Some Old Fun Stuff- My Valentine*

Feeling sentimental/nostalgic again :) Our computer is full of Lucas and Olivia memories that I love to look over (and I would like to put together a good set of pics showing their growth someday when I have more time), but there are some old little files with pictures of John and I early on in our relationship and marriage. It's always fun to look back at where and who you were, and all that you have been blessed with. I also notice dumb stuff like my weight fluctuations and that I am actually thinner now than in our 3/4th years of marriage lol. But they also serve as a reminder of all the opportunities yet to come, to make more beautiful memories as a family, and to continue to grow in love and respect for each other. I feel we have made each other better versions of ourselves with every year we have been together. :)

     When John and I were confirmed in the church and had our marriage convalidated in Easter 2008, our sponsors (who are also now L & O's godparents) gave us prayer journals. I have kept that same journal and sporadically written in it for the past 4 years. Reading back over all my worries and hopes and seeing that everything indeed worked out better than I could've imagined at the time, is so reassuring. It's almost like learning to be grateful the "easy" way, as opposed to the hard way...by having something taken from you.

   There's no real rhyme or reason for my choice of pictures to share--just some of the few pictures I have on my comp.  We didn't have a digital camera for a while so I don't even have that many..and they aren't the best pictures, but it's what I have :) I may have even shared some of them before. oh well !

 Even through the rough times and events in our relationship, there was never any doubt in my heart about John and I, and our future. We sure have changed a lot though! There's no accounting for style btw. :)

2000/2001 High school-ironic, as John is in background. Mr. Derse's class junior year. I still am amazed that Mr. Derse ended up moving from CA to VA and becoming my little brother's math teacher!

Dating 2002, John was best man at a friend's wedding.

Love this pic. John holding a pinata on a swiffer sweeper for Norman's bday. That's my family! In good old littlerock. 

Saddest day..John left for boot camp Feb 2003. Felt empty. 18 yrs old, impatient, and felt like I would never see him again. 

John visit on leave--at Dodger game with Grandpa Charles and my brothers :)

John on leave at granny's house for lunch. What am I wearing? who knows. We went to Radiohead concert in San Diego. 

Signing our lives away to each other. Las Vegas 2004.

Our first apartment, Saratoga NY. Our first car. 

 Camping trip.Rain, Period, drunk friends lol. And my portable toilet! (and a speeding ticket for johnny :)

 Canoeing in Lake George, and dinner with friends in Albany. When we just couldn't get enough of each other :)

 Trip to New Jersey to visit a military mom friend. Still too young to gamble but fun to walk around Atlantic City!

 Visiting navy friends--bored with their drinking games. I used to add things to their drinks to make it more entertaining- dares with soy sauce and bacon bits is all I remember...and someone barfing over our balcony.

 Now this was fun--every weekend we used to drive to john's friends place in Amsterdam NY and he had 3 rooms going for a progressive poker tournament. I got second place this night, out of ~30 people. Couple hundred bucks :)

 Before my true babies came along, I actually loved our dogs believe it or not lol. I have no patience for them anymore. John does though :)

Excited to have a real winter...John trying to get some of the snow off the balcony :) Soonafter, I started working for post office and hated snow. 

Before the dogs, I started trying my hand at a little gardening on our balcony. Was rewarding! And the pic on right is us somewhere around Lake George going tubing down a hill. Was really fun but tiring. I also was obsessed with wearing colored contacts at the time..

Taking my new puppy to a republican rally. He ate a cigarette butt and got sick...I think we ended up paying a bunch of money for a vet bill lol. 

We had some really nice parks in upstate NY, but my allergies were so bad that I sometimes wore my michael jackson mask lol. 

At the state park again--it was so exciting to see deer the first few times.

  Renting a boat from MWR for the weekend at Stewart's pond. Fond memories of this pond/lake. Hard to think of myself before I was a mom. No responsibilities! Almost like having no purpose. Now, I would feel lost without my babies :)

 Our first time to Williamsburg VA--2 yr anniversary. Look how cute John looks! :)

Our cottage we rented at King's Creek.

  This was our final drive down to Williamsburg from NY...we bought our first house. This was a stop in Jersey at Rutt's Hut--famous fried hot dog joint. The start of our touring the states for famous food places!

At a park in Newport News Va renting bikes. I loved making John do random stuff with me :) Still do actually! 

 This pic is pretty bad. I mean, we look like crap, but it's cute to me. I was pregnant with Lucas and my mom and Norman had moved in with us for a while from CA--and we enjoyed playing Norman's guitar hero, and watching Norman in amazement too :)

  Susan told me something that kinda stuck in my head the other day. She said it's amazing to think about how our kids will think of us in the way we are now, when they are older. When they describe their childhood to their own children. It's a great way to look at things we do everyday and always find meaning and peace. I think it will be fun for L & O to see how our love evolved and see us in our whimsical and immature times too. That also makes me sad though, because it reminds me that my kids will never have a memory of their own, about my dad. I think about how excited they would have been to visit with him, and all the funny things he would've said or sang. But that's why I must keep the pictures and stories of him fresh in my mind and heart to share with them when they are older.

    I am so thankful that John was there to meet my family as we were growing up. And that my dad truly loved John and was happy for us. That John liked his sense of humor from the beginning---and I mean our first date, when dad walked around with his cane and in his underwear after taking a shower.

  Anyway, these are some good memories of our story before we became responsible for our adorable kids- I hope it was interesting to you who read me.
 
 I would love it if all you fellow bloggers did a similar post of you & your significant other, or you before you were a mom :) Do it for yourself! (and for me haha :)