A fine day indeed

For the past ten months Sean has been working a second job. He's been contributing to the publication of a math textbook for Pearson Publishing that will be released for the 2010-2011 school year. This book is like nothing authored as of yet. It actually interacts with the students' Texas Instrument calculator which will contain practice exercises and problems that have been downloaded. This calculator is actually a hand held computer that does some pretty cool stuff. Sean's been programming and developing this calculator piece. It's been an amazing opportunity for him professionally and rewarding to know that it will be used to further math education for thousands for many years to come.

He's worked SO hard spending almost all of his evenings on this project. He goes to school at six in the morning and doesn't often go to bed until midnight. It's involved many conference calls, meetings and travel. As of yesterday, it is officially complete. Done. Finished. No more.

There was a collective cheer yesterday when I announced it to the kids. I'm so thankful that he's been able to work from home, but we've missed him nonetheless. We can't wait for evening basketball, Saturday night dates, projects around the house, spontaneous trips to the park.... Everyone agrees that life is much more fun with Dad around.

Yesterday, I picked Sean up from school and we went out for a celebration dinner, just the two of us. I nearly cried while sitting there. I'm incredibly blessed to be married to this man who has given so much of himself to provide for us. I'm incredibly thankful that God opened up this door to meet our financial needs. And I'm incredibly excited to turn the page and start the next chapter in the life of our family.

Living as Friends

This video encouraged me today to think about how I interact with Sean. In the midst of deadlines, raising children, broken vans, daily work, familiar routines.... It's easy to forget that God has given us each other not just for partnership, but to make the dailiness of life a whole lot of fun.

Here is a couple married for 62 years who walked into the lobby of Mayo Clinic, saw a piano and did what they do best. It's clear how much they enjoy one another and love spending time together. I don't doubt that they learned that duet many years ago and have been practicing it ever since. After 62 years of marriage I want to still be walking together, playing together and bringing joy to others.

See the video here. You'll be glad you did.

You can also watch an interview of the couple. I think it explains a lot about how marriage can last 62 years.

Coram Deo

Coram Deo

In the Presence of God

God is the God of all creation. There is no corner of life that His light does not fall upon. Indeed nothing good exists in our lives that His light does not permeate and sustain, and nothing bad that His light ever fails to illuminate. The eyes of God are ever upon us, but His eyes upon us are not an imposition. They are, rather, an invitation. They are a call to a relationship of divine love and freedom. Freedom not to do as we please, seeking to wrest control from God, but freedom to live joyfully in the understanding of God's love and sacrifice for us, of His intimate concern for us, and of the glorious union with Himself He has one day promised us.
To live life Coram Deo we must begin at the point of understanding that we are not fearful slaves following strict orders, but we are a son and a daughter who together joyfully and creatively walk through each moment of each day under the loving gaze of our Father who receives the totality of our existence as an act of worship unto Himself.

Sean gave me these words handwritten and framed when he asked me to be his wife. It remains on our bedside table to this day. There is no secret formula for marriage. It is a daily giving and receiving from one another. It is a choice to put the other first, to remain vulnerable, to ask for forgiveness or to grant it again.

Fourteen years ago we committed to living together in Coram Deo. We had the words engraved in our rings. I had no idea at the time that loving and being loved could bring such fulfillment. Marriage just keeps getting better and better.

It's good to get away

Last weekend Sean took me along with him to St. Louis for the weekend. He is a T^3 Regional Instructor now. He was attending a meeting and speaking at a conference while I was making use of the free hotel accommodations.

The timing could not have been better. I've been feeling like I'm losing traction with homeschooling and have been slowly winding down on my energy. With the change of time the sun sets now around 5:45 and there really feels like there are not enough hours in the day for this mama. Also, I have been longing for some alone time to pray for my kids and consider their ongoing, yet changing needs. I was able to get some helpful books from the library to stir my thinking on these matters. More than anything, I needed to step away to get some perspective.

It had been a year since Sean and I had been away for some time together. Just having eight hours in the car to talk is a refreshment to me. It's good to hear his voice without interruption. It's a blessing to have the time to just share without the expectations of the everyday. After fourteen years, Sean continues to fascinate me.

You want to know the best part of my weekend? On Friday afternoon I was reading in the hotel lobby and overhead a conversation between two important people. They were talking about Sean. I seriously was not trying to ease drop, but there they weren't talking quietly and my little ears heard it all. They used words like, "Visionary. Hard working. Brilliant. Up and coming." By the time they were done I was sure that they would notice the smile on my face and realize something was up. They did not.

I have a lot of responsibilities, but I consider it my main purpose to support Sean in whatever God has called him to be and do. I'm certainly not perfect at this. Too many times the poor man is looking for clean clothes for work or something for his lunch. Too many times I fail to give words of encouragement, serve him cheerfully or show gratitude. Hearing those words Friday reminded me again that God is working in and through Sean to accomplish His purposes. May God be glorified.

So now I'm back home. No sleeping in until 10am, no bubble bath, no leisurely reading time, no HGTV, no time for reflection, no free breakfast, no exercising on a treadmill with it's own TV or blogging at Panera Bread. But, it's good to be back as a family and begin a new, better week together.

Okay, my other favorite was watching Calculus the Musical with a theater full of hysterical math teachers. Very funny.

Real Life

Lately I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed. I feel pressured. It's not coming from one particular person or event. It's just my life. Perhaps it is the realization that my real life is about as far as one can get from a no commitment, simple month at the beach.

We are back at work here and hitting it hard in the month of July. Sean held his own institute last week hosting Calculus teachers from all over the country. It was a hit and I am so proud of not only his knowledge, but his initiative to make it happen. This week we are enjoying an extended visit with my family and Sean will be leaving for Texas for a week. He's being evaluated to be an instructor for Texas Instruments as well as spending a few days on a writing team. Did I say I was proud of him?!

I have been cramming in a lot of work hours in between. Having missed the month of June, I'm trying to do some catch up. I know some people like to switch roles with their husbands, but I do not. I despise putting expectations on Sean that he was not designed to meet. Working 12 hour shifts not only takes me away from home physically, but emotionally and mentally as well. When I come home I am exhausted and ready for bed, but my eyes see (as only a woman's eyes do) my real workplace- my home.

I'm thankful that I don't have this tug and pull every day. I know some women do. I fear that I would not fare well. I am also thankful for a husband who is willing and able to manage seven children and make their days fun while I am gone. He has stepped out of his comfort zone in many more ways willingly and without complaining. Not many men would do that.

This past weekend I was feeling particularly overwhelmed by this whole scenario. Perhaps it was because I am beginning to plan our homeschool year. Perhaps it was because our schedules have been so full these past two weeks. Perhaps it was a culmination of emotions from this past week finally coming to the surface.

God reached down to me to comfort and soothe through the words and hugs of Sean. Instead of telling me to calm down and get a grip, he just held me close with soft words of assurances and rubbed my back until I fell asleep. And then this morning I read this.

Meet my man

Do you want to meet my most favorite person in this whole wide world? Get a glimpse into the mind and days of the man who leads me, inspires me and walks with me every day. Yep, he's blogging now and chronicling our summer adventure as we explore Cape Canaveral, Florida and the wildlife of the Space Coast. If you are a homeschooler your kids might find his posts of interest in the coming days. We'll be at the Space Shuttle Launch Saturday. He's a math and physics teacher so you could count it as school;) Pay him a visit and leave him a comment.

Typical

In all my planning and running around I think I'm beginning to loose my mind. We are at six days and counting.

Today I ran over our cordless phone. We actually have two, but I've somehow misplaced the other one and the battery has run down so it won't beep at me to find it. I put this phone on the bumper of the car this afternoon when I was working in the yard. I was expecting a call. Later, when I pulled out into the street I heard it drop to the ground. In my attempts to get out of the middle of the road I drove our 15 passenger van over it. It actually faired pretty well but will never work again.


When I told Sean about it he was howling. This is typical me and I'm glad he appreciates it. If not I'd be walking on pins and needles.

Did I ever tell you about the time I drove around town with the cordless phone on top of the car? Or about the time I dropped an entire box of 100 crayons down the dryer vent?

How about you? What's "typical" in your world?

Happy Anniversary

What a happy and holy fashion it is that those who love one another
should rest on the same pillow.
~Nathaniel Hawthorne

Sean,

It is unbelievable to me that thirteen years of marriage have already passed. It seems that as each year passes and we walk together through the dailiness of life I see you in a whole new light. I find you fascinating and amusing all at the same time. It is my greatest joy to be your wife, to watch you love our children, to hear your thoughts and to be loved by you.

Thank you for being faithful to our marriage covenant and for thirteen incredible years. I'm forever yours.

Your Beloved,
Monica

The Story of Us- Part 3

My dreams of marriage to the exceptional young man were shattered when he unexpectedly broke off our relationship. It remains somewhat of a mystery even to this day as to the reasons why.

It was a difficulty hard to overcome especially since our campus was small and our circle of friends close. I retreated at that point to a few close friends and leaned hard on the Lord. I was lonely, no doubt. I was physically sick for some time. Most of my friends were in serious relationships or married. I was forced to confront some difficult questions regarding my own faith and faithfulness to continue on the path I had promised to follow. It was probably the lowest point in my life.

During the next two and a half years I changed my major to nursing. My interest in medicine had not changed, but I discovered that my giftedness was more in hands on caring, counseling and education rather than in organic chemistry. I also grew to know myself and became completely enthralled with the Lord and His Word. There were many Saturdays spent hiking in the hills of Tennessee and hours of piano playing. I learned to be by myself and came to like it actually.

I decidedly did not date during these years, though there was an occasional interest. I had come to recognize some of the mistakes I had made in giving my heart away so easily the last time. I was not willing to do the same again.

Soon those four years of college came to an end and those closest to me were moving on to jobs, families or grad school. I, however, due to my change of major, had two years left to finish. I had come to college at 18 and I wouldn't be finished until I was 24. Watching my friends pack up their cars and graduate was excruciating for me. Again, I felt alone wondering where my path might lead.

For that summer I had an internship back at my home church. It didn't pay much, but I thought that the experience would be priceless in preparing me for future work. I was to be the youth and missions intern which would entail a week of church camp, Bible studies, and a missions trip to Mexico and Latvia.

The first day on the job I was talking with the youth pastor, Rick, in his office. I was sharing with him my sense of loss and was of course was crying. Then there was a knock on the door. I was slobbering all over myself when in walked a tall, bright blond haired young man with piercing blue eyes. Sean. With the same fire and passion that I remembered, there he stood. He had just graduated from college in Florida and was home in Indiana. He just stopped by to ask, "Is there anything I could do this summer to help?"

We never technically dated. We just spent the next two months working side by side. Looking back we laugh at these instances as we see clearly how from the start God was working and our relationship was sealed. I think the most important aspect about our early relationship was that we got to know each other in the context of serving and spent nearly all of our time talking. We weren't trying to impress each other. Nobody looks good when they've been sweating for a week and have only bathed out of a bucket. Those close to us say they could see it coming a mile a way. We just knew that we had found love and for the first time felt at peace.

Here's just a picture of how our story unfolded the summer of 1995:

The first task of the summer was the get ready for church camp. Of course, I needed him to turn the pages of music at the piano as I sang.

Then there was the great assistance I provided while sitting on pieces of wood in Mexico while Sean sawed for the house we were building. This was followed by a therapeutic hand massage I provided to his strong hands. This is team work at it's best.

There were late talks around the campfire when everyone was in their tent.

Back home we spent many, many more hours of talking and laughing at my parent' s house until the sun rose as we shared our lives and dreams. Sean's dad once commented about how convenient it was for him to go to work at 6 am because his car was already warmed up and ready to go.

Our first kiss was at the end of June on a blanket in a park where Sean first confessed his love and I responded likewise.

Having not slept for six weeks, Sean became very sick. I jumped to the occasion to help him research grad school applications. In the end he had two good options and one of them was a state school about 5 miles from my college in Tennessee. Which one do you think he picked?

When I returned home from Latvia my dad's truck was packed with our belongings. Sean had been accepted to grad school with an assistanceship to pay his tuition and found an apartment.

Life had changed dramatically in the span of 8 weeks, but the Lord had it planned all along. It was His preparation, His purposes and His perfect timing that brought us together. Sean asked my dad for my hand in marriage over Thanksgiving break, we were engaged the next month and married in May.

And so begins the story of us.

Is is possible to be this loved?

Sean, realizing the sort of day that I had yesterday and recognizing that our laundry had been unattended since before last Monday, took these piles of clothes last night (against the cold and threat of ice) to the laundry mat and did our laundry. I did not ask him to do this, mind you. He just announced that he wanted to. Bless that man!!

You see, every time the temperature gets below freezing our washer's drain pipe freezes at the bottom. So when the water drains it backs up and floods the laundry room floor. It was frozen before my surgery and again as of yesterday, so we were left with virtually no clean clothes.

He used the huge washers and dryers- one 6 loader and three 4 loaders. That's a lot of laundry, folks!

You want to know the irony of it? Yesterday I posted over at Crystal's about my laundry system. Just so you know, this is not it.

But I'm thankful this morning for a husband again who loves me so practically and selflessly. He's done it again. Give that man a crown!!

The Story of Us: Chapter 2

I spent my college years in the hills of East Tennessee at a small Christian college. I went with my best friend, Carrie, by my side and aspirations to become a missionary doctor. Against all odds, we did remain roommates and best friends during our four years there.

Moving far from home and going to a college of less than 900 was an amazing atmosphere. My professors knew me by name which produced a lot of academic accountability. I had the opportunity to play collegiate tennis. Being quite conservative, there was an atmosphere of safety from the party atmosphere of the typical college lifestyle. Not to say that one couldn't find it, but there was plenty to do instead. It was an incredible amount of fun. I would liken it to living in the world of Seinfeld where everything is an inside joke and the people so closely knit together that it seems surreal. In some ways it was like being at church camp for adults. Most people dated around initially and then became engaged and married.

My sophomore year, I found myself on that very track. I believed that I had found the love of my life. A strong Christian guy, highly admired, studying premedicine and called to missions. It seemed perfect to us and to everyone else.

Although I lived eight hours from home, I would catch a ride whenever I could. I enjoyed our long winter breaks and getting reacquainted with old friends, though I spent my summers on campus working or doing a mission's internship overseas. There was something quite comforting about coming home to a place where little had changed.

On one winter college retreat I noticed that something had changed. That quiet young man, Sean, who had graduated and moved to Florida was different. His hair was longer, that was for sure. He talked a lot more. But more than that, he appeared free somehow. He spoke with conviction and excitement about God. He seemed driven to pass on what He had been learning. It was apparent that there had been a transformation in his life.

I remember him striking up a conversation with me on a bus ride to a retreat. He didn't beat around the bush. "So, tell me, what has God been doing in your life? What is He teaching you?" His blue eyes were intense and listening.

Frankly, I felt a little put on the spot. The first thing that popped into my head was some trite answer. "I'm learning to trust Him more." I really don't remember what I said, but I do remember being a bit saddened with the realization that I didn't have a good answer. My life, energy and emotions were pretty well consumed in my relationship and hopes of upcoming marriage. It was unsettling, but I let it go at that.

The Story of Us- Chapter 1

I went through my teenage years not tangled up in boyfriend/girlfriend relationships. It was not that I wasn't interested or didn't dream of such things. There was the occasional crush and short lived romance. But nothing truly serious. I guarded my heart closely.

I knew that I would be going out of state to college and felt no pressure to be tied down to my small town. I used this as my excuse to keep any and all males in my life as good friends. It was just a lot of fun.

I attended the same church all throughout my years at home. It had a large youth group, 50 or so. As in any teenage culture, there were the usual cliques. My junior year of high school a young man was invited to church by his schoolmate. He had bright blond hair, blue eyes. I remember him as tall and thin, with a lot of energy. He didn't talk much, but smiled a lot. He kind of stood outside the group looking in.

I remember vividly the Sunday morning he walked forward during the invitation and was baptized. I heard his name was Sean.

Sean continued attending church during his Senior year even though his friend had graduated and moved on. He spent time with our youth pastor, Rick, helping out whenever needed. On one occasion Rick took me to Sean's school play. Knowing virtually no one, he went on the Senior spring break trip to Florida. I payed little attention, but I do remember that he owned the first CD player that I had ever seen and that he was reading a book written by Einstein.

I heard that he was going to college in Florida to study engineering.

Submission

Ahh, the "S" word. I know that women fall all across the board on their view of submission and my point is not to argue anyone else's, but simple to remind myself in print that I haven't gotten this one conquered.

I have struggled my whole life with submission to authority. I think it really stems from the fact that I often think (wrongly) that I am smarter than others. It took a good amount of discipline from my parents to bring me under their authority. Soon I figured out that proper behavior would keep me out of trouble, but I was often raging in my heart or consumed with thinking of ways to still get what I wanted. Thankfully, God reined me in and I grew to love and respect my parents. I believe that this was a direct result of their ardent prayers and a softening of my own heart from hearing the Word.

This bent to be independent probably worked in my favor during the teen years, because I was bound and determined that no person (boy) would own me. I had many wonderful male friends, but they were kept at a safe distance. If they showed any sort of interest then that was quickly squelched. Even if a guy would put his arm over the back of my chair I would move away. I was not going to be trapped or held in place by anyone.

Again, I softened up as I got older and allowed others a little closer. I think that this was more intriguing than anything because many of those male friends showed a more serious interest. I was flattered, but in my heart knew that it would never be more. Why? Because I knew myself enough to know that I would never submit to them. It wasn't that I didn't like them or care for them or enjoy them. They were worthy of respect. I just knew that my rebellious heart wouldn't give it. I needed a strong leader. Someone who would challenge and stretch me. A man who would love me to the point that he would require me to do things I did not want to do but were for my own good.

Well, God gave me all of that when he gave me Sean. Sean has never given me cause to disrespect him. He never demands that I take his point of view on things or do things his way "just because". I can go to him with my questions or differences and he patiently explains his view. Most convincingly, Sean is a student of the Word and can show me in Scripture where he is coming from. I'm not going to argue with that.

However, Sean will not back down from what is True. He will not apologize for obeying God and does not swerve once he has been convicted to do something. If there is a rub, this is where it lies for me. As women usually do, I'm a little more ruled by emotion:)

"But, Sean," I say in the sweetest voice possible, "we don't want to offend them or hurt their feelings." "Now let's just think about how we could do this a little differently so people will like us." "Maybe if we just wait..." "It wouldn't be comfortable." So supportive am I. And I'm usually on the sidelines sweating bullets and ringing my hands waiting for the other shoe to drop, while doing my best not to cry or complain. Submissive, I know.

I'll give you two prime examples:

Sean's grandma was diagnosed with cancer while we were expecting Elizabeth (her name's sake). One Sunday afternoon while I was about to lay down for my long awaited Sunday afternoon nap, Sean informed me that he thought I should take the baby over to see his Grandma. I wanted to do no such thing. I was so tired. Their house is hot (it was July). I had about a thousand reasons why this would not be a good idea. Sean would not back down. He didn't argue. He just said, "I'm sorry, out of respect for me, you are going to go."

I grumbled all the way there. I couldn't believe that he would demand me to do such a thing! I spent the afternoon there letting her hold the baby and took some pictures. That evening she slipped into a coma and died within a week.

Did Sean have some special insight? No. But God was leading him in tenderness toward his Grandma and that required that I do something, too. I have been thankful countless times for that afternoon and for those pictures. I consider myself blessed to have been one of the last people to speak to her. That precious time would have been missed had nothing been required of me.

Another example. Sean was asked to read "scripture" for his Grandmother's funeral mass and was handed a script to read. Well, it wasn't God's Word. He couldn't read it. So he informed his family that he wanted to participate in the mass, but would be reading from the Bible only and that he would be praying his own words. Some were very offended, but others began to question. The whole time I was internally in knots convinced that this is the worse offense ever.

But he would not back down. He was willing to stand for Truth in the most sensitive and difficult of situations. He loved his Grandmother deeply, but loves God more. The result of the story is that God used this encounter to open the heart of his aunt and her family to hear the Gospel for the first time.

What brings all of this up? A few weeks ago, there was a conflict in an activity and my commitment to obey God in an area where the lines are very clear. It seemed that they only way to obey was to make a lot of people I love upset. Couldn't we just move the lines a little? Sean said, "We are not backing away. We know what is right. It's final." I brooded. I complained. I pouted. I was ugly. Poor him.

Sean just looked at me and said nothing else about it. Though hard as I may try, he was going no where on this issue. It wasn't a matter of being inflexible or stern. There just wasn't really anything he could do to change it. And worse than that, I was confronted again with the fact that I may be submissive in action, but not in attitude.

But you know what God did? He intervened. He changed the schedule so that all worked out perfectly. No one else knew any differently. But I did.

Such a stark reminder going into this new year that there is so much more work to be done in me. My attitude toward Sean's authority is a pretty good indication of my submission to God's and vice versa. Being submissive is not being commanded what to do, it is walking in loving obedience.

And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love. -2 John 5-6

This is how much he loves me....

I don't need jewelry, flowers or expensive gifts. I don't desire exotic vacations or fancy clothes. Nope. I just need a little love. And my man knows what love means to me.

Do you know what Sean did last night? Knowing that I will be hosting two showers on Saturday and that my biggest cleaning challenge is my kitchen floor, he spent from 9:30- 12am scrubbing and stripping our white vinyl.

Our house was truly a gift from God in so many ways (I'll have to tell you the story someday). One of the best parts about it is the huge eat-in kitchen which actually serves us well in the winter as a rollerblading rink. But like most things, had I done it myself, I would have chosen a few things differently knowing the wear and tear involved with the traffic of our home. One of those is the white kitchen floor with those tiny groves which collect dirt over time and which is easily scuffed by church shoes. It is mopped fairly regularly (I use that term loosely), but over time has lost the look of being clean.

So last night after a full day of teaching and taking care of the kids while I went to work myself, Sean subjected himself to the chemicals and stripped that floor. I read about it here and must testify that is as bright and shiny as the morning sun. What a sight to behold!!

He loves me. He really, really loves me:)

This is the scuffed, dingy, unloved kitchen floor.

This is the kitchen floor that makes my heart palpitate.

Happy Birthday

When God created man he said that it was "very good". I'd like to second that!!

I've been asking Sean quite often these days, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I think it's beginning to bug him. I'm in no way implying that he isn't mature or not doing what he should be. It is only that when I look at him I see an amazing, gifted, intelligent leader and a man who continues to run toward the Lord year after year. He takes God's Word and seeks to apply it in specific and real ways to our relationships at home, in his classroom at school, and with his colleagues across the country. It's been amazing to watch God be glorified in this. I am excited to see what lies ahead in the years to come!

Sean was 23 when we got married and today he turns 35. In my mind I think he will be a perpetual 27ish (though I realize that it would be impossible for us to have seven children at that age). Believe it or not, he is still full of that much energy and vision.

Happy Birthday, Sean!! I love you, best friend.


Banana Split Ice Cream Cake

Graham crackers
Butter
Evaporated milk
Chocolate chips
Strawberry Ice Cream
Bananas
Whipped cream
Pecans


Melt 1/2 stick of butter and combine with crushed graham crackers. Press in 9x13 and bake 10 minutes to set.

In sauce pan heat 1 can evaporated milk and 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and 2 T butter. Pour over crust and freeze for 10 minutes.

Place a layer of sliced bananas. Then a layer of softened ice cream. Top with the whipped cream and sprinkle on the pecans.

Cover and freeze. Can last up to 3 months in freezer. Ours won't last more than 2 days. YUM!!

I've been tagged?

I was always the girl tagged because I'm a slow runner and usually laughing too hard at myself to get the words, "Not it!" out in time. So here are my 8 random facts about my marriage:

1. Sean and I actually knew each other years before we "knew each other". He was the "new kid on the block" in our youth group during our junior year of high school. Very cute, very smart and a bit odd. He read a book by Einstein and owned the first CD player I had ever seen. I do remember his smile vividly, though. I don't think we ever talked.

2. We both went out of state to college. He went to school in St. Petersburg, Florida and I went to Tennessee. We saw each other in the summers or at the annual college retreat.

3. We started loving each other during a mission trip to Mexico building houses. He needed someone to sit on a board while he sawed. I'm a good helper:)

4. We never officially went on a first date or any other date for that matter. We were happy just being together- no special occasion needed. From the wood cutting scene to the wedding was 11 months.

5. We opened up our wedding gifts/money cards in the car on our way to the honeymoon to determine how far we could drive. That's living on the edge. We ended up in Northern Michigan where we saw the replica of the World's Largest Cherry Pie.

6. We were both in school our first year of marriage so we had little funds. We got our food from a scratch and dent grocery store and we learned to beat the Simon-like game in the lobby of Little Caesars for free crazy bread at least once a week. Good times!!

7. We have special names picked out for each other for when we are old. I'm "Grandma Sweet" and he is simply "Blue" (it's the eyes).

8. Our wedding day was one of the best days my life. We married in the morning and tried to keep it as simple as we are. I wore a linen dress and he wore a black suit. I had the same flowers that my mother had (yellow roses and daisies). I will never forget the expression and smile on Sean's face when I walked down the isle. I knew that I would be loved forever.

And there you have it.