My Valentine...

I wrote this post around Valentine's and never got to finishing it to put up for Chris. I just need to say how amazing I know he is. We met in high school on a blind date, and aside from the long distances that kept us from seeing each other very often, we have been together for over 11 years.

Even while I dated other people while he was on his mission, we wrote at least weekly. He was my best friend at that point, and why wouldn't you want to keep your best friend close? I usually told him after I would break up with a guy that I had been dating someone, :) but overall I think he liked my letters. Other Elders in his mission even opened my mail before they would give it to Chris, rude...I actually tried to keep the letters creative and would usually write in crazy (he would say annoying) circles and most letters had a spot where I would fall asleep and scribble out crazy illegible words. I was a freshman/soph/jr in college while he was gone and I worked crazy hours, played college soccer, and tried to have a social life all at the same time, doable... however I was able to move my pencil in one hand while sleeping during history...hmmm that may be the only C I ever earned. :( (oh wait, I think I got a C in my History of Spain class when I lived in Spain...and it was ALL in Spanish AND their history is ridiculously LONGER AND more complicated than ours!!!)

Enough about me! this is about CHRIS.

Our senior year both of our proms were the same night. We went out to eat with my friends, went to my prom for a little while, drove over to his prom, then drove out to Buckeye and had a early breakfast and hung out with his friends.Here we are at Chris' 10 year high school reunion, it was the weekend before mine. Fall 2010.

Playing tennis on a date.

Oct 2009


Wesly's first day of school, Dad takes Wes out for ice cream after school.

Brelee has her Daddy wrapped around her little finger.

Mini Golf Date

Camping 2010

At a wedding where I didn't have to work, it was a date night! Jan 2011.

Marana Can Do 5k Feb 2011

Gladden Farms 10k, 1/2 marathon Nov 2010

I was really surprised a few years ago when Chris picked up a few new hobbies of reading and running. I always imagined myself working out with my husband, but aside from co-ed soccer, we didn't really work out together. After I had Brelee I was able to start running with him, and although I run a lot slower than he does, he ran with me. and when we are in a race together, he still sticks by and pushes me just a little harder each time.

This last summer we went water skiing together, (I wish I had pictures!!) I was so nervous, the last time I had gone out on a boat I was with a group of young adults (Todd, Staci, Lisa and Jake, you may remember this) and we played..."hold on as long as you can and we'll stop when you fall" silly me, I held on for a long time and when I flipped off the inner tube I was hurting for a long time. This summer, Chris was with me while I not only got up on those skis, but on the first try, and I stayed up for a long time (mostly scared to fall!) but when I did fall, it didn't hurt and I was sooo excited to go again. I still am!! (any takers?! I would love to spend some time on a lake this summer!) We went out on a wave runner later that day and I was super nervous again, he was patient and went slow (boring! (for him)) but I gradually got braver (when he let me drive!) and I think I made a lot of progress that day!

My youngest siblings and I, Dec 2011, Sundance Ski Resort, getting psyched up to get out of the warm car and start our day snow boarding!; Kati, Micaela, Levi, Brittany. Chris and Sean were there too.

Here we are at Sunrise Ski Resort in Eastern AZ. When we went snowboarding in Utah at the end of Dec I made huge progress! I hadn't been boarding in 6 years, and even then I used the fallen leaf approach, toe side was too hard! Chris stuck with me even though I slowed him down again. I told him to go ahead and catch me on the next time down, but he would go ahead and wait and watch me. I think I must be funny to watch. ;) I finally was able to understand the toe heel thing and actually carve down the mountain. Of course it wasn't until later in the day. It also helped that the snow conditions couldn't have been SOFTER! Fresh powder was on the mountain and your tracks from coming down minutes earlier were erased as the snow came down so fast. It didn't hurt so bad to fall.

Back in AZ. It was snowing, but only lightly, and it had been a few weeks since our Utah adventure, we ride the lift halfway up the mountain and start off, I try to pick up where I left off, and end up falling pretty hard, time and again on the hard icy ground. I don't remember how many times we tried that hill, it took me so long to get down, I think it was still on the first run (but maybe 2nd) when the tears started to flow. Chris said, are you hurt? or just upset? I said, "Both. I don't know why I thought snowboarding was ever fun, it just hurts!!"

Once again, Chris stuck with me, we went to the bunny slopes to practice and Chris saw a Dad teaching his son to board. Chris watched what they were doing and said, hey! look at those guys...he was going slow and practicing turning - go down heel side across the mountain, turn and switch to toe side, repeat.

I got it. It took a little bit and I still fell, and on the iciest steep parts I resorted to "fallen leaf" style. But it was fun again, my legs got much needed relief when I would use toe side and I was rarely falling.

It is fun to accomplish things, do new things, and even more fun to do those things with your best friend! I love you Chris! Thanks for being part of my falls and my wins!