He would scoop me up a big thing of mashed potatoes and hide a couple of “free” chicken legs underneath. What a sweetie! Besides thieving for me (hehe), he always did this funny little routine with his fork and knife that always made me laugh hysterically (who am I kidding, it still makes me laugh) *INSIDE JOKE*. Despite Chad ’s refusal to date me because I was too young, we remained good friends all through my high school years. I think he was afraid of my dad. My dad was not fond of him being in college and he thought he had a "reputation"; whatever that was. I mean, he just drank a lot and had huge parties at his mom’s house, what college kid didn’t? Fathers are so protective of their daughters.He finally gave in during the summer of ’94 when I graduated high school and we started dating. We dated for about a year and a half before he asked me to marry him! We were engaged another year and a half before we tied the knot!
My mom’s side is Mexican (translation-FUN PEOPLE) so one can only imagine how big our wedding was. 450 of our closest family and friends were there for the biggest party of the year (about 50 were there for Chad-ahhh those poor white people didn’t know what to do with themselves).
The ceremony was complete with a Mariachi band and DJ who made us do the Macarena and the “train” all night long. I was told by more than a few of our guests, that it was the funnest wedding they had ever been to. I would have to agree! Of course none of it would have been possible had it not been for the greatest parents in the world; Rick and Rachel for making the wedding of our dreams happen! And Rick (Thomas) for making a beautiful cake (and making Chad and I look old in our “50th Anniversary picture)!Through our experiences, we have learned a great many things about ourselves and marriage. Below I have tried to summarize them in a list. Enjoy!
12 things we have learned since getting married
1. We are each other’s best friends (that is, when football and my soaps aren’t on the TV-LOL).
2. The honeymoon doesn't last forever, but it’s still possible to rekindle those old feelings when you make time for it.
3. Planning your first 5 years of marriage makes life so much easier and manageable.
4. Love can be painful and brings out the best and worst in us (I think we all know this one)
5. All the stories you hear about children are true!
6. Having sons is awesome!
7. Our kids think we take a lot of "naps" if you know what I mean!
8. Opposites truly do attract
9. Women really do need 35 pairs of shoes ( Chad ’s entry)
10. Having separate checking accounts has saved us from a lot of frivolous grief
11. A California King bed is better than a Queen bed any day (I need my space!)
12. Our love is stronger now than it was the day we got married
Over the last 12 years, Chad and I have been through a lot; some fantastic peaks and some very low valleys. Things have not always been easy, but in the beginning we made a commitment to each other to stay together “till death do us part”, no matter what. We face new and exciting challenges every day. From how we manage our differences in spirituality to who gets to record on the DVR to who gets to clean up the cat puke. No matter what happens, we got each other’s back and that’s what makes being married worth while. So to my attractive, lovable, beautiful blue-eyed, man who is devoted, caring, witty & charming, polite, outgoing, comical, intelligent, loyal, trustworthy, responsible, understanding, a great father and wonderful husband…thank you for 12 years I will never forget.
Oh yeah, to celebrate we had dinner at an Italian restaurant called Tomaso's (that is with one ‘s’). We didn’t get treated like the owners, but we got treated like Italians! It was great spending time with each other; reminiscing about our past and how far we have come together. It is amazing that we are where we are today. We both know we could not have gotten this far without our love and support of each other.
