Our second anniversary

At our wedding reception


It's been two years since we were married. Normally this would be my summer, but this year I was in school. Dodger woke up in the wee hours to vomit on the carpet this morning. It was a crazy day of returning student supplies and finishing grading for the sixth six weeks as well as final review questions for their finals the next two days. Then, I had to go to the car place since my oil light came on, only to find out since I've put about 17,000 miles on my car since January I need to have more than just the oil change but rather the transmission changed and tires rotated. That's on my list of "to do's" today. Then off to get Micah his gift. The second year on the traditional calendar is cotton so I supplied him with two cotton polo shirts and a nice silk tie for good measure. He bought me my cotton gifts when we were in Dallas at J Crew (and he knew the second year was cotton, too...precious!). Oh, I also got a homemade card that made me cry. I love things that are from the heart...even though it was funny. Then, back to school to a retirement reception where I proceeded to cry (one of my lunch buddies is leaving me!). It begins to pour rain...I wait and wait and it looks like it is letting up. I walk to my car and what is between me and the parking lot my car is parked in is ankle deep rushing brown water. I am in NEW adorable shoes. I braved it grimacing thinking about what I saw floating amongst it...ick. Driving along up I-27 traffic comes to a halt. I thought...wreck. I move closer. Nope, it is me and about five hundred other drivers stuck as the interstate underpass has flooded. I sit, and sit and sit. Finally, someone gets brave and drives up the oncoming ramp, jumps the culvert and gets to higher ground on the access road. My car on near the ramp so I did the same! Off to home hydroplaning along. Gas light comes on still thirty miles away from home. Get home immediately to get gas, grab a card, and gift sack to get home. It's 7:30. Micah has gone to get dinner (not even fast food, too)...isn't he great. I think I may have fallen asleep at the dinner table and besides I look a mess after wading through and being rained on. I eat. It was good. I shower still feeling disgusting from wading in the murky water. The card I bought was really a perfect reminder of how an anniversary should be--about the two of us. Not about the wild day or the fact Micah had a wild day himself, but a reflection on our love. We dug out the audio cd from our wedding and listened. I cried. He laughed. Those vows we took two years ago are so much more meaningful now. When you are standing on an alter, it's hot and you know everyone is looking at you...it was easy to space out a bit, but now listening and understanding what it means "in good times and in bad, sickness and in health, etc." It just seems so much more powerful. I'm sure as we are married longer it will become increasingly more significant. It's not easy being married. It's hard when we are working in different cities, trying to manage our time to be mutually beneficial, get out of debt, agree on spending and saving, communicate goals and plans. It can just be hard. Having said that, there is no one I would rather work harder for and with. Micah is my best friend and a wonderful husband. I love big things and small things he does, says and is. I love that he doesn't complain when I forget my glass of water and scream from the bedroom to bring me a glass of water just in case I get thirsty at night. I love that he drives when we go places just because I don't like driving. I love that he loves my family and would do anything for them. I love that we tell it like it is...he even told me about my blemish on my anniversary, ha! I love that he loves Dodger and that we cry at dog movies. I love that he has softer feet than me and he lets me know about it. I love that he watches the news and keeps with current events. I love that he is a good friend. I also love the big things, too. Sometimes the small things just get overlooked. Like Micah said best, two years and seventy-five more to go.

Much love,

Memorial Day Weekend

We arrived home last night from a friend's wedding near Dallas. It was a very nice occasion and it was fun to see Micah's friends...they are really great guys and I'm so glad he has wonderful taste in friends. We drove to Amarillo to pick up Dodger from my parents through a super, scary thunderstorm that came out of nowhere with trees being uprooted and highway signs coming out of the ground. Then, Katie followed us home and stayed the night on her way to Austin. I wish we saw each other more often...love those lifelong friends! I thought I'd post some pictures of the wedding.

Micah in his tux. He didn't have time to try it on so the pants looked like he was ready for a flood. After the reception, we headed to a hip and trendy new club, Glass Cactus at the Gaylord, where he was asked twice if he worked there!

Sean and his girlfriend Danielle entertained us with their knowledge of Dallas and the cool new dance, the Cupid Shuffle.

Seated in the middle grilling the boys about their lives...

Sean, Micah, and Kevin at the table.

Below is a two second clip of the Cupid Shuffle dance. Micah is the "wower" on the video. The dj is the one really getting into to it! Have a good laugh Kevin and Sean!

Much love,

Happy Birthday Reece!

Last Sunday, we celebrated our niece's second birthday with a family barbecue. I thought I'd share some of our pictures and memories!


Micah got a party hat. My face with my party hat wasn't very nice so I'll post him looking ridiculous.

Reece associated balloons with happiness and since she shoved my face away when I first got there, I carried the balloons around so she'd be nice!

The theme of the party was ladybugs.

Reece stuck her finger in the number two candle as we were singing "Happy Birthday" to her. She didn't even cry...just a stunned look!

The cupcakes were good!

And, she was into everything. This is her trying to get out of her old baby toy.

We bought Reece these adorable pink, sparkle ballerina shoes. I hope she wears them everyday to pay Karli back with all of her "outfits" she tortured us with (note: As a child Karli insisted on wearing either a ballerina costume, it looked like a thong after she out grew it, but again insisted on wearing it...the wedding dress with veil, the apron with white scuffed heels, the grass skirt. I should mention that Karli would throw a fit if she wasn't allowed to dress herself)). I only hope Reece insists on wearing these shoes no mater how bad they mismatch.

More toys...she went "off roading" a bit with the play stroller and baby ended up on the ground.

Kiddie pool. Micah and Karli had SO much fun blowing this up!

I celebrated Mom a week late with Mother's Day. Micah and I bought her flowers for her pots and I planted them.

Keep family close to your hearts!

Much love,

P.S. I love you

We watched the movie last night. Let me rephrase that last line...we watched a movie last night with sobbing involved. The story line at times was over the top and cheesy, but it is hard not to get emotional when you watch someone lose the love of their life. I'm guessing spiders, snakes, and public speaking isn't most people's deep-down worst fear, but to be left alone. When Micah was driving back and forth from Lubbock, I worried all the time. I wanted to move here and for me to drive instead of him just so I wouldn't worry. There is a scene in which the main character calls her dead husband's phone to hear his voice on voice mail. I remember when my mom was unresponsive last year; I would call her work voice mail listen and hang up. Then once I actually got words out and just talked small talk, but there's something powerful about the distinct sound of each unique voice. Empathy is something we all could use a good dose of every now and again. It makes me so grateful for our health, and it also makes me think of friends who have lost loved ones or who are in the process of knowing they will lose someone. In any case, tell the people around you how much you appreciate them and love them.

No post-script needed...I love you.

Our health is important

My friend across the hall was diagnosed with breast cancer in the fall. She's 27 and didn't have a family history, and it spread really, really fast. After lots of procedures and chemotherapy she's on the mend and we are doing our hall duty gab fest again! My dad just went to the cardiologist today. Good for him. He hates going to the doctor. I've been begging him to go for a long time. He came out with thumbs up. It just made me think about my own health. I finally found a "girly" doctor I liked! (I can just see Micah blushing when he reads this...I can share everything and Micah, well, not so much!). I should mention that feeling comfortable is pretty important during this type of appointment, and I feel this added pressure to find someone great since they would presumably deliver my children one day--kind of an important deal! Thanks to Kristen for the doctor recommendation. I walked in to the waiting room, and there were adorable babies and couples going in together for pregnancy checkups. I kept staring at them behind my Conception magazine wondering if they just found out or how far along they were. The receptionists knew the kids in the waiting room by name. It was precious. I should mention that where I went before was a far sight from happy, preggo land and really depressing. I even heard a heartbeat through the wall...I teared up. Luckily, regrouped before the new doctor walked in. Anyway, my new doctor took time to get to know me and answered my questions whether small or little. I always feel stupid asking questions, and yes being a teacher I do think there are stupid questions. And, no even though the camera was in my purse, I didn't take pictures, haha!

Much love,

I don't have a cute title...

My goal was to blog twice a week, but lately I'm falling behind to once a week...and I can't even think of a title. So my week went something like this...TAKS (gag, gag, gag some more...let me add that I used to like to give the TAKS because I could grade papers and actually get stuff done...NOW, I just stand and "actively monitor" thinking--there is only so much thinking I can do!!!). I had a meeting with a private school, but I don't think teaching high school Spanish is my calling--really not for 18k a year. Oh, we went to Midland for the weekend to pick up Dodger from his grandparents. I missed him more than he missed me. I made him take a bath before he got on my clean sheets, and today he left me quite the surprise to come home to...I literally thought my sewage system was backed up. I'm still not entirely certain what end it came from...luckily it was on the tile...thank you Dodge for being courteous in your time of illness! Back to Midland. We had fun...it's always good to get out of town, reconnect with people, and eat grilled food. I was sitting in church on Sunday at Micah's hometown church...it's a different denomination that I grew up in and I've liked going, but every time I was there I was analyzing something. Why do they say this? What does that mean? I was studying it more than just being there, anyway...I really liked this service. I don't think it had to do with the pastor or much of anything else (however, this time I did know some of the good 'ole hymns--I love hymns!) except maybe my attitude of just being present in the moment. Maybe it has something to do with my current frustration in trying to find a home church. As I type, I should note that this is a grammatical mess! Forgive me. I know...I use too many dashes, run ons, ellipses are my favorite and I misuse them all of the time. I know. I know. I know. Just pretend this is me talking. Oh, and I have no pictures from this weekend. I should have taken some. These days, Dodger and Reece seem to be the camera's focus...I must branch out. This week should be busy. It's shower season and I'm busy planning for a baby shower and a wedding shower. Today I made the invitations (it seriously took me WAAAAAAAY too long to do them...I'm printer challenged). Luckily, everyone liked them. Then, more job applications...I found a job at a college that has peaked my interests. We will see...

Much love,

Our weekend getaway

As it happens, we didn't make it to Austin to see the bluebonnets, but that's okay. We thought about going this last weekend, but Micah booked us at the Hyatt Regency Spa and Resort in Santa Ana Pueblo. It rained all weekend in Austin, but was beautiful blue skies in the Sandia mountains. I spent the weekend having a massage, facial, and a pedicure. I just needed out of the Texas Panhandle for a few days, but ended up so relaxed. I thought I'd share some of the trip!

Friday night we arrived about 8:00 and decided to go to the dessert buffet and walk around the hotel. I felt at home near the warm fire!

Micah, Friday night in the lounge as I sat fireside.

I found this horse and waited until no one was near to take this childish picture. Haha!

Saturday morning we woke up for our bread making class. It was fun! My bread had CM for Colby and Micah!

Micah had to have lots of special attention at the bread making class. His turned into a blobby shape.

While our bread was baking, we decided to take a walk and take some pictures. This was the main courtyard.

Picture in the courtyard.

View from the balcony on Saturday.

Then, we decided to take in the culture by watching the dances from our balcony.

Ultra relaxed!

Then, it was time for our pottery class. Mine was horrible. The instructor had to help me LOTS!

Micah was the class star, of course. His pot was really good and he even painted it neat! A+

I decided to spare you all pictures at the spa, but know it was good! Here we are outside of the Corn Maiden restaurant. I had buffalo steak with lobster in the center. So good!

Micah before the dinner. He ordered something with 4 types of meat and it came out on this Excalibur sword looking presentation--I should mention that my jaw about dropped when Micah suggested we eat at this place solely based on price alone.

Chilly desert night after the Corn Maiden dinner.

My last spa treatment was a pedicure. I was bored in the car and decided to take a picture of my toes. My skin was so soft!!!

On the way home we got wedged into a non-passing lane with a bajillion semis --here's Micah face as he drives below speed limit.

Lastly, isn't it sweet to appreciate home after being away for only a couple of days? We love Texas!


Much love,

Dodger Malouf

It's true. We are obsessed with our dog. Calling him a d-o-g is so odd considering the way we treat him; he runs the house. The saying, "If momma ain't happy; ain't nobody happy" is all wrong in this house...it's more like, "If Dodger ain't happy; ain't nobody happy." He's on vacation with his grandparents (which to him is like going to a spa resort), and we really miss him. I miss how he greets me at the door and paws on my pants for me to pick him up and then gives me stinky, nap kisses. I miss our evening television watching snuggling. I miss how he goes to bed when I do. I miss how he paws at the covers at 5 am (it's almost clockwork) wanting under the blanket--on my side of the bed. I even like being shoved to the middle of the bed between my two boys. He's such a great companion--always loving, never judging. So three cheers to Dodge for being the best!






Much love,

Are you really living?

During my 55 minute drive this morning, I tuned in to Kidd Kraddick this morning. This was a pretty typical drive, except instead of laughing or zoning out, I cried. I can cry at the drop of the hat, but this was crying while driving--in between semis. Eeeks. I've been thinking a lot about death lately. Morbid? Actually, no. I attended a funeral last week; I didn't know the person very well so it was sort of like watching everything from the outside. For me, it made me examine what I really want out of life. It put things into perspective. I've been so focused on house repairs, organization, savings, yadda, yadda, yadda that Micah and I felt like we are passing each other in the night. Exhausted from work, needing a break, just too much going on, not enough a money, were all the excuses we used. Yesterday, I agreed to a weekend getaway. Today, I looked up the hotel were I wanted to go and said we have got to reconnect. Get me out of the Panhandle. Why? As I listened to Kidd Kraddick, it was about a man named Randy Pausch, a professor at Carnegie Mellon. He is dying of cancer. He is married and has three children. He gave his last lecture on childhood dreams. My childhood dream...to be married, have a family, be kind, and be successful. So thanks to Mr. Pausch, I'm going to live in the moment more. Lately, I have wanted a picture in a field of bluebonnets. It's April, and if I have anything to do with it...I'm going to the Hill Country this weekend to knock that small dream off my list (I'm even hoping it makes it to the Christmas card). I suggest you go to U Tube and type Randy Pausch. Get ready for tears. And, go chase you dreams.

Much love,

Bye bye Mullet

Is that how one spells mullet, one t or two? Reece and Karli came to visit this weekend. Reece has the same hair Karli had when she was little...thin and not much. I think I came out of the womb with big hair...in fact, I know I did (it was bright red, but fell out and grew back blond!). I told her that I would cut it, but Karli who makes fun of the new bangs would have nothing of the sort so Reece had her first salon experience! No more party in the back...now we have a nice, little girl bob!

Pre-Chop

In the process of the hair cut

So happy to have my hair cut and mostly a nap!

The girls (notice Reece has a swiffer sweeper in her hands--she's picking up the cleaning at an early age!).


Much love,