Our Story: As It's Been Written So Far

My husband, Eric, and I have known each other since I was in sixth grade. He was my best friend's cousin and my best friend and I did everything together.  I'd go with her to family gatherings for holidays and birthdays. Her family was like a second family to me...I knew them all very well.

When I was in eighth grade, I remember my best friend asking me if I wanted Eric's senior pictures. Yes, pictures plural. I took every single one. Can you say crush?! Now if you're thinking that I was in eighth grade and Eric was a senior in high school...you're right. I can assure you a relationship did not start here. In fact, a relationship did not start for quite some time. Fast forward to my senior year in college...when Eric was working in the "real world" and I was finishing my final year as a future elementary teacher. We had reconnected during this time and decided to start dating towards the end of my time at Miami University (OH). By the time we started "officially" dating, we knew it was only a matter of time before we would get engaged and make our relationship "official, official." (That was a lot of "official" usage!)

Eric and I were married on December 27, 2008. I have so many fond memories of that day. We love to tell people the story about how I had a crush on Eric in eighth grade. We also love to share with people (that weren't at our wedding), that we literally experienced every type of weather known to man in the dead of winter. Snow emergences, extreme fog, sixty degree weather, and torrential downpours. All.of.it. Eric and I were excited to start our life as Mr. and Mrs. We were also excited to find out that we would learn the ropes of being a "Mommy" and "Daddy" towards the end of October. Not quite a honeymoon baby...but close!

Starting a family was something that was important and urgent for Eric and I. We did not want to wait to have kids...mostly because my mom and older sister had experienced struggles with infertility. We wanted to start a family right away and God was faithful in giving us a beautiful little girl on October 29, 2009. We celebrated our very first Christmas as husband and wife...and also as Mommy and Daddy.

Parenthood was more than we could have imagined. It was all those wonderful feelings wrapped up in one sweet and precious package. Our little package had rolls upon rolls and cheeks and chins for days...and we were in love. On Thanksgiving day the following year, we were overjoyed to find out that our little turkey (who had just turned one) would become a BIG sister! We would become a family of 4 near the end of July. On July 22, 2011, we welcomed a sweet little boy into our family. We were so thankful that God provided yet another opportunity for us to be parents. 

Eric and I loved being parents. It was such a gift and we were so thankful that God had chosen us to be a Mommy and Daddy to these two precious kiddos. As we began to talk about growing our family, we were so excited to think about the possibility of having three or four kiddos. We would follow His calling for whatever His plan was for our family. And if that meant five kiddos...we would welcome that too!