My Family

So this time, I wanted to write about some other special people in my life...

My parents - where do I begin? You know those kids that you try to avoid at the mall or in the grocery store, those kids that because they didn't get their way, they're in the middle of the biggest temper tantrum of their life? You know those kids? I'm sure you've all been around at least 1 in your life. Well, I hate to admit it but... I was that kid.

I remember giving my parents a very hard time A LOT while I was growing up. If they ever said the word 'No' to me when I asked them for something, I was kicking and screaming, flailing about on the floor. I didn't see it then, of course, but they did the best thing... they stayed strong and didn't give in.

My parents have given and taught me more than I can ever repay them for but I guess that's what parents are for. Actually, when I say that, my dad says 'don't worry, you'll pay us back by taking care of us when we're old and feeble'... that's true. I'll be happy to after all they've done for Mikey and I. They raised us in a christian home. They showed us how to love the Lord and how to try to be more like Him. They loved each other and they loved us and there was never a time that we doubted that.

Thank you mom and dad:
for being our chauffer to sporting events, for always cheering for us from the sidelines in the heat and in the cold, for helping us with our homework, for your love, for your support, for the hugs and kisses, for listening when we needed to talk, for yelling when we wouldn't listen, for teaching us right from wrong, for encouraging us to dream, for guiding us into who we are today, for taking us to the other side of the world, for understanding us when your patience wore thin, for showing us how to work hard, for enforcing the rules, for tucking us in bed, for our childhood memories... your love for us has been amazing, never-ending, and unconditional and God blessed us when He chose you to be our parents. I love you both so much.

My brother - again, where do I begin? To this day, I can not remember a time that we argued or fought... you know, those fights that brothers and sisters get into often? I honestly can't remember a time. Mikey probably can though, he has mom's memory. I know we had plenty of brother/sister moments though, when I'd get on his nerves and he'd get on mine, but that's all it ever was. Well, there was that time that he forced me to eat that mushroom... oh, and that time that I laughed when he fell off the trampoline...

I have always known that my brother would be there for me no matter what. My favorite picture of us was taken on my 1st day of school. We are standing in front of the tree in our front yard before we left to walk to school together... I knew that he'd be there with me at school if I needed to be protected. He was my friend and I was happy to follow him wherever he went. I ran track and tried to compete in the high jump because he did and I wanted to be a good soccer player just like he was.

Thank you Mikey:
for being my big brother, for teaching me, for guiding me, for helping me, for encouraging me, for praising me, for being proud of me, for building sand castles with me, for wanting to spend time with me, for being my role model, for making me never wish that I had a sister instead, for being patient with me, for always being there for me, for being my friend... you mean more to me than you'll ever know. I love you so much.

I am truly blessed by the parents and brother that God has given to me and I will forever be thankful.

Here is my family... on the other side of the world.

Lanod

I wanted to write today about the man in my life...

I noticed him first at one of my soccer games during my junior year of high school. He was there to watch his girlfriend play, who was one of my teammates. During my senior year, I noticed him again in my speech class. We became friends quickly - we would talk during class and he always made me laugh. He asked me out on his birthday - his junior year and my senior year. It didn't take long for us to realize that what we had was something special.

To make that long story short, he proposed in December 2005. We were married on February 3rd, 2006, in Durango, Colorado, just 3 days before our 5 year anniversary. My dad skied next to me down the isle and married us with the most gorgeous backdrop of the snow-covered Rockies. If I could do our wedding all over again, I wouldn't change a thing... I might have worn a wedding dress though, if it hadn't been so cold!

I can see it in his eyes that he loves me as much as I love him, even though we constantly remind one another that 'I love you MORE'. We spend a lot of time laughing together and we are sure to lean on one another during the difficult times. I can't imagine what spending my life without him would have been like but I look forward to the many years ahead knowing that he will always be with me.

Lanod,

I love you MORE... midigit, midogit!

Yours always - Inom

Camping Trip

Donal and his best friend Nathan are preparing for a couple of fishing tournaments at Lake Belton in the next couple of weeks, so we went down for the weekend and camped out. Rachel, Nathan's wife, and I hung out while the boys fished. We had a great time just relaxing and enjoying our time in the sun, despite the awful wind and bad sunburns that followed.

There were deer everywhere in the campgrounds. The deer in this picture were no more than 50 yards from our tents! Turns out, the lady who's RV the deer were right next to was laying out corn for them, so OF COURSE they were coming so close!

That's Donal, about 15 feet from the deer!

After the guys had been fishing twice already on Saturday, they wanted to go out one more time so Rachel and I went also. I paid more attention to the scenery than the fish they were catching...

SMORES!!!!

Good luck boys!! Hope you do as well in the tournaments as you did this weekend!!