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Thursday, June 16, 2011

Remember when...

If you know us, you know that Neil and I are very nostalgic people. Thank God He brought us together or we'd be driving someone else crazy with "remember when..." and our shoe boxes full of notes from people =) We like to remember when things happened to us, what we were doing, what we were wearing, where we went, what we ate... you get the picture. Well, we're at it again! Tonight we talked about the significance of this time of year. As June rolls around, we remember a lot that has happened to us as a couple so come with me down memory lane if you'd like to learn a little more about us!

Today, 6 years ago on June 16th 2005, we closed on our house and moved in! We just can't believe we've been in our home for 6 years and what an amazing place of memories for us. The most significant being bringing Claire and Eden home and having their first memories here - first steps, sleepless nights, playing in the back, learning the three stairs and so on. The best thing about having a home is watching our family grow as we now anticipate bringing our son here for his first memories too. I know we won't be in this home forever but I dread the day we decide to move. There's just something about your first house that you we will always cherish.

In June 2004, 7 years ago, Neil was diagnosed with skin cancer, melanoma. He was only 27. Talk about scary as we were celebrating our first year of marriage. It was on his face and the dr.'s were so surprised by the results that they retested the sample a couple of times before calling us to come in (3 weeks later so we were pretty much shocked and a little irritated). That was a day we will never forget along with the day we actually had to go into the office so they could personally tell us "you have skin cancer". We had just gotten the news, went to Ruthie's for breakfast and Neil got the call for an interview for a full time teaching position. We didn't know how to feel - one minute you're so low and the next you're up. Neil had mohs surgery and had to go back three times (all in one day) before the margins were clear. PRAISE HIM for allowing us to find it early enough that it hadn't grown deep and that his Mom noticed that the mole on his face had grown. We know there are others who weren't as blessed so we certainly thank Him for protecting Neil. Looking back we are amazed at how calm we were and how we just felt the peace of God's mighty hand working. (Once the surgery was completed, we were off to China to teach for three weeks. That's a whole other post in itself!)

March 2004 before surgery

After surgery

PLEASE watch this video that's been floating around facebook. SO powerful and reminds us we need to be careful with the sun and take care of our skin. Melanoma is growing in numbers you wouldn't believe. Pass it along to anyone you think needs to hear it!
And finally, June 21st we will be celebrating 8 years of marriage. The best 8 years of my life. Not that it's all been roses but I wouldn't want to go through the peaks and valleys with anyone else by my side. My best friend. I'll be writing more when that special day comes =)

On our honeymoon cruise

July is full of birthday celebrations for both Neil and I and we love any reason to celebrate. I know some people who don't do anything for anniversaries and birthdays but not us!! Even if it's just an ice cream date or sitting at the coffee shop, we take these times to truly celebrate what we have EVERYDAY!

July 2006 with 4 month old Claire
OK enough reminiscing but wanted the write about things before blog world happened!

1 comment:

Sara said...

I love it. It's so important not to take these special memories and each other for granted. You do a great job of reminding us all of that.