Merry Christmas!

2005...Wow! A lot has happened in the past year! It started on a very low note with Ryan in Kuwait. In March, Ryan came home & we celebrated my birthday & his homecoming in San Antonio. That trip was a lot of fun. I have really enjoyed him being home this year. Of course, it did take some adjustment to having someone else at home. You wouldn't think it would be that big of a deal, but it was an adjustment for us both!

The rest of the year was filled with work, visiting family, making new friends (because I moved us to Dallas), surgery, & brother-in-law's wedding. There have been some fun times...and some not so fun times. Overall, I count 2005 as a blessed year for us. I thank God that He showed us love and compassion throughout this year. There were SO many times we needed Him, especially while Ryan was in Kuwait. And He was there for us each and every time!

I hope throughout this holiday season each person is able to see the blessings God has given you over the past year. Sometimes, they are hidden and sometimes they are right out in the open, but they are always there. Our God is so faithful & strong. This year has shown me how much I need Him & how much He does for me. May you see that, too, in your own lives.

Love,
Lesli

P.S. This will probably be my last blog during the holidays. We are heading out in the morning to visit family. I hope each and every person has a WONDERFUL Christmas & Happy New Year!!

Rylie

This is Rylie Hoskinson, Brittany's baby. Isn't she cute?! I think she's just adorable!! She looks like a little baby doll! So cute!

Busy, busy, busy

Christmas is a WONDERFUL time of year, but man is it busy! I can't remember when we had a night to just sit back and relax. Oh well...time to relax is on the way!! We leave for Paducah in 3 days!!!! I'm so excited! Bet ya hadn't heard that one! ;)

Last night I went to dinner with Brittany and Rylie (her daughter). It was so much fun!! I use to work with Brittany at the bank. I really miss getting to hang out with her on a daily basis. She really is one of the best people to work with & friend that someone can have. So, thanks Brit for having dinner with me and letting me see that beautiful bundle of yours!!! I'm so happy for you.

That's about all I know. I need to get off here and eat dinner so that I can head to Target to get a few things and then start getting clothes together to pack.

Pic of us at Jon and Corena's wedding

 

Can't wait!

In a week and a half we will be heading to Paducah for Christmas!!!!! :) Can you tell I'm excited?! We are going to be in for a decent amount of time. We will actually be able to SEE family. Usually when we go in, I feel like we only get glimpses of them. Although it will still not be long enough, we will be able to get some good quality time in. I am really, really ready.

So, to all of the family we will get to see...we can't wait!! To those who will not be in, we will deeply miss you and wish you could be there with us. We love you...you know who you are!!

I hope this week is blessing you all!!

Love,
Lesli

Winter Weather

Today we got a taste of winter. Although, it is not the kind of winter you welcome. Currently at 4:23pm it is 27 degrees outside. That part I like. The rest of the weather report is not so friendly. It is not snowing...it's icing. They are expecting 1-3 inches of ice tonight. Ice...that is never fun. You can't quite play in it & you can't control your vehicle on it! So, we will be staying in the comforts of our home tonight. I guess I asked for it when I said a couple of blogs ago that I wanted winter to come soon. Oh well!

Since church is cancelled tonight, I'm planning on wrapping Christmas presents. I LOVE wrapping presents! My mom use to put all of our presents in boxes & put our initials on the box to tell who's box was who's. Then, she'd call me in & let me help wrap the presents. I even wrapped my own many times! I didn't care. It's so fun to be able to make a regular present look so pretty. It really is one of my favorite parts of Christmas.

Ryan and I have this argument when it comes to Christmas. He HATES the presents part of Christmas. He says that there shouldn't be a holiday when you HAVE to get someone something or they HAVE to get you something. He just despises that part of Christmas. Although I agree with him that for the most part, Christmas is overrated, I LOVE the presents part. No, not the part of getting presents, but the part of giving presents.

I read a book not too long ago called The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman. In the book, it talked about the way we give love is the way we expect to receive love. One of my "love languages" is giving gifts. I absolutely LOVE to give gifts. If I'm not careful over Christmas, I can way overspend! To me, there is nothing more special that someone thinking of you while they aren't even with you and getting something special just for you. So, that's why I like the presents part of Christmas. I'm sure that's also why I like making the presents look so pretty, too.

All of that to say, I really love this time of year. I can't wait to be home with our families and have a "traditional" Christmas!! This will be the first time in 3 years we will both be able to be in Paducah for Christmas, and we are really really looking forward to it!

Dilema

Over the past several years I have had a huge dilema. I attended 3 years of college and then said, "I don't really know what I want to do." So, instead of wasting Dad's $$, I decided to sit out until I could figure it out. Several (I won't say how many) years later, I still haven't finished. This past week I have REALLY been thinking about what I should go back for. I've always known that I want to go back. Having not finished has made me feel like a failure for long enough. So, school is on the horizon for me. But...which school & majoring in what?

Although I'm not 100% on a decision, I have decided that I don't really have to know what I'm suppose to be when I grow up. I just need to pick something and get it done. I really don't think there is one specific thing that I need to do. I don't think God says, "Swung and missed, Lesli. Sorry that wasn't it, so you're going to be miserable for the rest of your life." Just doesn't seem like it works that way. Anyway, I've given myself the deadline of Jan. 1st so that hopefully I can get in a class or two by the summer.

Please keep this in your prayers. I want to do what is best for me and our family financially. Then...after Jan. 1st ask me what I decided & I will give you the answer that I'm sticking with!

Thanks to Summer for helping me see that I really need to finish. She mentioned that credits don't always hang around forever. I called MSU & they said that it probably will for a while, but it really got me thinking. Why would I want to risk losing the credits that I do have?! So thanks!! Love ya girl!!

Hope everyone's weekend is going well!!

Love to you all,
Lesli

Our New Computer

Guess what?! I am sitting at our computer desk with our new laptop & am on the internet! We just got it home & hooked it up. It saw the network and connected. How cool is that?! I can now go in the other room with the computer and continue typing. If you can't tell...we are a little excited! It is definitely Merry Christmas to us!

I know some computer savvy people would be laughing at this blog, but I am quite excited that we were able to get it. The laptop will be very helpful to Ryan when they send him out-of-town for work. When you're taking online classes, you kinda have to get online! : )

Speaking of Ryan's classes....he got a 99 in his first class!! Woohoo!!! Way to go Ryan! You can't start out better than an A! I knew he could do it, and am so happy that he's proved it to himself.

I hope everyone has a GREAT weekend!! We are ready for ours. Nothing special is planned, just school work & house cleaning. At least he will be home!

Love to you all,
Lesli

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!! Ours turned out great. We had a delicious turkey that Ryan cooked! We ate more than we should, took naps, shopped on Black Friday, put up Christmas decorations, saw Rent, and really enjoyed each other's time. It was a great relaxing weekend!! Of course, we all missed being with the rest of our family for this holiday, but we made the most of what we had.

I hope everyone's holiday was as good as ours. Have a great week!! Only a few more weeks until Christmas! :)

Love to you all,
Lesli

They're married!

Our weekend was WONDERFUL! The wedding was absolutely perfect. Corena was a beautiful bride. The decorations & location were just gorgeous! Hat's off to Chris for his wonderful words during the ceremony! He really did a great job. The whole weekend was great. Hopefully I'll have some pictures to post soon. (We had a little issue with the laptop once we got 700 pictures on it! Yes...700!!) Thanks Jon & Corena for including us in your big day! It really did mean a lot to both of us.

We got a taste of winter while we were in Peoria. It was so nice. At first I was dreading the cold because we're not use to it, but when we got there it was so refreshing. I really hope we have a real winter, but living in Texas it's not too likely! There's really just something wrong with pulling out Christmas decorations with it being 70 outside...just doesn't seem right.

This week is Thanksgiving & I hope everyone has a great one! This year it is just Nathan, Ryan, & I in Dallas. We could have driven home, but Ryan and Nathan both have to be back by Saturday so it would be a very quick turn around. I hope the family has a great one without us. We'll be in before we know it! Anyway, to all of you...HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Love you all,
Lesli

P.S. Per Chris, I will mention that Ryan coined the phrase, "resetting your feet". His (Ryan's) theory is that you take your shoes off for a few seconds and let them air & stretch. Then when you put your same shoes on, your feet feel better...or reset. He's a little nuts sometimes! jk ;) Actually, he told me when we got home Sunday night that he was pulling all of that out of his you know what. Being his wife...I knew that already! ;) Love you baby!

Jon & Corena's wedding!!

I cannot wait for this weekend! Ryan and I are traveling to Peoria, IL for his youngest brother, Jon's wedding. He and Corena make a great couple! I can't wait! Have I said that before?!

Anyway, we miss family so much, and to be in the same city with his whole family for an entire weekend will be great! I hope all goes well and everyone including Jon and Corena can enjoy the weekend and relax.

Jon & Corena, we love you both and wish you all the best in your life together!

Love,
Lesli

Christmas?!

Can you believe Christmas is a month and a half away?! I just realized it this past weekend...a month and a half! It seems like just yesterday Ryan was coming home from Kuwait...not eight months later!!! I am so excited! I can't wait for Christmas! I can't wait to put up our decorations which haven't been out in 2 years! Last year I really couldn't care less if Christmas came or not. I bought presents to be nice and giving, but I was not in the spirit of things at all! I guess this year I have double energy and excitement for it! I can't wait. Can you tell?! I am ready to buy presents...budget isn't yet but I am! I'm just ready for it all. Now...if I can just get my husband in the spirit as we go...it'll be the PERFECT Christmas. Although, any Christmas with him at home really is a perfect Christmas. (Janice, the mushy stuff was just for you! ;) Love ya.)

To all, I hope everyone has a GREAT holiday season!!

Love,
Lesli

Ryan's back to school!

Last week Ryan started classes at the University of Phoenix Online! I am so proud of him for making the decision to go back. It is a lot harder to go back once you've hit the real world and have a job. It takes quite a lot of sacrifice in your time and finances! This week he has realized that attending classes this way is much harder than going to one or two night classes a week. Each course is a 5 week course. The amount of time that should be put into each class is enough to give him something to do 7 days a week! He has been so good at keeping with it each night and getting the studying/reading done that he needs to do. Before you know it, my husband will be a college grad!! :) Whoohoo! I'm so proud of you!!

Besides that, there's nothing new to report. I'm feeling much better!! Thank goodness! My energy level still isn't 100%, but hopefully it will be soon.

I hope all are doing well!

Love you,
Lesli

I'm up and moving!!

I'm finally to the point that I can go back to work. Today was my first full day of work since my surgery. The last several days have been miserable!! My recovery from my surgery went fairly well the first several days (I think it was because my Momma was here!). Then evidently an infection set in AND I caught the stomach virus that is going around. How in the world I caught that by being out a total of 5 1/2 hours in 5 days, I'll never know! I guess I just hugged the right...or wrong person! Anyway, it hasn't been any fun, but hopefully it's all behind me. I'm a new girl today!! I don't have much energy, but getting back to work has done me a ton of good!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by, called, sent or brought flowers, and lifted me up in your prayers! You all mean so much to me. You know who you are!! From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

On a happier note, it looks like the weather this weekend is going to be pretty...mid 70s and sunny! I am ready to get out and enjoy this wonderful fall weather!!!!

I hope everyone is doing well!! Don't forget to set your clocks back an hour Saturday night!!

Love to you all,
Lesli

Fall is finally trying to make an appearance!

Well, the trees aren't turning yet, but hopefully they will. Either last year or the year before they just fell. They didn't turn at all! That fall went down as one of my not so good falls!! I LOVE when the trees turn. My happiest memories about where I grew up (Paducah, KY) was driving down our road and seeing all of the beautiful trees. That subdivision had some great ones! The tree that was in our front yard always turned the brightest colors. With the dark bark, it was gorgeous! (I think it was part to the fact that my dad took such good care of his yard! His yard has always been his baby & it was usually the best looking yard in the neighborhood!) Fall is definitely my favorite time of year.

Fall in Texas...well, that's hit or miss. Some years it is hot & doesn't even seem like fall. As I said earlier, some years the trees rebel and don't turn the beautiful colors they are meant to turn. And sometimes it is just perfect. I'm hoping this year will be one of those years. The weather is now in the 80s. Thank goodness it is cooling down! I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope that this fall and winter will be a great one! (Can you tell I'm a KY girl?! No matter where I live that will always be true. It's in my blood!)

This weekend is shaping up to be a great one! Tonight Ryan and I are going to run some errands. Then we're going to watch a couple of movies. Tomorrow we're going with the Parkers to the Fair! I can't wait!! It's going to be a lot of fun! The Parkers are an awesome couple! Sunday the church is having a picnic in the park. I love those times! Then on Sunday night we're headed to the Morris' with the Kimberlins and Parkers for some food and dominoes! Whoohoo! I can't wait for the weekend to start!

For those of you who have been reading my blog but not responding, thanks for letting me know you read it! Now I know I'm not just writing to myself! :) (And...you don't have to respond.)

I hope you all have a GREAT weekend!!!!!

Love to you all,
Lesli

My mom is coming! My mom is coming!

Granted, it's not under the best of circumstances, but I can't wait to see her! Living 10 hours away makes me REALLY miss my time with her. We use to do little things together like go to Wal-Mart to get groceries or shopping on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. I cannot express how much I miss those days!! There is just no other time that compares to those times. I REALLY miss it.

Of course, I would rather have her here in better circumstances. I'm having surgery again for endometriosis next Wednesday. Ryan will be here, but will have to go back to work on Thursday. She's coming to help. I am SO thankful!! No one takes care of ya like your momma when you're sick or hurt!! Anyone agree?! I am very thankful that she's taking the time to come. It means so much to me!!

So, although I can wait forever for the surgery, I can't wait until she's here...one more week!!!

Love ya Mom!!

Lesli

Not a restful night...

Funny story...at my own expense, yes...but still funny according to my dad!

So, let me tell you about my night last night!! I went to bed at about 10:30 & woke up at 12:45 to a HUGE (by huge I mean as long as my middle finger & twice the width) roach crawling down my face!!!!!! How disgusting is that?! I woke up flicking it off and saw it fly to the middle of the bed. I immediately jumped out of bed & turned the light on to make sure I wasn’t just seeing things! Once I saw it crawling on the bed, I screamed and started crying! (Ryan was out of town, of course, so it was up to me to kill it. Me!) I went into the bathroom & got a towel. I verbally talked myself through killing it & throwing it in the toilet. If there was a fly on the wall...it was definitely laughing at me during all that! I then sat for 30-40 minutes on the toilet crying my eyes out & getting sick! I was so freaked out. I went to the living room, because there was NO way that I was going back to bed, and watched TV for 3 hours. After Sam, our dog, went into the kitchen (where it was dark) to go to sleep, I decided to get up the nerve to go back to bed. BUT there was NO way I was turning out the lights. So, I laid in bed jumping at every little thing & staring at the ceiling. It was a WONDERFUL night! Two hours of sleep and I’m still pressing on…just in desperate need of caffeine!

For those of you who know me well, you know I'm scared of spiders. Well, last night I was not scared, I was WAY beyond scared! You should have seen me. It was quite pathetic to most, I'm sure. But there was nothing I could do but talk myself down. Granted, it took all night! But, I'm better now...12 hours later.

Hope you all had a much better night than me!

Love to you all,
Lesli

Great Weekend!

We had a great weekend! We took dinner to the park, took lunch the next day to the Dallas Arboretum, stayed a night at the Westin Stonebriar in Frisco, and DID NOT ANSWER OUR CELLPHONES! (If you called, sorry but we made a pact.) It was peaceful & wonderful. We both really had a good time. There were no worries or concerns. We just enjoyed our time off & "away". It was nice to reconnect.

I've been thinking over the weekend and today. We don't have kids, but with the computer, tv, and work things we seem to find ways to not find time for each other. It is amazing how easy it is to make time for things that get NOTHING from us (like the tv), but we find it hard to make time for those who love us & get so much from us just being there & enjoying their company! So, last weekend we committed to put the world out. It was just the two of us & it was AWESOME!

This week, well...we won't have much time for each other. Ryan's in OK for the week. He was sent by work for a project there. I'll probably use this opportunity to hang out with the girls. Hmmm...could be a good week to scrapbook! :)

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!! Have a great week!

Love to you all,
Lesli

Happy Anniversary, Baby!!!!

Today is our 4 year anniversary!! I honestly can't believe it has been 4 years since our wedding. Time has flown! Well, actually when I look back and think about that day & the day he left for Bahrain, it seems like so long ago. It is weird that in one way it can seem like yesterday and in another it seems like forever ago. Or, it could be that I'm just weird! :)

I am so excited for today. I cherish the anniversaries that I get with Ryan at home. Of the ones we've had, only this one and the second one actually felt like anniversaries. For our first, he had only been home from Bahrain for 3 months. So, we were still adjusting to living as a married couple. Our second anniversary really felt like our first, and last year's he was in Kuwait. This time of year for us typically isn't the best. Just seems like the Navy wants him more in the fall than any other time! BUT this year, he's all mine!

Tonight we're going to eat at a really neat place. We've never been before & I'm really excited. It's called Simply Fondue. I can't wait!

This morning was the greatest morning!! I woke up & got ready like I normally do, but as I headed out the door I saw a card and present sitting on the entertainment center. It was put where Ryan normally leaves things that he needs me to see before I head to work. It was the absolute sweetest card!! Well, the card was ok, but what he wrote brought me to tears. He has such an amazing way with words!! Anyway, he got me this really neat necklace. It is a Loving Family necklace. It is very hard to describe, so I'll try to remember to take a picture of it and post it for you. On the back of the necklace box it says,

"Certificate of Family
To: Lesli (Ryan wrote it in the blank)

I hereby certify that in accordance with the code of family values, the person herein mentioned is a loving inspiration to family life; through strength, encouragement, and faith in the family circle. (That's what the necklace looks like, a family circle.)

In witness whereof, I have signed and sealed these statements to be true this 28th day of September 2005."

How sweet is that?! I love it! And I love him for thinking of a special thing for me to do today. He's awesome. I know that I don't say it enough, but he is!! I'm the luckiest girl in the world. For those of you that think this blog is too mushy. It's my anniversary, cut me some slack! :) jk

Hope you're all having as good of a day as I am!

Happy Anniversary, Ryan! I love you more than words can say. Thank you for these 4 years. Although trying at times for both of us, I wouldn't change it for anything in the world! I love you!

Love to you all,
Lesli

Scrapbooking Weekend!

This weekend, I'm off to Salado, TX for a weekend of scrapbooking with some women from our church. I'm SO excited!! It will be nice to have a fun weekend with no worries or cares. I can accomplish what I want to accomplish! Of course, I will miss my honey, but it will be good for us both! I can't wait!

Ryan's birthday, oh excuse me "last day of 29 party", was last Saturday night. We had a few friends over & catered On the Border. It was delicious & a really fun time!! We ate then played dominos, and ate some more!! Our guests even poked a little fun at him by bringing gifts like, prune juice and Benefiber! They even dressed the part and wore black! It was great! Ryan said that was the best day he's had in a long time. So...mission accomplished!

Well, it will just be the boys this weekend. I wish I could set up a hidden camera to see how long they play ball!! Ryan will throw the ball for Sam even when he's not thinking about it or noticing what he's doing! It's so fun to watch. I hope they both have a great weekend chillin'. I hope all of your weeks have gone well.

Love you all,
Lesli

Happy Birthday! Happy Anniversary!

The month of September is BUSY for us as far as birthdays and anniversaries go. We have a mom, aunt, grandmother, and Ryan's birthday. We also have Momma Rita & Pops' anniversary, grandparent's anniversary, and our anniversary this month! Hallmark definitely stays in business from us during September.

I'm excited though. Sunday is Ryan's 30th birthday!! We're having a few people over on Saturday night to celebrate. (Our apartment can't hold too many.) He's not very thrilled with the "birthday" party. He says we're having a "dinner" party@ He's silly. Anyway, I'm probably going to get mexican from on eof the nearby restaurants. It would be a lot better than heating up our kitchen. We have such a hard time getting it to cool off in the afternoons as it is! It's not going to be a big party because I promised Ryan that I wouldn't throw a big one (and I turn 30 in 3 1/2 years! I can't give him too much ammo!) I hope all goes according to plan, and he has a blast. He really does deserve it. Not because of Kuwait or because he's turning 30, but because he NEVER wants the attention to be on him. He hates it, as a matter of fact! So, this will be one time in his life that I ignore the fact that he wants the spotlight somewhere else.

I'll let you know next week how the party goes. I haven't really done this before, so who knows what I've already forgotten!! We'll see! Keep your fingers crossed.

To Momma Rita and Gma (who doesn't own a computer and won't see this. Oh well.):

Happy Birthday!!!!!!!! :) We love you!

To Pops & Momma Rita and Gma & Gpa:

Happy Anniversary!!!! Thank you for showing us what marriage is all about & being AWESOME role models!

To my hubby:

Happy Birthday!!! Happy Anniversary!! I love you very much & hope this is a GREAT month for you!

Love to you all,
Lesli

Congratulations Jon & Corena!!

Jon proposed to Corena this week!! Ryan and I are so excited to get have this wonderful girl as a sister! They make an amazing couple and compliment each other so well. So to both of you, we love you and are so thrilled!! Keep us posted on the details. We wouldn't miss your special day for anything in the world! (And we won't even fall asleep at the airport!) ;)

Love you both,

Ryan and Lesli

Our decision

Well, it looks like we've decided to get the furniture instead of taking our trip. I have to say that I am a little disappointed. I know it's the right choice, but I was really looking forward to some time away with Ryan. We will probably still take the time off, but will not go anywhere. I am excited to be getting the furniture, don't get me wrong! I just really enjoy how we are when we're away. It's a special time that we just don't get at home. I think at home we get too selfish and too into everyday life that we will do something special for a few hours, but then it's back to the same 'ole stuff. We just don't stay in that mode as long as we do when we're away. Anyway, thanks to those who responded. I don't think anyone responded to here. I think they all came through conversations and via email. Anyway, THANKS!! I think we already knew it logically. We just needed to hear it from others. I hope all is well in everyone else's households!

Love you all,
Lesli

Vacation or bedroom furniture?

As I said yesterday, we are in love with a bedroom set at IKEA. We went back yesterday to get a duvet cover that Ryan was wanting. The duvet cover & 2 pillow covers were $12.99!! You can't beat that! So, we changed our bedroom up a little last night. We took the headboard off & added the new duvet. It really does look good! For not much, we really did change the look of the room. I'll have to take a picture and post it for you. Anyway, it made us really want the furniture when we started changing things. The only way that we can get the furniture before the spring/summer next year is to not take our mini-vacation for our anniversary. That's not an easy decision!! We both really want this little trip! But, we could buy all of the furniture at IKEA & have money left over if we didn't go. What to do?! The answer seems so easy logically, but so hard emotionally. He and I both agree that I am a different person when we are on vacation. I'm a lot more carefree. I really do believe that is what is drawing us to the vacation the most. So, I need your help on this one. Do we get the furniture or do we go on the mini-vacation? We said we were both going to think about it and then come back and discuss it again. It probably shouldn't be that hard of a decision, but it is. Anyway, let me know what you all think. If you don't have a blog username & password, feel free to email me. I will take suggestions any way I can get them. :)

Hope all is well on your homefronts!

Love you all,
Lesli

I know, it's been a while...

It has been a while since I've blogged. I really haven't had much to add. So, instead of boring you with my day-to-day life, I've just waited until there is something to talk about.

Ryan's unit is getting decommissioned. We didn't think it was going to be a big deal because they were just going to put most of them in a different unit. WELL...Saturday Ryan found out that if he doesn't find a group on his own, he has a better chance of being deployed! ARRRHH!! It's neverending. That...I'm realizing. So, he's been on the hunt for a unit that he will like and will work well for our family. Trying to find one that satisfies both has not been an easy task for him! There just isn't much open. So, that is my prayer request to you all. Please keep us in your prayers that something will open up.

On a lighter note, we went to IKEA this weekend. I'm in love!!! We actually found something that we both like!! Whoohoo!! We found a bedroom suite that we REALLY like. It isn't affordable at the moment because money is a little tight, but hopefully it will be one that we will be able to get in the future. For the price of a typical bedroom, this is cheap!! I'm so excited!

Well, I know this one is a little jumbled. Sorry!! I will try to do better with the next one.

I hope everyone is doing well.

Love to you all,
Lesli

Our anniversary

Our anniversary is coming up soon. We've been trying to figure out what we would like to do for it. At first we thought we'd head to Austin for a long weekend. Then we decided it would probably be too expensive. So we've decided to find a hotel in the DFW area for a night or two. I am SO excited!!! This feels like a real anniversary! It is our 4th. However, all of the others have been so weird. Ryan left the Monday after our Friday wedding for Bahrain. He was there for 9 months, so 3 months after he got home we celebrated our 1 year anniversary. It didn't really feel like an anniversary because we had only been living together married for three months. The next year felt like our one year anniversary not our two. Last year's anniversary Ryan was in Kuwait. But, life as a reservist's wife is getting more normal. I guess I'm getting use to knowing that he won't be home for all of them. So, the one's he is home for, I want to be special. I think he's really excited too. I'm sure with my planning personality he's a little frustrated that I'm already wanting to pin down the details, but he's being very good about it all. I'm so thankful that he is home and that we can have this time together. We both agree that we want it to be a time of relaxation & to do NOTHING. We will take our cell phones, but likely leave them off! It will just be a time for us to hang out and get away from the worries of the world. That's nice. I honestly can't wait!!! I love you, baby! And, although it has been a weird 4 years, it has been wonderful! I'd do it all over again if I get to be with you at the end of the day! Thank you for constantly being my love and support. You ARE the most wonderful man on the planet!!! Know that I believe that with every ounce of my being! I love you.

Love to you all!
Lesli

Not much news

Well...the Hughes' household has been fairly quiet lately. We haven't had the greatest luck with health, but we're not doing bad by any means! Ryan has had a slight ear infection & sore throat. I think I tried to poison myself with dinner the other night! Not really, I thought how I was feeling was from what I fixed for dinner but it's hung on too long. I must have gotten a bug or something. Anyway, for the most part we're doing well. So this week we have just basically been taking it easy! I love weeks like that! I don't like the not feeling well part, but I do love the part where nothing is scheduled!

Ryan found out yesterday that he can go to a Navy School in August. It's out of the base in Fort Worth. He's pretty excited! It will be for two weeks. He's been wanting to do something like this, but didn't think it would be possible. I'm happy he will be able to!

So, as you can see, our life has been fairly boring lately. Boring is good! I hope you all are doing well!!

Love you,
Lesli

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!

Happy Birthday, Dad!!!

Today is my Dad's birthday!! It's days like these that make me the most HOMESICK!! 'Cause I know that it is a strong possibility that my Grandma, aka Gma when we write, is fixing dinner at her house. That was always something that was very common for our birthdays. We would always have dinner there whether it was on our birthday or a day around it. Gma always said she was fixin'! So, knowing that our family would typically be together today for my dad's birthday has me a little sad. But, that's ok. It's better to be sad and miss them than not, right?! Because if I'm not sad and missing them, I obviously don't like them very much!(My mom at this point would say, "No, you could live here in KY and see us today." And...I guess in a way she's right.) Anyway, I hope he has a WONDERFUL birthday and knows that he is deeply loved by two people here in Texas!!! Love ya Dad!! Have a great day!!!!

Love,
Ryan & Lesli

What a weekend!

Well, they came and went. It was a great weekend!! We were relaxed and enjoyed the time together. Every single person had a good time. Now...that's a weekend! It was hard to see them go yesterday morning. It seems like it gets harder and harder each time. I honestly thought that after we moved to Texas it would get easier over time. Well, it hasn't. It still cuts to the bone when we leave them or they leave us. I don't think it will ever be easy living 10 hours away from family. So, what do we do about it? I'm not really sure. I wish there was an easy fix to the situation, but there just really isn't. Hopefully one day, a lightbulb will shine over our heads and we'll figure it out. Until then, we will cherish the few moments that we have with family. I love you all, and miss you all terribly!

Lesli

I am one lucky girl!!!

First off, how cute are those dogs?! They definitely give us much joy! Einstein is no longer staying with us. He is with my parents in Kentucky, but we will be seeing him this weekend!! Whoohoo!

Now, on to the serious part. I have been so blessed in my life. I was raised by two of the most wonderful people on the planet! Their love of God and hearts for their family and kids overwhelm me. I will be lucky to be 1/2 the parent they have been to my brother and me. I know they would beg to differ. They always say that one day I will see them as regular people and not just Mom & Dad. They've been right about a lot in life, so maybe I will. But knowing who they are as individuals now, I can't see how I would be disappointed.

My father is one of the most compassionate & caring individuals I know. His love for their congregation at Reidland and those around him have made me so proud to call him my father. I honestly believe that he would do anything for those of that congregation. They are family to him, and I love that! His accomplishments in life have definitely not gone unnoticed by my brother and me over the years! We love him and are so proud that he is our dad!

My mother is one of the best teachers in the world! Although I haven't had her in class, I see her preparation for each class. She works herself to death to make sure that her students know what they should before leaving her grade! It amazes me to see her dedication to them, but it doesn't surprise me. She has always been selfless with our family. She puts everyone ahead of herself & gets what is left over if there is any. She has been a mother & a friend and has known when to be which. As a support to me, she has been my biggest shoulder to lean on. More than anything, she's always been there. She has never once let me down when I needed her.

My brother is such a brother. And...I don't mean that in a bad way. He is 4 years younger than me, but at times you would think he is my older protective brother. He has always been protective of me. I guess he was born that way. But, over the years I have seen his heart & sincerity. When Ryan was called up this last time to go to Kuwait, Nathan was there. He came to be with me (along with my mom) the days after Ryan's departure. He stayed for 2 weeks, then made several trips to visit. His concern was me. He wanted to make sure that I really was ok. He has such a wonderful heart! So, thanks Nathan! It didn't go unnoticed!

Those are the three that God blessed me with at birth. The one He blessed me with later in life has been exactly what I need. My husband, Ryan, is wonderful. He is so loving and caring. He has been so supportive of me throughout this back thing. He has kept the house clean, kept up with the laundry, and stepped in to make dinner when I needed him to. How many men would do that?! Not many. I am lucky to have him in my life. I am realizing now, that I am not doing him justice by this blog. He really is much, much more than I could say. I am a different person than I was before I met him. He has calmed me. He has made me stronger (so has the Navy, but they aren't always a blessing to either one of us ;) He helps me see life in a more colorful way. I love everything about him! And, I apologize, Ryan, for not being able to find the words to express what I really feel. I hope over our lifetime, I will be able to tell you or show you just how much you mean to me. I love you.

So, why am I writing all of this mushy stuff? I woke up this morning & immediately started thinking about how blessed I am. I don't know what sparked my thinking. But once I started, I was more than overwhelmed by how much God has given me just in my family and husband. I have no right to complain about anything in life. He has given me more than I ever deserved. I won't ask why, I will just say, "Thank you."

Lesli

Annoyed Sam trying to sleep 

This is Einstein. The one coming to visit this weekend. 

"Would you please put the camera down and throw my ball?!" 

Sam: Our pride & joy! 

Help!!!

Ok, you all see the picture that I posted on the blog. I would like to have that picture in our profile, but I can't figure out how to do it. If anyone has any knowledge in this area, I would love some help!!

Thanks!

Lesli

Ryan and Lesli in Vail 2004 

Cleaning House

As I mentioned the other day, my parents are coming to town this weekend. I was talking to my mom on the phone yesterday. She told me that they will actually be coming in a day early because they are driving straight through instead of spending the night on the way. Whoohoo! She asked if that was ok with us. Did we have any plans? I told her we would most likely be cleaning! ;) She told me not to worry about it. That we don't have to clean just because they are coming. Now, this is all coming from a lady who cleans no matter who is coming over (sorry Mom). That made me ponder a question. Why do we tell people not to worry about cleaning yet we would be cleaning our house if they were coming over? Do we really mean it when we tell them not to worry about it? Or do we just say that to be nice? I started thinking about the different times that I've said it & I really honestly think I meant it when I said "Don't worry about cleaning your house. We don't mind." So, why do I slave so hard over my own house when those same people come over? Maybe it's because I'm a people pleaser and don't want people to be disappointed in me. Maybe it's because most people haven't seen my house and I want the first impression to be a good one. Who knows! Maybe it's neither of those and I'm just nuts! Anyway, we have the apartment in decent order, so hopefully after tonight it will be as close to perfect as we can get it. Either way, they're coming & I will be ready to see them. If any of you have any idea why we act this way, I would love to hear your theories. Honestly, I just think we're crazy to stress over having people over! But, I'll probably still do it!

Until next time...

Lesli

Keeping Micah

Yesterday morning at work, Bret said that Anna had been sick the night before and Summer would be taking her to the doctor that afternoon. I had already talked to Ryan and knew he was off for the day, and I was getting ready to get off at noon. So, I called Summer to ask if we could keep Micah for the afternoon. I had a few errands to run. One of them was in the Galleria. So, Ryan and Micah headed with me. We had such a blast! Everytime Micah saw an escalator he asked, "Can I ride the escavator?" It was so cute. So, of course we rode everyone in the mall!! Seeing his face when he got on and off was worth every minute. After I ran into the store that I needed to, we continued riding "escavators" and headed down to the ice cream shop. Ryan can barely pass one on his own, much less when he has a kid with him! No, I'm just kidding. I actually offered to take them. So, we got ice cream, coke, & rode "escavators". It was so much fun acting like a kid again! Summer kept thanking us for keeping him, but what I don't think she realized was that we had one of the best afternoons & were happy that we got to play with Micah!! So, thanks Summer for letting us play!

Lesli

5 days!!!

My parents are coming to town in 5 days! I am so excited! We saw them not tooo long ago, but living 10 hours away it seems we never get to see family enough. I have some ideas for what we can do when they are here. Grapevine Mills Mall has an indoor blacklight putt-putt place. I think that would be a lot of fun! For some reason, I've been dying to go play putt-putt. I never have to talk Ryan into it. He loves to play! And, since this one is indoors, we will be able to play without getting all hot and sweaty! I've also thought about us seeing the Batman movie. I've heard it's a good movie & it would be right up Ryan & Dad's alley. Mom & I are getting our hair done on Saturday. So, this weekend should be a fun weekend! I can't wait. Can you tell?

I hope everyone has a great & speedy week! If I don't see some of you before the 4th, have a GREAT 4th of July!

Love to you all!
Lesli

It is confirmed

The doctor confirmed today that I definitely did not do myself any favors by moving Ryan and I to Dallas! She believes the heavy lifting is what started all of my back problems. She believes I have a strained muscle and has prescribed physical therapy for me. Fun, fun! Well, that's actually better than it could be. I'm thankful. Now I have to find a physical therapist who will take my insurance. Anyway, I said I would report back to let you know what the doctor said. It is a good verdict, I think. The x-ray showed very little curvature of my spine (that I was told of when I was younger). She said I should not see many problems because it is so slight. That I'm thankful for!

So, I guess I'll be off to physical therapy. I'm not really excited about it because most people that I've talked to who have gone say it's painful. The doctor did tell me that we would watch for a gradual change. I'm not suppose to start judging how it's going until it's been about 3 or 4 weeks. Too bad there's no quick fix! Oh well. I'm thankful that it's not worse.

I plan to just take it easy this weekend. It should be a relaxing one. Hopefully I will be able to just enjoy the time with Ryan. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Until next time...

Lesli

Weekends

Why is it that the week takes it's normal time to pass, but the weekends go by so fast? As I get older, it seems that the weekends just go faster and faster. I really don't understand it. It seems that as I approach exciting weekends, like July 4th with my parents coming, I am excited and frusterated. Isn't that odd?! I should just be excited that they are coming and I am getting the chance to spend some time with them. Instead, the other side of me says, "You know it is going to go by so fast. Before you know it, it will be here and gone!" That is such a pessimistic way to look at it. My father has pointed out that I have a tendancy to do that. I'm actually very thankful that he's pointed it out. And...he did it in a VERY tactful way. I'm glad I know because I am able to stop and see that in myself and try to change it. I'm only 26, so hopefully I can get this habit changed before I'm old!

Anyway! I'm looking forward to this weekend because we have NO plans for Friday night and Saturday. No matter what we do, I plan on relaxing! I don't know why, but I feel like I've been running a rat race. I haven't really been that busy, but I feel like I've been swamped. Who knows! I'm probably just nuts! I'm sure there are several in my life that would second that.

That's about all I know for today. It was mostly just be blabbering today. Sorry. I hope you all are having a good week!! Take care.

Love,
Lesli

Getting older

I now understand why my mom use to say, "Don't do that. You'll hurt your back." I use to think, "Yeah right. I'm too young to hurt my back." Well, let me tell you...I am wrong on that one! Yeah Mom, you can mark that one in your corner! And, I'll say it just for you. "You were right. I was wrong." So, why am I saying this? Mostly because for the past 6 months I have been struggling with some sort of back pain. I'm not sure where it stems. I know that I was dumb and tried to do too much when I moved Ryan and I to Dallas. But, who else was going to do it?! If that is the cause, I would have much rather paid someone to come in, pack it, and move me! It would have been worth the money. But, at the time it didn't seem worth it. I'm not sure if it is that or sitting at a desk all day that's the cause. I have a doctor appointment on Friday. Hopefully she will get to the bottom of it and figure out a cure. Anyway, I'm mostly writing this to say..."You aren't to young to hurt your back!!! So, don't do more than you know you should."

My husband is AWESOME! He has heard me complain for the last 6 months. Granted, he wasn't here to hear it face to face, but he heard me complain enough over the phone for the first 3! He has not once rolled his eyes, or seemed like he is frusterated with me at all. He has been so loving and supportive. So, thanks Ryan! I love you!

I will let you know how the appointment goes. Keep us in your prayers.

Love you all,
Lesli

Jealous, jealous, jealous!

Well, my parents have been texting me today (I started it with a quick "I hope you're having fun") telling me how much fun they're having in San Francisco! They have now ridden the cable car, seen seals on pier 39, and been to a 4 story Ross!! Not fair! Well, I guess it is fair. They deserve it. I just wish that Ryan and I were with them! How beautiful would San Francisco be at this time of year? Well, I don't really know! I haven't been there! ;) I am happy that they are getting this time together. It seems they are having a lot of fun!

Well, Ryan and I think we've solved our company delima. When people come to visit, we have to get Bret and Summer's blow up mattress. It's a really great mattress. It's getting the mattress back to it's owners that's usually the problem. So we saw a futon at the base last weekend when Ryan was drilling. It is cheaper by far than most & since it's on the base we won't have to pay tax (because there's no tax on bases). It folds out to a full size mattress & the mattress is an 8" spring mattress. It sat really well, better than most actually. So, if we can get a way to get it from the base to our house, we will probably go that route. Then whenever we have company, we can sleep on it and our company can sleep on our bed. What do you think? Good idea or not?

Anyway, since we've been thinking about that we've realized that we will need to rearrange our apartment to get it in. Our computer room (where it will go) will only allow it to fit one way. We will have to take somethings out of that room to get it in. So, we have to figure out where that stuff will go. On my lunch today, I decided to rearrange our bedroom to see if we could get Ryan's grandmother's rocker in there. Yes, I rearranged it myself. How stupid was that?! The person with the back that is giving her tons of trouble decides it's a good idea to rearrange heavy furniture! I never claimed to be smart! Stubborn, yes. Smart, not always. SO, the rocker will fit in the bedroom, but I don't really like the layout. We'll see. Maybe Ryan will have a better idea. He usually does!

I hope you all have had a great day!

Love you all,
Lesli

Our love 

Almost had a new addition to the family!

On Saturday, Ryan and I decided to take a trip to Canton, TX. On the first weekend before the first Monday of the month, the city has a big flea market...and I mean BIG! We've lived here for over 2 years now and we've never been. So, Saturday (when the high is in the low-mid 90s) we decided to head out. Now, knowing me we slept in and didn't get there until 1pm. Naturally, we were there during the hottest part of the day. We had fun, though! We were sweating like crazy, but it was still fun. Now, at this flea market they have junk, crafts, furniture, and animals. Can you guess what section we stayed in the most? Of course, we were in the animal section for nearly an hour and a half! They had puppies galore! We saw the most adorable dachshunds and shih tzus!! There was one dachshund that I really thought was cute. She was a piebald mini dachshund. Man, was she cute?! Ryan fell in love with a little shih tzu! As soon as he started petting him, he rolled over and wanted his belly rubbed. I think it was love at first sight for Ryan. If I really wanted a puppy that day, I don't think it would have been hard to talk him into buying one. But with a puppy comes training, more food (different than our adult dog), vet visits, and then trying to put a spoiled adult dog with the new puppy. That's a lot more work than we currently have! Right now we have one 6 year old dashchund, Sam. He is fairly trained & loves every ounce of attention he can get. He travels well, so the trips to Paducah aren't any harder with him than without. So, I really can't believe that I'm the one saying that we don't really need another dog. I really would have thought it would be the other way around.

I think Ryan just really misses our other (adopted) dog. His name is Einstein, & he's a shih tzu. Now you understand why Ryan fell in love with the shih tzu puppy. Anyway, Einstein was my mom's dog when I was in high school. I got Sam in college and the two really became close, or so we thought. So, when I moved out, I took Sam & Einstein. When we moved to Texas, Einstein came with us. But, while Ryan was gone, Einstein really became a different dog. He was not as happy. It really was hard for me to take care of both of them by myself, so my mom suggested that I leave him in Paducah when I went home for Christmas. So, tearfully, I did. It was hard leaving him, but hearing he was doing so much better made it worth the hurt. Well, all of that happened while Ryan was in Kuwait. He left with 2 dogs and came home to 1. I could tell he really missed him when he came home, but it was so obvious on Saturday. Who knows, one day we may end up with a little Einstein to fill his heart!

Love you all,
Lesli

Drum roll please...

We have put it off far too long! We keep saying that we are going to start working out at gym in the afternoons, but each afternoon when we said we would go and get Ryan a membership (because I already have one that I'm not using!), we end up doing something different. Usually, it's me making the excuses. So, today we're going. I hope. We both would really like to get in shape. We're in our 20s, so we should be in shape. Well...Ryan only has a few more months in his 20s. ;) But he's not old by any means. He seems to think he is, but we all know better. So, stay tuned to hear if we have enough self-discipline to actually get us to the gym on a Friday afternoon. Man, we picked the wrong day to put it off til! Friday afternoons are never fun for doing anything more than watching a movie and vegging out! So...we'll see!!

I got a call from my mom the other night saying that my brother had safely made it to Minnesota. He is doing an internship there for the summer. It's really weird having him that far away. We don't get to see him as much as we would like, but he's always been just a few hours away since we've been here in the DFW metroplex. Knowing that the is hundreds of miles away is just weird! The past two years on July 4th my parents have joined us for the long weekend. When they are here, Nathan normally comes over and we make it a big fun weekend. This year he won't be here for the excitement, so it will be a little odd. It will be GREAT to get to spend time with my parents, but it will be different not having him around. Oh well, at least it's just for the summer. Who knows what will happen when he graduates! Well, we might have a few years before we have to worry about that...just kidding, Nathan! Love ya!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. We are looking forward to a weekend with no plans. It will be nice to just get to hang out together.

Love to you all,
Lesli

To call or not to call....that is the question!

I think today makes 4 weeks and 2 days since my back has started hurting. It's in a weird spot. The pain comes from right in between my spine and right shoulder blade. If you poke my back, I can't feel it. BUT I can feel it with a deep breathe. So, a couple of Mondays ago I went to the doctor. I didn't want to go, but Ryan insisted. We found a doctor that was relatively close and I made an appointment. This doctor was not my kind of doctor, but I didn't find that out until after my appointment!! He decided that the pain was caused by my 4th vertebrae being out of alignment, so he popped my back and neck!!! I had not signed up for that! Well...I didn't think I had! So...was he right? Who knows! It still hurts. Some nights it hurts worse than others. Ryan has said that I need to go back, but I am much more hesitant this time than the first. Hesitant or stubborn? Well, that I don't really know. Probably a little bit of both to tell you the truth! Yes, I admit to it. I am a tad stubborn. So, will I go? I'll let ya know, but don't be surprised if you don't hear from me for a while! ;)

Love you all,
Lesli

Peaceful Kentucky...

Ah...we love going home because it is so calm and peaceful compared to Dallas! Although it takes 10 hours to get there and back, the weekend is more peaceful than the stress of getting there. I'm not sure exactly what makes it so peaceful. It could be that we're with family, the wonderful scenery around us, or the slower pace of the traffic. Whatever the reason, we love being home. I believe whether we live in Texas or Kentucky, that part of the country will always be home.

We arrived Friday night about midnight. Mom and Nathan had kept Dad up so that he would be awake when we arrived, but it wasn't the easiest thing to do. He really didn't understand why they wanted him to stay up. But...he was surprised when we showed up ringing his door!! It was definitely worth keeping it a secret.

Well, it was a great weekend! I only wish we could have weekends like that more often. Maybe one of these days we will. Who knows!

I hope all of you had a wonderful weekend!!

Lesli

Heading home...

Today we are heading home...home being Paducah, KY. I have to say that I'm a little nervous about our drive. It looks like it will be raining the whole way from Dallas to Paducah! That is not fun to drive in after you've worked all day! The trip takes about 10 hours, so you can imagine how tired we'll be when we finally get there. I do have to say though, the trip shouldn't be as bad as my last trip to Paducah! This past Christmas, my brother and I (Ryan was in Kuwait) drove two seperate cars in because he was planning on staying longer than I was able to. When we got south of Little Rock we were stuck. We were stuck in a land that does not understand what to do when it snows!! They had not salted, scraped, or prepared the roadways in any way. It took us over twenty hours to make a trip that should take 10! In a rental car, I was as scared as I've ever been!! So, hopefully this trip will be enjoyable even through the rain!

While we're in we're planning on just chillin' with the family. This will be the first time Ryan has seen my family since he's been home from Kuwait. So, it should be a good an enjoyable weekend.

Our decision came suddenly to make this trip. I was sitting at my desk at work and thought, "Hey, this is a long weekend. Why don't we go to Paducah?" So, I sent Ryan a text message and asked him what he though. His response was, "This weekend?" After agreeing that this is a perfect weekend, we're off! We should head out this afternoon and be in the good 'ole state of Kentucky by tonight! Whoohoo!!! I can't wait! BUT...shhhh!! We're surprising my dad, so don't tell until we're there!! I feel I'm safe in posting this, because I don't even think he knows how to check it. If he does, oops! Hopefully he'll play along! :)

Well, I hope everyone else's weekend is looking as exciting as ours!! Enjoy your weekend & remember our Veterans, fallen soldiers, and their families. They are why we are free today! God bless their hearts and dedication to us!

Love,
Lesli

Weekend with the family...

Well...what a weekend we had last weekend with our family! Ryan's brother Chris, or Kit as some know him, graduated from the University of Georgia at Athens on Saturday. Our sister-in-law Laura, Chris's wife, graduated with her Masters. So, the whole family was together for their celebration. What fun we had! It was so nice to have us all together. Since we live in Texas, we don't get that luxury very often.

Besides that weekend, life is fairly normal. Being a U.S. Navy reservist's wife, normal is heaven! Ryan has now been home from Kuwait for almost two months, and it has been so wonderful having him home! Being a military wife isn't the easiest thing in the world, but it is wonderful being able to look at my husband and be so proud of what he stands for and what he's willing to do for our family and our country! I am proud to have him as my husband!

Us at Jeff & Lisa's wedding in '04 

Ryan and Lesli at the Dallas Arboretum 

Beginning Blog World

Well, I really only started this blog because I wanted to comment to my brother's blog. So, I can't say we will really be using this. But if we do, we'll let ya know!

Thanks!

Lesli