Scott

I first met Scott on April 20, 2007. I knew from the first time that I talked to him that there was something special about him. Three-and-a-half years later, I have learned just how right I was.

This past week has been the worst week of my life. This is no exaggeration. In the past, I may have thought I had horrible things happen to me, but nothing compares to this week. Maybe someday I'll be ready to write about it. For now, it will help me to write about Scott and how much he has helped me through this week.

I know this has been a painful week for Scott, too, but he has stayed strong for me and put me first. He has let me cry, and cry, and cry. He knows when to say something to try to make me feel better, and he knows when to just stop talking and let me continue to cry. Scott has listened to me talk on and on about our ordeal. He's let me rehash the whole experience multiple times, and he's listened to my questions of "why?" He has also heard every statistic that I can possibly find and every nightmare and fear that I've had. He's helped me to stop blaming myself. I'm still working on this one. He knows when I need to laugh and when a joke is absolutely the last thing that I want to hear. He also seems to know what can be joked about and what is off-limits. This has definitely not been a fun week to be around me, but Scott has made me feel like there is nowhere else he would rather be. I cannot say enough about how much I appreciate all that Scott has done for me, and will continue to do as we work through this difficult time.

I also want to thank the others that have helped me this week. Thank you to my mom who came to stay with me, take care of me and my house, and has also talked me through this daily. I could not have gotten through this without her.

Thank you to all my other family members and friends who have been there for me to talk, call, email, text, etc. Thanks to all the people I work with who have proven to me that they are more than just coworkers; they are great friends and my extended family.

I know that with everyone's help, I will get through this, and I will be a stronger person for it.

My Dad

In honor of Father's Day, I've decided to write a post for my dad.

About five years ago, I went through a rather rough time in my life.  I was sad.  I hated my job because I had a horrible boss and a tough group of kids.  I started to realize that my relationship with my best friend was disintegrating.  And I was single again, after my most recent seven-weeker dumped me, when all I wanted was to be happily married.  In an effort to understand my hardships, I turned to some self-help books.  Of course, I focused on my lack of a relationship as my source of unhappiness, so the self-help books pointed at my dad as the cause.  I clearly remember the day that I sat at lunch telling my mom that I thought I'd been unsuccessful at finding true love because of my dad.  I told her that I was the type of person who needed a doting dad.  I needed someone to tell me I was beautiful and special every day, and Dad didn't do that.

What I've learned over the last five years (especially the last two) is that I was wrong.  And I've felt guilty about that conversation with my mom ever since.

I've learned that my dad gave me the best possible start at being an incredible wife.

My dad raised an independent woman who didn't need to constant reassurance of a man.  I'm not a high-maintenance girl.  I like for my husband to tell me how special I am every once in awhile, but the strength of our marriage doesn't rely on it happening every day.  I have enough confidence to know that I'm special, whether someone else tells me that or not.  My dad taught me that actions speak louder than words.  It may not have been part of his daily routine to tell me that I was one of the best things that ever happened to him, but I felt it every single day.  Because of my dad, I've learned to tune into the feelings of others.  I've learned to feel the things that some people don't feel comfortable saying. 

I've learned that my dad gave me the best possible start at being an incredible parent.

My dad raised a woman who will be proud of her future children's accomplishments.  Growing up, I saw that many parents expect their children to follow in their footsteps, and can only be proud of them if they do so.  My dad's major interests are music and sports.  I didn't have much interest in music, and I was always pretty terrible at all sports.  My dad didn't care.  He was proud of what I did accomplish.  He cheered me on during my boring spell bowl competitions.  He taught me how to study, which led to the eventual accomplishment of being valedictorian of my high school class.  He never missed an opportunity to see a play that I was in.  He sang my praises as a waitress and helped me to win best waitress in the county two years in a row.  He was my biggest supporter when I started looking for teaching jobs.  When I got married (finally!), my dad did everything he could to make it the best day of my life...including surprising me by singing the song for the father-daughter dance, which had always been my dream.  The point is...no matter what I did, my dad was there to root me on.  He did this because he loved me for me, not for who he could mold me into.

So, thank you, Dad, for helping to make me into the wonderful woman that I am today.  I love you.  Happy Father's Day!

Easter

My mom and dad are getting ready to go on a cruise for Spring Break.  They flew to New Orleans on Friday morning, and their cruise ship will be leaving soon (if it hasn't left already).  Because of this trip, we didn't get to celebrate Easter with them.  (They were just in Indy last weekend, though, so I guess we could call that our Easter celebration.)

Anyway, I knew they wouldn't be around, but Brandon would, so when I heard about an Easter Egg Hunt in my neighborhood on Saturday, April 3rd, I asked Brandon if he would have the boys.  He said that he would, so I invited him.  I said that I understood if he didn't want to come since it would be a two-hour trip for an egg hunt, but that he was welcome to come if he wanted.  Brandon said he thought it was a good idea, and that we could celebrate Easter together, too.

So, that's what we did.  Brandon and the boys got here on Friday.  The boys had fun playing, and we had Easter dinner once Scott got home from work.

Zeke and I played outside.

And we had fun inside.  Zeke attacked Connor...

...and it turned into a piggy back ride.

On Saturday morning, we had breakfast and then went to the Easter Egg Hunt.  When we got back home, we painted Easter eggs.  They made plain eggs, speckled eggs, eggs with writing, and tie-dye eggs.  We all had such a great time!

Of course I had a great time with everyone here, but this was an especially great weekend for me because Brandon wanted to come celebrate Easter with me, even though Mom and Dad weren't able to.  It wasn't like it was a chore or something that he felt he had to do.  He came because he wanted to.  And we got together because we wanted to.  I love that I have a brother that I get along with so well.  We don't just see each other because of our parents; obviously, we genuinely enjoy spending time together.

And although I don't like to think about it, and I hope that this is a long way off, I do realize that there will come a day that my parents won't be here.  I know of so many siblings who stop getting together once their parents are gone.  Sometimes it happens even before that.  It's nice to know that I won't have to worry about that.

I'm scared!

According to MorphThing, this is what my daughter will look like.  No, I didn't request a girl.  This is just what came up, and I can't get a boy to come up.  And, no, this baby is not on its way.  If this is really how the baby will look, adoption may be the better option.  Glad I found out before getting pregnant.  :-)  (But, I do like that she has blonde hair and blue eyes.)

I am kidding.  Of course I'll still have kids.  Especially since, given the same program, this is what Brandon or I should have looked like:

I'm thinking the program is not too accurate.

My Day

First, my big news of the day...

I OWN MY CAR!

I mailed in my final payment today, and I should receive my title in a couple of weeks.  I'm so happy to be done with this monthly payment...over 3 1/2 years early. ☺

When I got home from the Post Office, I started working on a new spring project.

I totally copied Shannon.  If you want to see her directions so you can make your own, click here.  Thanks for the great idea!

Scott's Post

Today was Scott's first Saturday of tax season.  I spent the day cleaning up.  Our house wasn't a disaster area, but it hadn't been really cleaned (vacuumed, mopped, dusted) since before Christmas.  Since he was working all day, I cleaned our house today.

When Scott came home, he said, "I love you.  Thank you for cleaning.  I don't have a blog, but if I did, I'd blog about how wonderful you are."

So...I'm blogging it for him.  Because I think it's important for couples to pay attention to the little things that we do for each other.  And to thank each other for those things.

2009 Recap...a positive one!

Sadly, it's been a rough year for my family.  However, a lot of wonderful things have happened this year as well, and I'd like to take some time to highlight THOSE events.

In January, Scott and I welcomed our first niece to the family.  She arrived 10 days after Leo's 3rd birthday.  Technically, she wasn't my niece at the time, but I knew that she would be.  Welcome to the world Fiona Elaine! 













February was Valentine's Day...only the 2nd that I've actually been part of a couple.  We went to Cirque du Soleil that night.  It was great!  Before that, I ran some errands during the day, and came back to this...

Not much happened for Scott and me in March, but Quentin graduated from his pre-school at Poppy's school.  The Child Development class at the school runs this pre-school.  I remember being in this class as a sophomore, and it was so much fun!  I'm glad Quentin got to be a part of it.

Connor turned 5 on April 7, Ron's birthday was April 11, and Brandon turned 32 on April 26.

Zeke's 1st birthday was May 21, 2009.

At the end of May, Scott and I closed on our new home!

June brought us Scott's 30th birthday as well as our bachelor and bachelorette parties!

In July, of course, Scott and I got married.  I'm so lucky to have found the perfect person for me.☺

Also in July, we went to Naples, Florida, for our honeymoon.

Finally, Mom turned 53 on July 18.

Quentin turned 4 on August 5.  He celebrated by going to Chuck E. Cheese and a Tin Caps game.  We all had a great time!

Also in August, Scott had surgery on his shoulder to repair a muscle tear that has caused him pain for years.  I started my 8th year of teaching, and Connor started kindergarten! 

Sue's birthday was on September 14.

We also had fun at one of Quentin's soccer games and Bluffton's annual street fair in September.

 

In October, we celebrated Dad's birthday with a party at our house.

We went to Batavia to celebrate Melinda's birthday.

Scott and I went to New Orleans (sorry for the small picture).  Scott loved the seafood!

We celebrated Halloween (complete with my new mask from New Orleans).

And Quentin got new soccer pants.

I turned 30 in November, and Scott threw me a party to celebrate.

Scott and I also celebrated Thanksgiving with his parents, and then hosted Thanksgiving for the Pastores.  We all had fun playing the new Mario game for Wii that Scott bought me.

In December, Scott and I celebrated Christmas with the Pastores on December 20.

Scott and I opened our presents, then we went to Christmas Mass with Sue and celebrated with Scott's parents on Christmas Eve.

We celebrated Christmas with Mom, Dad, Brandon, and the boys on Christmas Day.  Santa even came to Mom and Dad's house!  (Zeke isn't too sure about him yet, though.)

Unfortunately, weather prevented us from going to Melinda and Andre's house the day after Christmas, but we are going to Ron and Sue's to celebrate with them today.☺

We ended the year with a party at Jeff's house.

Happy New Year everyone!  I hope to see even more of this face in 2010.☺