Chris-
Things are about to get cheesy. But hey, if I can't
write down in my journal how I feel what good is it? So here it goes.. If it
sounds to good to be true, don't worry, we have worked long and hard to get to
where we are.
My love, my best friend, the perfect snuggler (and
everything elser ) My main man. The guy who calms my nerves when I'm stressed,
who makes me laugh every single day. The guy who is SO dang good at doing the
'little things' - He supports me in my schooling and in all my dreams
really. He trusts me as a mother. He is so great to just talk to with his great
intellect and wisdom. He is profound and says some of the most thought
provoking things. I feel like we have very distinct roles in our marriage and that
creates a beautiful balance. Chris is a fabulous father! He talks to and
snuggles our girls, he works along side and wrestles our boys. He assists the
teens with their independent living skills and because he works in a
residential facility, he just gets it. He understands how to communicate and
why its so important for us to do this important work. I love how Chris has
worked hard to love what he does for a living. As the years have gone by he has
picked up jobs and careers really and kept them. He worked in Jewelry when we
were first together and has kept a diamond wholesale company every since. He
worked in loans and has kept his licenses so he can continue to help people
that way. He went to law school and now works as an in house attorney and HR manager
for Telos, a residential treatment facility. He is balancing a lot and I feel
grateful he is a hard worker and great provider. There is so much I could say
about my life parter and eternal companion. We have had some really rough
patches at times (as many couples do) but we have fought for each other and
grown into a greater love and appreciation for each other. I am so grateful for
a husband who tells me I am beautiful, laughs with me, holds me and supports me
in all that I do. I love you Chris.
More recently we have discovered the love of
traveling together. We had a honeymoon baby with Cozette so there was not a lot
of time or money to travel for those years of having kids. I never felt very
comfortable leaving little ones and now that our youngest, Anson is 4 he is
thrilled to see the back of us and play with Grandma Mickee for days! Our
traveling began a year ago when I decided I wanted to go to Disneyland, just he
and I. We had a blast! We also spent time at the beach to balance things out.
We then planned the most amazing weekend in New York where we saw amazing
shows, ate fantastic food and spent time with some of our favorite people,
Barry and Brittany and Clover and Louis. It was really the time of our lives!!
More recently we took a trip to Denver to see our good friends Treana and
Lawren and are planning a trip soon to Zions national park.
He works hard and plays hard and we have a lot of
fun dating each other. Our latest craze has been because we are in a different
stage in life. Cozy is old enough to babysit, Anson is old enough to not care
if we leave and loves having grandma Mickee come stay the night. He and I have
started traveling and we LOVE it! This year we went to California to do
Disneyland with out the kids. SO fun! We went to New York and had the most
magical few days being with our best friends and meeting up with Clover and
Louis to watch musicals and eat the tastiest food. Seriously one of the funnest
times of my life. We took a weekend off to visit friends in Denver and now we
are planning our next trip for my birthday to Zions or Bryce Canyon to hike and
be in nature.
I have felt like with each of my children, God has sent me this
miraculous gift that has brought me so much joy! The spirits He has sent me are
strong, gifted and amazing little beings. I love watching them grow and getting
to be a part of the process.
Cozette –
My Teen! Stilly trying to get
over that. Where have the years gone? We got pregnant with this firey redhead
on our honeymoon! This was not the plan per-say but there have been so many
moments where I have felt grateful that we changed our minds about when we
would ‘start trying’ for a baby. We decided to put it in the Lords hands and walla
– fertile as a turtle! Ha! Cozette came into the world a clever old soul. She
was two years old shouting, “I need a shoe horn!” so articulate and never once
put her shoes on the wrong foot. She just gets it! Now, as a teenager she is
wise above her years and has this fabulous sense of humor and sass about her.
She is a child that I understand well. I think because I see a lot of me in her
(don’t tell her I said that) She wears her thoughts and feelings on her
shoulder. She has integrity and a strong sense of what is right and wrong. We
love her red hair! And can only assume it came somewhere from Scotland since
that is where we first met and also where we conceved her. That red hair has
come with allergies and skin problems that she would have like to have avoided
in life but I think those problems have taught her compassion and how to
overcome struggles from a young age. Cozette is on the debate team and watch
out because she knows her stuff and isn’t afraid to tell you. She gets straight
A’s and always has really. She loves theater, choir, and has just sampled a bit
of track and likes the running. Cozette can be found up way past her bedtime
reading a book. I love that about her. I didn’t discover the joy of reading
till I was in my 20’s so seeing her love it so much makes me beam with pride.
She has a great fashion sense and has been into doing hair tutorials on
instagram. She loves being old enough to have a phone and is found skyping her
best friend Lucy on a daily basis. Cozette loves to bake! There really isn’t a
thing this kid can’t do. She bakes wonderful bread and cookies and keeps us all
happy on a Sunday when our sugar tooth kicks in. Cozette loves to socialize and
talk about things that are probably too adult for her. She is nosy like her mom and is sometimes around the corner listening in so watch out! I love her strong sense of self and she is the perfect fit for the oldest child. We rely on her a bit too much but she doesn't seem to mind being the boss and has a great work ethic. Every one needs a fiery red head like this amazing daughter of mine.
Elias –
What a kid! He is one who has always been easy going, loving at great
and just about anything he does. Elias is an athlete. He can play any sport and do it with ease. Soccer is his sport of choice and he plans to
play for Chelsea some day and can often be seen watching soccer with
his dad. I have loved being a ‘soccermom’ and Elias is so fun to watch. His
skills and ball control are amazing! This kid is smart! He is in the A.L.L.
program at school for the gifted kids and still manages to get the highest
scores on most tests. He scored in the 99th
percentile for cognitive thinking on his state testing. He also has been
responsible with his studies and sports and shows excellence and detail in most
that he puts his mind too. Okay, maybe I think my kids is perfect but you
really got to meet this guy! People really like him. He is a leader among his friends and fellow soccer players. He has a great sense of
humor and a ton of integrity. He is gentle but if he needed to, he could kick
your butt. He has a growing sense of humor. Often Chris and I will look at each
other and giggle at something he has says. He is a go getter! He doesn’t mind
hard work and is often found doing yard work and helping his dad lift something heavy. He and I have run races this summer and he seems to win them all. He loves green chili inchilatas and ice cream
and pretty much has hollow legs. Elias has beautiful blond hair and only ever
tans. He has bright green eyes and a small dimple on his left cheek. He is a
charmer and will always have the love of his mother!
Aurora –
I always ask myself how I got so lucky to have Aurora. She has a
different temperament to me and I love that about her. She has a smile that
beams! And she is super easy to make laugh. I LOVE her laugh! Aurora is
naturally nurturing. She will make an amazing mother some day. She reminds me
of myself in her love for playing with barbies and her sentimental ways. She is
the daughter I am keeping my wedding dress for. Aurora is an artist! She can
sit and color for hours. She has a special relationship with her grandma
because of this. I think she is the kid my mom wanted me to be. Ha! Aurora’s
teachers have told me she is a popular kid in class. She can make friends easy
and always has many friends. She loves to play! Aurora appreciates beauty. When
I have dolled up her room it is not wasted on her. She loves to watch me put my
makeup on and pick out my outfits. She wears her many dresses and shoes with
confidence and is often asking me if I will curl her hair of do her nails. Such
a girly girl!! She is feminine, fragile and easily freaked out. She really is
sensitive. Pulling a tooth is such an ordeal with her! She flips if she see’s
me pop a zit or if a spider is anywhere near her. My mom reminds me that I gave
her the name Aurora so I should have been prepared for a princess. Aurora is a
daddy’s girl. She will often ask him before me if she wants something because
she know’s he will likely say yes. Aurora
is a great student in school. She is so responsible and on top of her tasks. She
loves her dance class and can often be found singing. Aurora is a snuggler! She probably hugs me 10 times a day. She has
so much love to give! I think that is one of her spiritual gifts. I hope she
never changes.
Anson –
My little man. This guy is so obviously the youngest. He had a binky
till he was 4 years old! I still snuggle with him at nap time and sing him
songs. Anson is a pure joy! He entertains us all. His smile is contagious and
his giggle is the cutest thing you have ever heard. Anson is a loving person.
He often hugs his sibbling’s and every now and then he will out of the blue
say, “I love you mom.” Melts my heart. Anson loves to wrestle his dad, play
with cars, run through the sprinklers, eat snacks and jump in my bed to have a
short snuggle. He has always been a kid on the go! He loves to run and jump
around and that kicks off his asthma more than I would like. But I can’t and
wouldn’t want to break his spirit. This kid is a light in our family. I love
watching him grow up and figure things out. He makes sure we all know, “We don’t
say stupid or shut up.” Which makes us giggle sometimes because he has a hard
time not saying those things. Anson is my only brown eyed child, and If I am
honest, I was hoping to get one. He looks the most like me but I also think he
has some of my personality traits that drive me nuts. Lol! He is a classic
youngest and I have spoiled him at times which can drive Chris and the other
kids nuts. I am so glad we chose to have one more child when we were
considering being done. He has been a gift and a true blessing to our family.
