A Sweet Memory

I had a memory a few weeks ago. I'm finally taking the time to write it down...

Fairytales do come true - sometimes with baby legs in the face

Andy and I were at a department store. Except this wasn't any normal shopping trip. We were on our way to visit our sweet little Elijah in the NICU. I needed to pick up a few things for my ever changing new mom body. If you must know, I was in dire need of nursing bras. If I hadn't needed something so important, we wouldn't have been shopping instead of visiting our son.

I quickly grabbed a couple of things and longingly looked at the baby clothes as we walked by the infant department on the way out of the store. My hand rested on a blue and white outfit, allowing myself to feel the softness of the fabric between my fingers. I dreamed about dressing our baby boy and taking him home.

Standing there, I recalled months earlier when we'd been in the same store and I saw some cute infant clothes.
"Andy, look at these," I gushed at outfits that were tiny and pastel.
Andy nodded, but didn't admire the cuteness as I did.
"Yep, that one outfit is 20 dollars, Lisa. And the baby will wear it for how long? A month?"
"I wasn't saying we should buy them," I replied. "I was just admiring them. They're soooo cute."
On that day, we left without buying anything for our baby-to-be.

But, on the day we took a detour to on our way to visit our son in the NICU, I held the blue outfit - and all of my dreams - in my hands. Andy took the outfit and it's matching blanket off the rack and out of my hands without a word. He looked at me and I looked at him and we knew each other's thoughts. We were going to buy this outfit for our son. And we did. Then we drove to see our sweet baby and dreamed of the day when he would get to wear it.

Elijah did eventually wear the outfit - probably a total of two times.

It was worth every full-priced penny.

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The Moments Before

Nine years ago I waited for the moment that would change my life forever.

My hair was twisted onto the top of my head and I was wearing the most beautiful dress I had ever owned. I paced around the basement of the historic theater waiting and ready. It was only minutes until I would walk down the aisle and I couldn't wait.

Moments before walking down the aisle...

In those moments I thought about how sure I was about marrying Andy, how I didn't have even one doubt about marrying him. My feet definitely weren't cold. My nervousness was more in the details: Did I look okay? Did I forget anything? Was my planning sufficient? Would the day go the way we wanted it to? But Andy?...I was sure about him and spending our life together.

Mr. and Mrs!

I thought about how happy I was and what an awesome feeling it was to be getting married. And I pondered what our life would hold. I remember thinking about how we would definitely come upon hard times - as everyone does in life, but that we'd get through it together. Pondering the future, thoughts of job troubles or issues with our health crossed my mind. Never did I consider that something would happen to one of our children.

Nine years later, remembering those thoughts in the last moments of my single life, I'm filled with joy and sadness. We didn't know what our future held and it's different than I'd imagined. Harder, yes, but also more wonderful too.

The last nine years with Andy by my side have been amazing. When I think back to our wedding, I smile. It will always be one of my favorite days ever. We had so much fun!

And when I think ahead, I smile. There is so much of our story yet to be written. So many fun times still ahead.

Us on the Fourth of July

Happy anniversary to my Andy. You are the best husband to me and father to our boys. I am one blessed gal to be your Mrs.

It's fun to look back, but looking ahead is even better.

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The Green Chair

"Let's go to the park and take a walk," he said.

"Sure," I said and we climbed into his forest green Pontiac Bonneville and headed to the park - one we had spent many lunches together chatting and chomping sandwiches between our college courses.

It was a sunny Sunday afternoon; I had worked a 6 to 3 shift already and was feeling a little tired and somewhat unattractive. It didn't matter; we were just going for a leisurely walk in the park.

When we got to the park, he opened the trunk where there were two chairs inside - the kind that folds up and fits into a bag.

"Ooh, I want the striped one," I said.

"That one's heavier, " he said. "You can sit on it, but I'll carry it for you."

Ah, so chivalrous. 

I picked up the green one, slung it over my shoulder, and we started to walk through the park.

"Where do you want to sit down?" he asked.

"I don't care," I said and we continued talking while walking through the grass.

"Where should we sit down?" he asked again a few minutes later.

"It really doesn't matter," I said.

"What about here?"

"I don't care," I said again, feeling a little exasperated. Why did it matter where we sat?

"But, the waste disposal plant is across the river," he said.

"So? We can't even see it behind those trees. All I can see is the river."

We started the process of getting our chairs set up. As I started to unpack the green chair, rose petals fell out.
I knew immediately what was happening. I thought there was no possible way he could surprise me.

"You're not proposing now are you?" I said and he grabbed the white ring box from the chair, getting down on one knee in front of me.

Then he asked the question I'd always hoped someone would want to ask me.

"Lisa, will you marry me?"

"Yes," I said and he slipped a sparkling three stone ring my finger.

That was eight years ago today that my love, Andy, asked me to marry him.

I'm so glad he asked and that I said yes!

Page from my scrapbook

The day we got engaged - June 29, 2003
How young we were!

My, how the time flies!

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Once Upon a Time in Elijahland...

Me: Does my hair smell like puke?

Andy: (sniff) No

Me: Really? Smell it. Doesn't it smell like puke?

Andy: (sniff) No

Me: Are you sure? Smell it again, because I think Elijah puked on me when I was carrying him around on my shoulders and I think I smell like puke.

Andy: (sniff) It smells like hair.

This is what happily ever after looks like folks. :)

(Photos from the MN State Fair 2008)

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