10 Years? Already!?!

“Hinkley High School, how does it feel to be state champions?” Marcia Neville from CBS 4 said those words 10 years ago during our high school’s pep rally the Monday after our football team won the state championship! Those words resound through my body every time I think of high school. What an exciting year our senior year really was!! Not only did we win state in football, but the boy’s basketball team swept the playoffs and won state as well.

Tonight at 6 p.m., Kevin and I (we went to high school together) will enter the APS stadium to reunite and celebrate with the football team, as the entire team will be honored during halftime for their incredible accomplishment 10 years ago. My dear friend, Jessica was the place kicker and won a couple playoff games for Hinkley. Jessica was the first female place kicker at our high school, and that same year, the first male joined the cheerleading squad.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited about tonight. I haven’t seen many of these guys since high school. I’ve heard such stories from my parents about how much people change over the years, but not typically too much at the 10-year reunion. As Kevin and I talked about it last night, we agreed that there’s some logic to why it seems people remain the same 10 years later, or at least appear to. It’s because they have to impress their fellow classmates with their life, appearance and success stories, ignoring the fact that we all are 10 years older, some have kids, are married, possibly divorced, etc all meaning that we have all really changed. For good, or bad, after 10 years, it’s reality, things aren’t going to be exactly the same.

As Jessica and I were talking about tonight’s festivities, she expressed her nervousness of worrying about what people will think of her 10 years later, especially if the clichés are still formed. I have always thought clichés are pointless, and if they are still formed after 10 years, the only thing you can do is feel really sad for the people in them. As we talked, I reassured her that she’s become more beautiful inside and out since high school. We both agreed that we are different people than we were in high school, and we’re both really okay with that.

Our official high school reunion won’t be until next summer, but tonight, we will get a taste of what others have been up to, where they are in their life and how life has been since high school. Maybe we can even reconnect with those high school friends that we lost touch with. It should be a good night. And, to make it even better, it’s a rivalry game against the Aurora Central Trojans and it’s Hinkley’s homecoming game. Just one more thing...GO T-BIRDS! YOU KNOW!

(Note: I know I said I would post on our vacation this week, but I wanted my photos to accompany the post, and I have yet to get them on the computer or on a CD. So next Wednesday, I promise, I will get a post up!!)

Wedding Photos

Remember back in May, when I said my cousin Sarah was getting married? Well, she tied the knot on July 14th. As we were exchanging emails yesterday, she emailed me the link to all of her wedding photos. They turned out beautifully! Didn't she make a beautiful bride!?! I can't wait to see the album her and her husband, Dave put together. Here's a sneak peek...

The Newlyweds

My dad's family...well, most of us.

Brooklyn and Erin (my youngest cousin, in the red) dancing, dancing!

A shot of our table
(from left to right: Kevin, me, Jenn, Jon,
my sister Samantha, Jenn's sister Allison)

My hubby getting his groove on!

The happy couple headed for their honeymoon...
aren't they such a cute couple!?!

Family, Friends, Fun & Fireworks

At 11:45 p.m. last night, Kevin and I sat on two lawn chairs in our backyard enjoying the cool night breeze, the booms of neighbors still setting off firecrackers, the sound of an airplane flying over our house and the buzzing noise from the baby monitor as Brooklyn was fast asleep in her room. We both agreed that this had been the best day!

It started out with homemade waffles with fruit for breakfast and ended in an amazing fireworks display. The best part about the whole day was spending the day with our family and friends. Brooklyn started a water fight soon after we had lunch. When I say started, I mean she was running around the yard with the hose in her hand throwing water on people, namely me to start with. Everyone was laughing so hard, she kept doing it! It escaladed to the grown-ups grabbing cups of water then jugs of water and chasing each other around in the backyard waiting for the right moment to attack. Some people were held down as they got soaked and others were simply sprayed with the hose. Kevin got the wettest as Brooklyn was highly encouraged, even had some help, to spray her daddy with the hose. He just sat there and let her spray him. The water fight ended with Kevin running to the front of the house to grab the front hose and spray to the backyard. By the end, everyone was either soaked, damp, and Brooklyn who started the whole thing, was swinging away.

Kevin got to show off his 250+ TV channels, Brooklyn got to spend a whole day outside with water and her playground, I got to toss around (and pitch some) a softball with my dad and sister and everyone got to talk, share stories and laugh. By the end of the day, everyone headed home and Brooklyn, Kevin, my sister and I headed to a fireworks display. After sitting there for about 30 minutes and with the wind and rain threatening a good fireworks show, we finally began the countdown. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1....


Brooklyn's eyes were the size of quarters, she was clapping, dancing a little, saying "go-go" and "yea!!" That's the only way to enjoy fireworks when you're that little, and it was worth sitting in an hour's worth of traffic leaving the show just to see her face and watch how excited she was. As we sat there watching the fireworks light up the night sky and listen to the music montage that was playing, I was reminded how truly great it is to be an American!!

"And I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free. And I won't forget the men who died, who gave that right to me. And I gladly stand up, next to you and defend her still today. ‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land, God bless the USA."

They're back, they're back!!

Even though I said goodbye to my Gilmore Girls last week, I had excitement by the week's end -- I got back my best friend!

What does this mean? Well, my best friend, Jessica and her family moved back to Colorado from Little Rock where they lived for three years. Her husband applied for an open management position with the same company he has worked for since 1998. He got offered the job and took it! They originally moved out to Arkansas so her husband could further advance his career, with the idea that they would move back once there was an opening back here. It's finally happened, and I couldn't be more thrilled to have them back!

They have two kids - Landon and Brooke - both of which are Brooklyn's friends. We went to visit them shortly after Brooke was born (Brooklyn and Brooke are 6 months apart). And, at Christmas this year, we got a picture of the kids to hang on our wall. When I asked Brooklyn Monday if she wanted to go play with Landon and Brooke, she got a huge smile across her face, said yes and pointed at their picture. She knows who they are!

So, Monday, we had a playdate and lunch that last for hours. Tuesday, we had another lunch date. And, we have a playdate set for next week to take the kids swimming.

It's fun having Jessica back in the same state, and right now as they are staying with her mother-in-law, she is only a 10-minute drive away! And, I know that Brooklyn is enjoying spending time with her friends.

Such an honor...

Kevin and I have been asked to be godparents for our friends' 6-month old baby. Our soon-to-be goddaughter, Brooke, will be baptized on Christmas Eve. After getting off the phone with my best friend today, I was so honored that we were asked and chosen to serve in this very special role. It's a role that Kevin and I take very seriously as we are making a life-time commitment to Brooke that we will be there to help her grow her faith in the Lord.
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"To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth shall set you free."
—John 8:31-32