8 years ago, I married my best friend.

Today, I’d do it all over again … good times, bad times, no kids, two kids. He makes my world an adventure and my life is more complete than I ever could have imagined.

I’m so blessed … my mother-in-law is coming to visit this weekend. For two weeks.

You read it right. I’m blessed and excited.

Sandra is a complete God-send to me. I enjoy visiting and spending time with her. I really lucked out!

My husband is the oldest of five boys. I can not imagine the chaos that Sandra lived with during the years that they were all at home. The stories are hysterical. Many of them involve rotten fruit, shag carpet, or some sort of sporting event. How she balanced life is beyond me. I struggle with two kids. I can’t imagine adding three more to the mix.

Sandra has embraced the daughters that she has now – the wives of three of her sons. She treats us like gold. I always cringe when I hear the horror stories of my friends and their in-laws. I feel so bad for them. Anthea, Kathleen, and I really have it made!

Now, if Don can make it these two weeks, we’ll be home free. Did I mention that I look so much like his mom that most of the time people think she’s my mother? Oh, and that our personalities are nearly identical?

Bless his heart – he married his mother!

This was my view at our anniversary dinner on Monday night. Fancy place settings, a pig, and a firetruck.

… and it was wonderful.

We decided at the last minute to go to a really nice restaurant to celebrate our anniversary. At that late date, we didn’t have anything arranged to do with the kids, so we decided to take them with us. Thankfully, this wasn’t their first trip out of the house! They knew how to behave and they did marvelous.

Avery was disappointed. It was his school’s “night” at Mooyah (a local hamburger joint) and the school was getting a bit of the profits that night. Evidentally, they drove the point home because Avery was devastated … like cried in the parking lot devastated …that we wouldn’t chose Mooyah for our anniversary dinner. Now, I love me some Mooyah, but it’s not the swanky anniversary joint that I had in mind.

But, one visit to the bathroom at Perry’s and Avery was a new man! They have a television built into the mirror. He was beyond impressed!!!!

Typical male.

Looking back on it, Don and I remembered that this is the 3rd Anniversary Dinner that the kids have shared with us. It’s becoming a habit. And, truthfully, I’m not disappointed. What better way to celebrate the beginning of your family then to include the entire family.

Today is my seven year anniversary to the love of my life. We have been through trials and huge pits … but we have successfully battled everything that has come our way and are all the better for it!

I am so happy that I get to spend my life with my best friend. There is no better feeling than knowing that someone is on your side 100% of the time … even when you are wrong.

Here’s to so many many more “Happy Anniversary’s” Donald Click. I love you!!!

I ran across this picture today. It was taken on Christmas morning 2005. There are so many memories that flood back from just this one picture.

(Avery was 2 yrs. and Piper was 1 yr. old)

1) This was the first sucker Piper ever had.

2) Both babies were in diapers. Can you say “Diaper Poor”?

3) The kids still shared a nursery. Both were still sleeping in cribs. To this day, they sleep better when they are in the room together. I’m sure it’s because that’s how life started for them!

4) That Cinderella blanket that you can see over my shoulder is still used daily in our house. It’s the softest blanket ever. Some sort of cotton and cashmere blend. I had forgotten it came from Santa!

5) I will always do everything in my power to make sure that my kids have matching pajamas for Christmas Eve. I know that this will one day (probably) come to an end, but it’s a tradition that I love.

6) My life today … 4 years later … is still much like this picture. The kids are rarely apart; one is laying on me in some fashion while I help the other do something. The kids are bigger, but the concept is EXACTLY the same!

I don’t remember many details about this Christmas morning. (Thank goodness we videoed it!) Having a 2 year old and a 1 year old introduces you to an entirely new level of exhaustion.

I do miss my kids being this small. Every stage is special, but those first years – although the most challenging of my life – are still some of the most magical.

This picture stinks for the most part … it was taken on my phone.

However, I love that you can see the HUGE smile on Piper’s face.

Usually, if she wants to dance she comes to me. We have a lot of silly dances that we do and just giggle hysterically at ourselves.

Just before this picture was taken, Piper had said “Mom, will you dance with me?” Unlike our usual “crazy” dances, I picked her up and we danced correctly – even with a dip at the end.

Don has had a horrible time with neck pain lately and picking up anything heavier than a towel is like torture to him. I shuttered when, as the next song came on, Piper went to Don and said, “Daddy, will you dance with me?”

Suddenly, Stephen Curtis Chapman’s song “Cinderella” blazed through my head. I prayed silently for Don to not miss this opportunity to dance with the sweetest little girl in the world.

… and like every loving, compassionate Daddy in the world … and without missing a beat, he said, “Of course, I’ll dance with you!”

The car saga has finally ended! On Saturday, we drove home a 2008 Mitsubishi Endeavor. It has all the bells and whistles that we wanted, has a great reliability rating, and drives like a dream.

I’ll be writing about the dealership where we bought it in another post, but let me say this – when you find a place that is interested in getting you what you want at a price you can afford, it makes all the difference in the world. I can’t imagine a smoother experience.

This car will be mine to drive and Don will take over my old car (2001 Ford Taurus). It still has life in it, and has many more options than what he was driving previously. I know he’s especially looking forward to air conditioning and windows that roll down. The man is a saint, I tell you! Can you imagine living in TX and driving a car like that?

However, it was a sad little moment for our family when we traded in the 1994 Saturn Coupe. It had +/- 200,000 miles on it! It’s been a great car for us. We’ve had that car longer than we’ve had kids!!!

Here is a picture of the kids posing and telling the car good-bye. Definitely bittersweet.

PS – Mission #1 in the new car was taking Avery to get his hair cut. I swear that kids hair grows faster than anything I’ve ever witnessed in my life!!!

Three years ago this week, we packed up and moved from Nashville to Houston, Texas. It really seems like it was just a couple of weeks ago.

It’s amazing to see what God has done for us over the course of these three years. We are so blessed. We stepped out in faith and, really, never looked back. It’s so humbling to look back and see the signs that let me know that God was definitely in control of this entire situation and he has never forsaken us … never once.

It’s funny, too, that I now track time by (1) did we live in Texas yet? – because if we didn’t, it was prior to 2006. (2) what house did we live in? – we rented a house the first year we lived here, so if it was in the “Clover Trails House,” then that tells me that it was sometime from May 06 – June 07. (3) was Avery in school yet? – of course, that narrows it down to 2008-2009.

I’m sure people get sick of hearing us talk about how much we love it here, but we really do love it. We love our little suburb, we love our school system, we love our jobs, we love our church … and, thankfully, we still love each other!

If Texas needs a spokesperson, they should call me. I try to recruit everyone to move here. I’ve done everything but add that “I wasn’t born a Texan, but I got here as quickly as I could” bumper sticker to my car.

God Bless Texas!

Four more days until the Britney Spears concert. I’m so so so excited.

We bought the tickets so long ago that it’s kind-of slipped my mind and just yesterday I realized it was actually time to get excited.

We never ever get a babysitter. It seems like everywhere we go, we just take the kids with us. It’s always been that way, but this night – we’re going all out – babysitter and all.

I’ve been listening to all her music making sure I know all the words so that I can sing at the top of my lungs

Sweet Don is going with me. What a trooper. Of course, Britney will be nearly naked and she is back to her pre-baby(s) body, so it’s not like he’s enduring much. But, I still appreciate that he got the sweet hook-up for tickets and is coming with me since he knows I love Britney so much.

If I make the news, or the fan page, you’ll be the first to know.

I’m a little miffed right now. This has not been the greatest week in Click Healthcare History.

Here’s the 30 second summary:

Monday – Avery throws up in Target. Yes, I said, in Target … not in Target’s bathroom. The most puke I’ve ever seen come from a child, btw.

Tuesday – I leave for a 3 day work trip. Don stays home with Avery (who also has diarrhea) – Piper goes to school. Pediatrician won’t see Avery. Says it’s a stomach bug, so no need to come in. I didn’t know the doctor could “not” see us. I was “not” happy. (PS – I miss our Franklin pediatrician SO much!!!)

Wednesday – 6:45 AM Don calls to tell me that now he’s throwing up and has diarrhea. He and Avery are dueling banjos at this point. Both drag Piper to school. Thank goodness we live close.

Thursday – I pull into town and go straight home to bleach the entire house (Don/Avery still sick) BEFORE I get Piper from daycare. As I’m pulling into our street, daycare calls – Piper’s throwing up and has diarrhea.

Friday – Send Avery back to school. Don’s still sick, Piper’s still sick. I stay home to get everyone uncontaminated. Around 3:00 PM, Piper quits throwing up/diarrhea and starts running a fever. WHAT??? Where did this come from? With that, she starts this deep cough (think 70 year old man that has smoked for 67 years.)

Saturday – Doctor finally agrees to see Piper. She prescribes a breathing treatment for which we have to rent a machine. Can’t find a place to rent a machine.

Sunday – Finally figure out that Kroger rents machines. Start Piper on treatments.

Today – Everyone is back to work and school. Hallelujah.

Tomorrow – Don gets the epidural with steroids in his back to help alleviate the pain he’s had (since January from the herniated nerves.

UNTIL …..

Don gets a call from the surgery center. He happens to ask what the co-pay will be. (Our policy says that if it is an out-patient PROCEDURE, then the co-pay is $50. If it is an out-patient SURGERY, the co-pay is $500. Big difference.) It’s $500. I’m not kidding.

This is especially not cool since we already KNOW that we’ve reached our $1,000 deductible getting MRIs, X-rays, etc, getting prepped for this PROCEDURE. I’m waiting for the bills to start rolling in on that.

Here’s the catch: Don’s deal tomorrow is a PROCEDURE, but because he’s having it done in a SURGERY CENTER – we’re expected to pay the SURGERY co-pay. Seriously.

Needless, to say, he immediately called the doctor to see if we could schedule this PROCEDURE at a different place, but they are out to lunch. Of course.

Pray for this to be sorted out. That Don can get the treatment and that we don’t have to rob a bank to pay for it.

Oh, and Aetna … you can suck my foot. We’re not friends anymore.