Houston: back to where we began

While we were in Houston, we did quite a bit of driving.   Some of this driving involved scouting out potential areas to move should be ever get transferred back.

This was really just an excuse to drive around and explore because a transfer in nowhere in the immediate future (at least we're hoping).

Anyways, while driving, we happened to be near the area where the church we got married is.

Andy and I never went to this church...to be honest we just thought is was a beautiful church and in a good location....and that fit the bill for us at the time.

Anyways, being the sentimental romantic that I am, I wanted to take Addison by and show her the church.  It was POURING down rain so I thought it was going to be a quick drive by.

We drove under the portico and I actually got out to try to see if it was unlocked by chance.  

(There were no cars to be seen in the parking lot)

It was, and Andy said, "You want to go in, don't you?"

Yes!  I hadn't been back in seven years and I just thought that would be so cool to show Addison since she has been extremely into wedding pictures lately.

That, and I was just being sentimental.

We got the kids out and once inside tried the sanctuary, which was open as well....but pitch black.

This church has the MOST BEAUTIFUL stained glass I've ever seen.  It was my favorite part.

So I just stood there for a minute in the black sanctuary with the thunder booming from outside and it was beautiful.

After a few minutes, the building manager came by to check us out.  Once he heard that we had gotten married there and were reminiscing, he offered to go in and turn all the lights on.

Then he took a few quick pictures for us.

Although they didn't turn out great, I love that we have these pictures with our kids on the same alter where we said "I do" almost 7 years ago.

It was seriously one of my favorite memories from our Houston trip.

I told y'all I'm sentimental!

Six

Six years ago, you might have found these two....

getting ready for the biggest day of their life.

Six years ago I married my best friend.and then we went on our honeymoon to Jamaica.

and called our travel agent to come home early because it wasn't quite the paradise we had envisioned.

But now....we pretty much feel like we live in paradise. So we decided to take full advantage of our new hometown and enjoy our day.

A wonderful lady that Andy works with VOLUNTEERED to watch our children so that Andy and I could do just that. Can you believe that? Like she wanted to watch both kids FOR FUN while we went out and did pretty much whatever we wanted to BY OURSELVES.

So we started out by going to a crawfish boil thrown by a guy that Andy works with.

I have to admit, at first I wasn't too keen on the idea, but it was fun! We stopped by the store to grab some drinks before getting to the party. Andy was like, "ok, just wait in the car and I'll run in.....OH WAIT. Do you want to come in too? Because we have no kids to sit in the car and wait with!!!!" It's the small things people. We walked around Albertson's for a good ten minutes just taking in our new found freedom.

And then we got to the party.

They had an amazing yard and it was so fun, but after a little while we decided we needed to get on with the DAY-O-FUN.

So onward to Sprinkles. Because we can.

Then we drove up to Mt. Soledad and took in the view.

And then drove on up the coast

to....

to have a drink by the pool before dinner.

Just the two of us. No kids. Thank you DONNA!!!!

We then found a sushi bar on Yelp that we had never been to and had a quiet, delicious dinner

For the grand finale, we saw, "Water for Elephants". In the movie theater.

I say that because it's common practice for me to see a preview for movie or in a magazine and just go ahead an put it in my Netflix queue because there would be no way to see it otherwise.

Let me just take a moment to talk to any Twilight fans.

I've never read the books.

But the whole Robert Pattinson thing......I get it.

I totally get it now.

But I just remembered that this is my anniversary post and I can't really end it like that.

Thank you to my best friend and partner, Andy, for taking me on the best adventure of marriage and life I could ask for. I'm so glad that I get to experience every day with you and am so thankful to God for finding the perfect match for me. I love you!!!!