Happy 20th Anniversary!

 

 I have spent 20 years married to my very best friend.  We have had the best time getting to know each other inside and out.  I adore Stephen.  I love him.  I love that he is thoughtful and kind.  He is always watching out for me and he has my best interest at heart.  I love his ability to shift what he is doing to accommodate me.  I am so grateful I married someone that matches my personality.  He is the best thing to happen to me.  

Since we are moving in August, we decided to keep our anniversary low key.  I booked us tickets to see "The Book of Mormon" musical March 14th at Popejoy Hall.  We went to dinner before the show to 66 diner and enjoyed a hamburger and fries.  My dad tried to convince the waiter that he should get free refills on bottle root beer, but I quickly shut that down.  We also celebrated Craig's 43 birthday at dinner.  We had great seats.  We were in a little bit of a fight right before we went to the theater and somehow, I have NO IDEA HOW, Craig played right in to it.  Craig said something right before we walked in to sit down and I had to take 20 minutes to get my mind right and enjoy the show.  I have wanted to see this show for years and I am so glad it came to Albuquerque.  We also took my Dad along to see the show.  It does have some crass moments and they definitely cuss, but over all it paints the Mormons in a good light.  I thought the entire show would be making fun of Mormons, and the couldn't be farther from the truth.  It was a great night overall.  

 Monday, we drove up to Ojo Caliente in the Jemez Mountains north of Albuquerque.  I booked us a trailer to stay in and we had dinner reservations.  I had planned a huge surprise for Stephen and had been working on it for months.  Unfortunately, I had to tell him about the surprise right before we went to the Book of Mormon musical because Stephen was getting anxious about thinking he would NEVER receive this surprise.  Boy was he wrong!  We truly had THE BEST TIME together in Ojo!  We had a wonderful dinner with a delicious margarita, and then had a private soak in one of the hot tubs.  It was so magical.  I want to go back so bad!  We connected and talked and unplugged.  We needed that in our lives.  I am so glad we got to spend that time together.  I even convinced Stephen to wear a speedo!!  It was hilarious.  I cherish all my time with Stephen.  He makes my heart so happy.  I do not want to live separate from him for the next nine months but I really do not see another way to have our boys graduate high school and Stephen get his highest paid three years with the government.  

 Tuesday night, our actual anniversary, we went to eat at Los Poblanos Farm and I forced the boys to take a photo with me.  I love capturing these little memories even though every one complains about having to take a photo.  I live for these memories and I cherish them.  

 

Spring has Sprung!

 The last few years, I have fixed my sprinklers myself.  They usually break over the winter or the landscapers chop them in half.  This year I wanted to pay someone to fix the sprinklers for me.  I was hoping this would be the better way.  Turns out, it wasn't  The hired help came out and fixed them but that night they leaded all over the yard.  It was annoying and sad.  It took another week to get them to come back out and fix what they had broken.  It ended up costing me nearly $400 for the fix, but at least it is done for this coming spring! 

 I injured my calf during the Disney Half marathon and I was hoping it was completely healed but it isn't.  I keep trying to run on it but it just tightens up.  I have been running with Pam Martinez a lot and I am hoping that helps.  

Edward's 17th Birthday

 

 My sweet, kind, day dreamer is 17.  Edward is 17.  How has it been 17 years?  How has this much time gone by?  Did I blink?  I think for sure time sped up after 2020.  I have been saying for the last few years that time seems to speed up and I heard recently that in our brains time does actually speed up for adults because we are no long experiencing new experiences.  Our brain doesn't have to process our every day hum drum lives and therefore nothing really makes an impact on our brain.  BUT for kids, everything is new so every experience feels like it lasts forever because your brain is trying to take in every single detail.  Maybe this is why I crave traveling because it slows time down just a little bit.  

Edward had to go to school on his birthday this year.  He can mostly avoid attending school on his birthday because it occasionally lands on presidents day.  He doesn't like breakfast, so I just packed his lunch and he headed out the door to school.  I had to work because I had moved some of my students for the Havasupi hike.  So when he arrived home from school I was working.  Edward had going to McDonald's after school with some of his friends and I saw a balloon in the back of his car, so someone remembered his birthday at school.  

Once I finished teaching, I grabbed Edward and we snapped a few photos to encapsulate his birthday.  I measured Edward and he is 5'9"!!!  He has grown an inch for the last three years.  He had a huge growth spurt from 12 to 15 and then things slowed down a bit.  After I took his photos we ordered sushi and ate ice cream.  Stephen made brownies because I didn't think we could put candles in ice cream.  Edward opened his gifts then went off to his room to play online games with his friends.  

I love this boy of mine.  He is incredible.  He loves airsoft and his job.  I think he really enjoys driving and owning a car.  He has been so responsible.  I love that he is good at his job and has maintained the job for the last 8 months.  I know he really enjoys making money.  Edward is into jujustu kaejan which is a Japanese manga.  I bought him a few things that I hope he will use and love.  

Edward is growing up and pushing away which is hard but normal. I miss my time with him.  I know I will grieve his childhood next year.  It is hard knowing it is over.  Friday, Edward had his friends Titus Carnahan and Ben Elder over to hang out.  I was able to snap one photo of the boys together.  Then on Saturday, Edward took his new airsoft gun up to play airsoft with all of his friends.  I love him.  I love him.  I love him.