teddy bear, who's strong for me all the time but also tender with the hearts of those he loves.  And giggle--oh he can make me giggle!

We just fit.  Like two peas in a pod.  Like cheese in macaroni.  Like perfection.

Here's to six years, my love!  And so many more that we almost lose count...almost...

 6 years of blessed marriage

5 parents' love and support

4 cars purchased and surgeries had

3 homes lived in and countries visited

2 church families and Saints games

1 beautiful daughter

0 regrets

you'll always be my favorite.

happy anniversary, babe!

love, angie

14 Days of Love--Day 14

Happy Valentine's Day!  

We made it through all 14 days--what a fun little game this was for me to offer my love.  I'm actually kind of impressed with myself for getting them given on time AND writing the corresponding blog post on time...for all 14 of them!

Today's gift may seem odd, but it's something he really wanted and needed.  As I mentioned when he was gifted UnderArmour socks a few days back, Hunter has really grown fond of UA clothing--including their underwear.  So that's just what he's getting today:  a new pair of undies (or manties as I call them much to his dismay) with the more than true statement, "You work your hiney-tail off for our little family."  And for fun, a Jerry Seinfeld quote: "Men want the same thing from their underwear that they want from a woman:  a little bit of support and a little bit of freedom."  :)

And the song...  "When I Said I Do".  This was the song we first danced to as a married couple; and it's one that I not only love dancing to with him, but also singing with him.  We still stop and sway together anytime we hear it.  Its lyrical definition of marriage is spot on--those two little words promise so much.  I never want us to forget that.

I'm also reminded of this blog post that I came across a few months back (it struck a chord with me deep enough that I saved the link to my desktop).  What a thought and challenge to be reminded of our commitment on a daily basis, in a literal way.  Remember your promises; repeat them; live them.

I hope you've enjoyed walking our little love journey these past two weeks, reminiscing through pictures and expressing affection through silly puns and small gifts.  I hope you've been able to recognize the love and appreciation that my husband and I share for one another; the joy and spark we've kept alive for nearly 10 years; the fun, giggles, and shenanigans we have together; the forever in us.

make sure the ones you love know it.  

 and make sure you make love fun!

love, 

angie

14 Days of Love--Day 13

And then there were two...days left.

We are Louisiana through and through--and moving to Texas has only amplified that.  So we aren't sure if Hunter's beer of choice is because it's made in Louisiana or if it really is that good...  I think it's a pretty good combination of the two.

Hunter and his brother, Blaine, at the brewery.

Abita is made in a micro-brewery in Abita Springs, LA.  We actually went to tour the factory last summer with his brother and his wife (which made the boys love it even more), and that is where they discovered this mamma jamma--Andy Gator.  Hunter was even able to convince the owner of the local liquor store here to carry it, so now he doesn't have to wait for a trip to the brewery again to have it...

That leads into the sentiment I was able to use because of the title of the beer:  "All-I-'Gator' say is I love you!"  A stretch, I know; but fun nonetheless!

Today's song is one I have talked about multiple times on here because it's message is dear enough to me that I named my blog after it.  "Dancing in the Minefields" by Andrew Petersen...  Take a minute and listen to it, read the words.  This song holds the definition of marriage and commitment.  It's not always going to be easy, but you have to work together and make the best of it.  I love the line "that's what the promise is for"...  We wouldn't have to be bound by vows if there was no chance of wanting to break them.  The promise isn't supposed to be easy to keep.  It's supposed to be worth keeping.  I also love the imagery of the line "let's go dancing in the minefields"...  Something beautiful fluttering through danger and fear and evil.  It stirs my spirit.

don't stop dancing with me, babe.

love, 

angie

14 Days of Love--Day 12

this makes me giggle--I put my cold feet over on Hunter's side of the bed to warm them up!  He especially hates loves it when I sneak them onto his back or stomach :)

I have converted my boy into a movie watcher.  My family has always loved watching movies and had family movie nights often, whether we went to the theater or snuggled up at home (the latter happened more often, especially when we were younger).  So I was astounded and boggled that when Hunter and I started dating, he had barely seen any movies!

That is changing.

Now, anytime we have a night that we'll be free to stay up a little later, we love to rent a movie, pop some popcorn (and throw some milk duds in mine...yum to the O), and snuggle up on the couch to watch it.  I love movie nights and look forward to our kid(s) being old enough one day to have those family movie nights together.

Of course they'll have to be complete with popcorn too :)

So all of this movie/popcorn back story is meant to lead up to today's love surprise--and this is the other "corny" one I had mentioned (these puns are coming to me too easily now...oh man).  Today he gets two bags of Act II Butter Lover's (only brand and flavor I'm game to chow down on) popcorn.  And the note--are you ready for this?  Prepare yourself.  "I'm e'kernel'y yours..."  Haha!  Oh the wit. Giggle with me--you know you want to.

And we have another beauty from Norah Jones as our love lyrics star today: "Come Away With Me". It's such a beautiful thought to be swept up in love and escape reality with that someone.  

I mean, lemme be honest.  The boy drives me up the wall crazy.  But I couldn't love him anymore...and it's our job to keep each other's nerves and patience levels in check!

love,

angie