Day 18

It's day 18 for the married couple. :)

We still working on transitioning and combining households. It's a challenge with 4 busy schedules to contend with but we are continuing to persevere. The house on Swearingen has not leased so Courtney decided to take some action to help get it moving. Today we are painting the front door. It was a very dull brown and navy blue and now it's half way to red with a neutral colored trim. And it's looking mighty nice.

The idea is that someone will take notice of it a little easier than with something that just blends into the houses around it. We also going to add some flowers to some pots to add a little more color.

It's a great little house that I'm sure will lease the second someone steps inside. I've committed to taking on some of the simple ideas that need to happen and haven't. I'll keep you all informed because I know this is a HOT topic. (whew! burned my fingers on the keyboard.....HOT!!)

Our lives have not slowed down even a little yet. In the next couple of weeks.....Courtney's birthday, her mom's birthday, Christmas (decorations and tree still in the works as well as the shopping), a big proposal and things kicking up with the Service organizations and projects that we are involved in as part of AustinONE and Gateway Singles (yes I know we're no longer single but hey it's too fun a crowd to separate from. :) )

Finishing up Thanksgiving weekend

Jake has been asking us about going skating every time he remembers that it's been over a month that he has not been. So we took the family out for a few hours of skate time. He's getting really good out on the floor and very daring. He loves the inline skates a whole lot, I think mostly because they are much cooler than the two by two wheel skates that Sydney and I still choose to wear.

Courtney has her inlines from a couple of years back so she's automatically promoted to cool status.

I can't really skate like I use to, certainly not as fast on the feet. But I can still keep up with Jake, at least until he figures out how to really get moving which won't take long. Courtney is much better at it and gives Jake a run for his money. :)

I'm more Sydney's pace. We meandered out onto the floor for two games. One was Wipe-Out and the other Dice (courtney came out for this one). The game of Wipe-Out was pretty uneventful except I fell really hard the two times during the game. Sydney escaped relatively unscathed. During the Dice game I did accidentally bash into her. She forgave me immediately after she whipped me at air hockey.

It was a really good time. I'm sure we'll be back again. Right Jake?! :)

If you're curious about the rules to either game, venture out to your local skating rink and hang out for a session or ask one of those kiddos that's skating circles around you.

Thanksgiving Day

On Thanksgiving Day we were in Wimberley. Courtney's family tradition is to have dinner with the family there. Everyone brings a dish or two. Nancy hosted the dinner that was absolutely incredible. We had lots of veggies, potatoes and a yummy family dressing that she made especially for me and Courtney with veggie broth instead of chicken broth. They had turkey and lots of desserts!

And they were so sweet to offer their Van to help us move. Courtney's mom, Joan and Kevin were an enormous help. We packed and moved practically my whole house in the span of 6 hours. So, so very sweet. :)

Here is a great picture of Sydney. She had to have an after dinner snack.

Thanksgiving Dinner on Wednesday

Dinner the day before Thanksgiving is a tradition that was started many years ago by my pop. Just about everyone made it in which made it incredibly nice. We got there a little late after some heavy traffic.

The food was incredible! and we got to see the new addition to the Wilson family in person for the first time. Reid is very handsome little tiger.

This was wonderful time for Jake and Sydney to see some of their new cousins and run around a lot. Jake found out what it was like to have older brothers. They ran and jumped and laughed a lot.

Thanksgiving Preparations

They'll be lots of "firsts" for us this year as a family. Those of you that have already gotten married and have navigated the "we'll go here this year and there next year" game. Well thanks to Dad we have Thanksgiving figured out. We get to spend Wednesday with the Ortiz gang and Thanksgiving Day with the Stewarts (thanks dad).

This morning the kiddos had no school. I got up early for a run and when I got back the kiddos came piling into the bedroom to snuggle up with mommy. It was very cute. They watched a little TV as we talked about the day.

Court is going to get together with her girlie friends and their kids, see a movie, get some supplies ready for today, pack and visit a new baby. Yay Shannon!!! :) Congrats to you and Alonso. I'm sure you are very excited. Let Courtney take lots of photos.

I'll leave from work as early as possible today so we can get out to San Antonio. We're anxious to see everyone!!

The Honeymoon (with photos)

Thank you so much to everyone who contributed through our sendusoff.com site, enabling us to indulge in such a wonderful honeymoon. Below is a quick recap of each day with photos.

Monday
We had a 6 AM flight and read a book together on the plane. Arrived in Montego Bay around 2:00, got bad directions coming out of the airport and went on an adventure including a stop at Jack in the Box before the drive to Negril. I promise that was the only American fast food we had the entire trip and just because we were lost and seeking directions!

Courtney Gearing up for Driving on the Left Side of Narrow Island Roads

We arrived at the hotel, checked in and then went to dinner at the hotel. We ate Callaloo, a local vegetable and shared a bottle of wine before retiring to our room.

The View from the Rockhouse Restaurant

Tuesday
We got up and went to the grocery store. We were approached by Steven, a local, who offered to be our guide on a day trip. We went through the mountains across the island to the Roaring River, ate sugar cane, went on a tour of the river and a little village, and then stopped at the market to buy fruit afterwards.

Steven Cutting Sugar Cane with a Machete on the Side of the Road

And Courtney Tasting It!

We stopped at Rick’s on the way back to the hotel but it was very ‘americanized’ so we had a quick snack and went back to the hotel. In the first picture below, look to the right of the top of my head just past the center of the photo. There are two cliff divers perched in the trees. In the second, if you divide the photo into four quandrants, then look in the middle of the upper-left section, you can see a cliff diver upside down in mid-dive.

Cliff Diving at Ricks


Cliff Diver Upside Down in Mid-Dive

Sunset from Rick's

We watched the sunset together from our awesome patio at the Rockhouse had another great dinner at the Rockhouse restaurant.

Wednesday

We went to YS Falls and explored a park with seven tiers of waterfalls. We sat and listened to the falls, watched people on the zip line, watched a hummingbird, had a snack, and just enjoyed being with one another. We talked to a lady that worked in the gift shop that told us she had worked there 8 years, another man 14 years and had never missed a day of work. She said they mostly lived within walking distance and love their job. The drive was a couple of hours each way. When we got back, we were both feeling a little tired so we ordered room service and ate in bed.

Thursday
On Thursday, we ordered room service for breakfast and again ate in bed. Then we went to the pool. We swam for awhile and talked to a couple of women there from the States for a wedding. We packed up and checked out, then drove to Montego Bay after stopping for snacks J. Our first impressions of the hotel in MB were awesome! We were flagged for VIP reception and upgraded to a Jr. Suite because we were honeymooners. Our room at the Half Moon was amazing, with a huge bathroom, a separate sitting room, and a private outdoor patio overlooking the ocean. Before we went to the room, we caught the end of the lunch buffet. That afternoon, we explored the property a little bit and started gathering some pretty shells that we found on the beach. That night, we ordered room service and Martin got us a bottle of champagne to celebrate our marriage! He set everything up for a beautiful candlelight dinner on the patio while I took a nap.

Friday
We got up and Martin ran while I laid in bed, then we went to the breakfast buffet and had a big meal. Right at the end of breakfast, Martin was pooped on by a bird so we came back and washed his clothes out and then he rested from his traumatic ordeal while I sat on the patio, listened to the ocean, and read a book. When he got up, we shopped, walked on the beach again, played a game of chess, swam in the pool, and got ready for dinner. We went to the Sugar Mill for dinner and had another wonderful meal – grilled veggies and curried veggies with a Mondavi Merlot.

Saturday
We got up and Martin ran again while I laid in bed. We walked along the beach to the breakfast buffet and had a great breakfast with banana bread, omelet, grilled tomatoes, and fruit salad. We walked some more, found a bunch of little sea urchins, and then stopped off at the room where we hung out and relaxed for awhile. We went for a walk on the beach to the shopping village and gathered a bunch of great shells, then had some awesome pizza at a little English pub. We took the shuttle back and hung out in the room, later ordered room service and ate in bed then went for a late night walk on the beach with our flashlights.

Sunday
We got up and it was raining – pretty hard off and on for the first time since we’d arrived. During a brief break from the drizzle, we walked down the beach to the restaurant for breakfast and there sat a huge shell just waiting for me on our last day! We had another good breakfast – veggie omelet, banana bread, and a great fruit salad – and then mailed post cards and paid our final bill at the front desk. We went back, packed, and headed to the airport. We got a few good pictures of us together and a lot of pictures in general to help us remember the wonderful time we had on our honeymoon.

The Wedding (with photos)

I have included a few pictures here in low resolution that are previews from the photographer. She is working on processing the photos over the next couple of weeks but until then she sent us a few favorites to check out. We LOVE them! Thank you Elizabeth.

Pre-Ceremony

We had such a good time at the wedding. I got there at 1:10 and my family was there already – Mom, Jeff, and Tante. They were sitting at a table with the flowers, which were absolutely beautiful and which I’d forgotten to worry or even think about. They and the photographer were our two kind of last minute decisions and both turned out to be wonderful! Upstairs, I found my girlfriends getting ready in the bride’s changing room. I knew Dawn was coming from Tyler’s flag football games nearby and changing there but it was a nice surprise to find Kristi & Jill there also. Dawn helped Sydney get dressed while I visited.

Syd & I had gone that morning to Stylin Salon in Cedar Park to have our hair done. When they asked her how she wanted hers done she answered, ‘like Mama’s!’ I LOVE that adoration from her and I know it won’t last forever so I was more than happy for her to have a matching hairstyle. We had bought her a purple sweater to wear if it was cold, but in the end, looking at the photos, I was so happy for she and I to be so ‘matching’ in the same color dresses as well.

I waited for a pretty long time to get dressed because I knew once I put on the dress I had to put on the heels as well. I did that at about 1:45. Until then, I visited with my aunts and cousins and girlfriends. Right at the end, my friend Kim, who I hadn’t seen in years and who came from Dallas, came upstairs to say hello, and then when I got downstairs I also got to see Mona while we were waiting to walk down the aisle.

Syd and I waited for what seemed like a long time for our turn down the aisle. Right before we went, Martin’s sister Jacqueline and her daughter Mia arrived, and Jacquie was able to give Luanna a ring that almost all of my new sisters-in-law have worn at their weddings. I slipped it on with my ‘faith, hope, love’ ring that I got right after Dad died.

The Ceremony

I was honored to be walked down the aisle by Sydney, with Martin and Jake waiting with Corey. I had decided that since my Dad couldn’t be there I didn’t want a ‘substitute’ for him but to do something different that worked for me and us. We were so fortunate to have Corey Tabor officiating our wedding. We met him through the AustinONE service project, which is also how Martin & I met. He did the sermon for the Dec. 2^nd, 2006 event that we helped put on and we both really enjoyed hearing him speak. I cried through my vows, which were admittedly long although edited down (hee hee). I loved the reading about the hands and Corey’s charge, and especially the words that Martin said about me in his vows. Of everything about the wedding, we got the most compliments on the service and on Corey’s presentation – Corey, thank you again!

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Syd & Mom Getting Ready

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Sydney Holding Mom's Shoes (that she picked out)

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Sydney Watching Friends Arrive

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Sydney Playing Hostess & Exploring the House

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The Wedding is About to Start!!

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Jake & The Rings

Martin's Vows

My love, you are the most wonderful woman for me. You are my friend, my heart, you are wisdom and strength, and I want you as my bride from this point until forever.

When I do a painting, after thinking about it for many hours, I first add a base color or colors, and then I start adding elements to the piece. There is the primary element, the focus, and then there are secondary elements. Every time what I believe is the most important element of a piece, often is not. There is always that final element that I put in place that I feel led to add. A God given element.

When you came into my life I felt like you were a God given element, the piece in my life that God placed there to make my own image clearer. I know that God has made me in His image and that I'm wonderful because of it but you are my God element, the element that makes me more beautiful, more amazing, more giving, more loving....brighter, more vivid and more colorful.

I remember when we first met I knew that I liked you. We met at a church meeting to organize some different projects. I was introducing AustinONE to our church and you wanted to help organize the project. I remember your enthusiasm for helping children.

Last year at Christmas time we went to see the lights on 38th with some friends. Not our first date, just some time with friends. Shortly after, on an actual date, we went to a dinner and a play. We laughed and smiled a lot that night and I knew that we were going to be spending a lot of time together.

I realized that I was falling in love with you at a race in Bandera. It was an early start and I had camped out the night before. The plan was that you were going to meet me before the race, to see me off. It wasn't until minutes before the start that I found you. It was dark and rainy and not easy to get into the park but you made it. I remember you

walking toward me smiling with your beautiful hair moving in the wind. You stayed the entire day and met me at every aid station where we talked and laughed. It was the best race I ever had and one that I'll never forget. I had the most fun running up to the next stop knowing you would be there. I was always very anxious to see you. You were my angel that day.

Each time I arrived you had water, a place for me to sit, pleasant funny conversation, offered encouragement and support and extra socks, which in a really long run is extremely important. Running is a strong passion for me and you being there meant you cared about those passions even if you didn’t really understand it.

Marriage is about commitment, about selflessness, it's about trust, honor, respect and love for another person. That is the life I’m anxious to begin together. I'm looking forward to beginning my day with you, seeing you at the end of every day, kissing you, helping you, and working

with you.....for our family and for others. God has given us to each other and while I'm probably most fearful of being a less than perfect husband and parent I know that my imperfections will be filled in by the light of God. Through His guidance and love for us we will be fulfilled and will be able to survive any obstacle that might come our way.

I thank God for bringing you and your beautiful children into my life and I look forward to allowing God to shape our new shared path with new colors and shades. I am so gracious for the love God has shown me by granting me the honor of having you as my wife.

Vow Worksheet and Halloween (with photos)

We are supposed to be writing our own vows. We have decided that if we aren't finished by the end of Friday night, we are going with traditional vows. I had found a worksheet that suggested the following:

On the blank piece of paper you brought with you, write a letter to your fiancé using the following instructions:

• Begin with a salutation that is very heartfelt; For example, "My Dearest...", or something to that effect.
• In the first paragraph, tell him/her how much s/he means to you and your life.
• Begin the next paragraph with the words, "It seems like only yesterday that..." Run with it.
• In the next paragraph tell him/her how you felt when you realized you were in love with them.
• In this paragraph, tell him or her what marriage means to you. What aspects of being married are you looking forward to? What are some of your fears? How are you going to address these fears if and when they come about?
• Finally, close your letter with words of love and thanksgiving for your significant other.

Here is what I have:

Martin, my love,

You are all that I’ve hoped for; all that I’ve imagined. At one point I told my girlfriends I would be grateful for a man who didn’t have to be on time all the time but at least knew it was rude to be late. I got that and so very much more when we met and fell in love.

I feel so blessed to have your support in all that I do – you are passionate about many of the things I am passionate about, you are smart, capable and responsible. You laugh with me, hold my hand and hug me tight when I need the extra support. You treat me like a princess in so many ways: always showing me respect, planning fun things for us to do, bringing me flowers, cooking when I am tired, showing up to help with and support the kids at their activities, opening my door, and thanking me for my contributions to our family, just to name a few. I watch you with the kids and am so grateful for all of us to have the consistency, stability, and encouragement that you show and teach by example. I see you patiently working with Sydney on her school work and observe how you are holding her accountable and teaching her to be so much more than just the baby of the family. You participate with Jake in sports activities & camping that are opening up new doors for him and might otherwise remain a mystery. Jake has just this week truly laughed at himself for the first time in years. I have tried to teach him that and have explained the importance again and again but I think it is a gift that only you could give him. For that alone I will be forever grateful to you.

I first really thought we might be a perfect match when you went to Dallas for the weekend, did the DallasONE service project on Saturday, went out with your brothers, got up and ran the White Rock marathon on Sunday and were back at work Monday morning. I thought, ‘huh, he might be able to keep up with my crazy life full of kids, family, friends, dogs, volunteering, my own business, a big house, and on and on…’ I like that we both sat back and observed for a couple of months to see what we really thought before jumping in with both feet.

It seems like only yesterday you let it slip at Macaroni Grill that you loved me and then followed up on the phone to tell me in earnest exactly how you felt about me as you prepared for your small group that week. I don’t know the exact date, but it was after the Bandera trail run on 1/13/07. We had so much fun that day and I am excited to cheer you on again this coming year.

Of course it was exciting to realize that we were falling in love and that we were both feeling the same way about one another. More exciting to realize how different you are than anyone I had dated before. The biggest thing that struck me was your selflessness – in the service work that you do, in the way you treat other people, in picking up a piece of trash from the ground instead of just walking by. I was blown away at your New Years’ party by the fact that you had friends (lots of them!) who stayed past 2AM and helped with every aspect of cleaning up. I remember wanting to grab you and kiss you all night. When we’d first kissed earlier that day, I was so nervous and excited I felt like my heart was going to pound out of my chest.

I never thought I would marry again after Rob – that if I failed with my children’s Dad I would have the kids and a full life and that would be enough. Now I know how wrong I was, but before I met you I didn’t know what I was missing! In some ways I can’t believe I’m excited to be marrying again. I am also scared - of failing you, myself, the kids, and now of failing God. I am scared of the times that I know will come when we are bored with our lives, disappointed with one another, overloaded and distracted with work and other commitments, or simply moving in different directions. I am comforted by the fact that we are both very persistent and I don’t think either of us is going to give up on something this important. It would worry me that we would ‘stick it out’ even if we weren’t happy, but I truly believe that we are creative enough and stubborn enough not to let that happen. I believe we will find a way through those times and find a way to fall in love with each other again and again. If I didn’t really believe that I wouldn’t be willing to say ‘I do’ one last time. Even though I wasn’t particularly religious when I married the first time, it was an issue for me that I broke the vows I made and I didn’t think I would be willing to say traditional Christian vows again that included a promise before God to stay together forever.

When we hit bumps in our marriage, I promise to draw on my creativity to find new ways for us to connect. I will do everything I can to let go of grudges, not keep score, appreciate the things you do, find ways to show you respect even when it’s not easy, be aware of ways in which I can show subtle disrespect and choose not to do that to you and to us. I want to always remember the things that I already am grateful to you for and to continue to recognize, appreciate, and cherish the many ways in which you make my life richer and more fun, full, and happy than it could ever be without you.

I love you – I am in love with you and I choose to love you forever and make a life with you. I want to laugh with you, grow old together holding hands, and have a family with you full of life, love and respect for one another. I want to be your wife forever!

Love,
-me

On another note, we celebrated Halloween tonight and the kids went trick or treating. It was fun!

Hannah Montana and Captain Jack Sparrow

And another pose

Sydney hoarding candy

Crazy Pirate

Wedding Planning

We're in the final stages of wedding planning. Instead of taking it easy, we're going camping this weekend with Jake's cub scout pack! At least Martin & I have Friday night without kids to finalize the ceremony. You can see more at www.nov10wedding.com.