Rob and I didn’t rush into parenthood in fact you might say we took the long route to get there. We were married 7 years before our first son was born. We talk over the years about having children but we enjoyed the time with just the two of us that we kept delaying actually starting a family. When we were first married people would ask us when we were going to start having children and I would answer in 5 years. Well 5 years later I was still giving the same answer. So in August of 2006 Rob and I went on a Camping trip just the two of us. We had a long drive north and on that trip we discussed a lot when would be a good time to have kids and by the time our travels ended we had decided to start a family. February 2007 we announced to our family that I was pregnant. We told them at the dinner for our 1.5 Anniversary (7 years). In September @007 Cameron was born and parent hood began for us but the rest is another story.

A lot of my child hood is a blur. I don’t remember a lot of it. Some of the memories I may have blocked out to not deal with the stress as a child of being from a broken home and others are just lost. My first memory even is a little questionable. I am not completely sure if I really remember it or if I am remembering pictures. I remember being in a white crib as a baby with an elephant painted on it and a mobile hanging over top. It had 5 arms with animals hanging from them. I think it was suppose to be circus animals. I know one was a seal and another was a lion and there was an elephant on a ball. I am not sure what the other 2 were. It wasn’t very flashy in fact I am not even sure that it played music or turned or anything like that.

I often wonder if this memory is real. Sometimes Ithink it must be, it just seems real. Other times I think that I would have been to young to remember such things. I have played it over in my head a thousand times but I am not sure if this really is a memory but I have decided it doesn’t really matter. This is how I am chosing to remember my beginning and if it isn’t really then I am okay with living in blissful ignorance.

What is your first (or possibly first) memory?

After meeting at the Halloween party (see here) we spent a lot of time hanging out and getting to know each other. Going for walks and playing basket ball and just hanging out. The Christmas holidays soon arrived and we were both of from school with lots of time. Some friends of ours had started trying to set us up (not that they were trying very hard, more pestering). One night we were hanging out and we got into a pillow fight. He pinned me down and was hitting me with a pillow. I jokingly said he was going to give people ideas about us. He responded that maybe he was trying to give me ideas. Luckily my mom arrived to pick me up with perfect timing and saved me with a honk of the car horn. I grabbed my coat and ran for the door with barely a wave good bye. We continued hanging out and on New years eve 1997 shared our first kiss.  That was the beginning of Rob and I dating.

To quote a friend Andrea “LOVE!” (Said in a cutesy sing song tone).

First we over slept. It snowed. Couldn’t find Cam’s snow pants. We were late leaving for school. Had to get 2 kids to not play in the snow so we could get to school. The wagon broke on the way to school (while crossing the road., no one was hurt thankfully). Had to trek 3 kids through the school to sign Cam in at the office. Then I had to get Nate and Aly and a broken wagon home in the snow. Got home and tried to make a cup of tea to warm up and the pull tab broke and I couldn’t open the container of tea. Then Nate helped himself to milk while I was busy and spilled it. Rob on the other hand left at his normal time and what is normally a 45 minute drive took 2 hours. What a wonderful beginning to Friday the 13th.

P.S. I am not really superstitious I just love to blame things on superstitions because then it isn’t my fault. 😀

I was shy in school but did okay in small groups. In October of 1997 (which seems like an eternity ago) I was invited by some friends to a Halloween party. Everyone was hanging out having a good time. I on the other hand was hanging around trying to look like I belonged and I am sure failing at it. I knew most of the people at the party but was friends with only a couple of them. I was just getting up the energy to leave because I was bored and tired when a guy at the party started talking to me. I don’t remember really what he said or what we talked about but I do know that I didn’t leave until the party was over and I had spent the whole night talking with him and had had a great time. Over the next few weeks we hung out a lot and became great friends. Sometimes in those moments where you expect to find nothing you can find the greatest things in life.