13 Years Later

Today is the 13th anniversary of the day that Ryan and I started dating. I was 18, he was 20. We were babies.

We got married a little over 3 years later. We have been blessed beyond belief to have made such a good decision at a young age. I think about the future and if Ainsley tells me she wants to get married at age 22. I might laugh because it sounds ridiculous.

But then again, I know that God has a plan. God's plan included 2 very young people who were both following Him to meet and fall in love when they were just babies. God has pursued us as we have pursued Him. We have clung to each other through rough times. We have pushed each other away during rough times. But the foundation always remains the same. We are committed to each other. We promised each other and we promised God. Sometimes that's just enough. Sometimes that's way more than enough. But it's always enough. And for that, I'm eternally thankful.

Here are 2 pictures from that first year we started dating. I must justify our outfits in the first picture. We were at a Lumberjack ball. As for the second picture, Ryan can still be caught wearing that t-shirt along with all the other "jetski" t-shirts of that era. Melt my heart!

No Better Way

There is no better way to break radio silence than with a video of the 2 loves of my life

With a Cluck Cluck Here

Old Mr. Krumroy had a farm E-I-E-I-O. Ok, he's not old but we definitely have a farm now. I knew Ryan loved animals when I married him, I just didn't know we would have an Urban farm some day.

If you follow me on Facebook, you have seen me refer to the chickens. I now feel the need to elaborate. I was going to earlier but we got them the day of Taylor's surgery and I felt it was quite inappropriate to do so then. (By the way, pray for him as he is back in the hospital with major digestive tract issues.)

Ryan started talking about getting chickens months ago. At first it was a joke and then he started really looking into it. He was quickly sold on the idea because he is Dr. Doolittle. I took a bit of convincing. He had a friend from high school even trying to convince me via Facebook. Finally I told him that we could get them but I would be uninvolved.

He had a custom coup made for the chickens. It's actually pretty fancy and not really an eye-sore at all. Here's a picture. Notice the cute ladder that they use to get to the top where they have their beds and lay their eggs (which they haven't figured out yet). It's ok because they are only about 9 weeks old and they won't start laying eggs until 24 weeks. And in case you are wondering, because everyone does, you don't need a rooster to get eggs. It works just like us, I don't need a man to ovulate.

The big day arrived and our friend Travis picked them up for us. They were delivered in a box on our front porch. I have to say, I wasn't super excited but then I saw them. They are adorable. Here's a picture of 2 in the coup next to their watering can.

Here are all three together. They all have good southern double names. I thought it would be fun. We have Bonnie Ray (the gold one), Peggy Sue, and Sally Jo. Peggy Sue and Sally Jo were referred to as the twins when the first arrived. Can you see why?

So we have had our chickens for over a week, and I am attached. It was a few days ago that we started to notice a big bump on Sally Jo's head. Over the past few days, it has gotten worse. Ryan called the farmer that we got her from and he asked us to bring her over to take a look. Apparently, she had some sort of a peck mark or a scratch that got infected and caused an abscess. He wanted to take her back to care for her and help her get better. In turn, he is going to give us a new chicken. I can't believe how sad I am to have to say goodbye to Sally Jo. I know she will be happy on the farm, but we will miss her. Her chicken sisters will miss her too. Here is our close up to remember her by. On the up side, a new chicken, Sadie May, will be joining us on Thursday.

Are we nuts?

I Learned Something About Myself

I have never been that big into holidays. I always thought that I didn't care. Apparently, I do.

As you know, Saturday was Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day falls exactly 9 days after our anniversary so we never make a big deal out of it. Usually it involves the exchange of cards and maybe some chocolates for me.

This year, we were spending the evening with our great friends. Prior to them coming over, I gave Ryan his card. It was then that I realized that he didn't have anything for me. I wasn't very shocked. Ryan doesn't remember things like this until the last minute and I could account for all of his time during the day.

What surprised me is how hurt I was. I wasn't looking for a gift. Honestly, that's not my thing. My thing is words of affirmation. I love to be affirmed and to be encouraged. It melts my heart so quickly. What I wanted was a card with a few nice sentences about Ryan's love for me.

To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. To say that I let it go would be a lie. I let Ryan have it. I probably shouldn't have and my motives were purely selfish, but I did it anyway. Needless to say, I made him feel really bad.

Today while I was at church (Ainsley is still coughing), Ryan wrote on my facebook wall. He gave me a list of things he likes about me. It was perfect and exactly what I needed to melt my heart and diffuse the anger that I had built against him.

So Ryan, thank you. Even though it was late, it was exactly what I wanted. I guess you do know me. And yes, I love you too!

Things that Go Bump in the Night

MaryBeth, her husband Rob, and I were talking today about the weird things that people do in the middle of the night. They had some funny stories but I haven't gotten their permission so I won't share them.

If you have ever slept in the same room as my husband, you have a funny story about him in the night. He is a very active sleeper. He regularly talks and moves around. When he used to work for Enterprise Rent-A-Car, he used to rent me cars in his sleep. It's about once a month that I have to turn the lights on in the bedroom at some awful hour of the night to prove to him that there are no spiders in the bed. The funniest part about that is that he's not afraid of spiders during the day. Ryan's dad even has told me that his camp counselors used to complain about his excessive talking.

During our first couple months of marriage, this was something that I had to get accustomed to. If you know me, I like things very quiet and very dark when I sleep. My sisters often refer to my sleep patterns as cave like. I was always trying to remember what it was that he said to me in the middle of the night but usually forgot.

There was one night that I will never forget. It was somewhere in the middle of the night when it began. I started to feel my head being lifted off the pillow. I opened my eyes just in time to see Ryan above me. He was getting ready to head butt me. No joke. He picked my head off my pillow and head butted me, a full on head butt. He then proceeded to roll over and fall back asleep. Since I was still mostly asleep myself, I just rolled over and went back to sleep, although I was a tad angry. In the morning, he nicely pronounced to me that his head hurt. No kidding. Mine did too. This is exactly what a girl dreams of when they start sharing a bed with their husband.

What is the weirdest thing you have experienced in the middle of the night?

I Love My Husband

There are many reasons that I love my husband. Today, I need to think about all of them and let him know them. It's his 33rd Birthday. Here are just a few:

1. His passions in life. He does nothing halfway. He is someone who has strong convictions and rarely strays from them.
2. His love of Jesus.
3. His love for his whole family. That includes not only Ainsley and I but his entire family and my entire family.
4. His pursuit of people. He is constantly connecting with people he cares about. He may not like to talk to me on the phone but he loves to talk to his friends and his family.
5. His hair and beautiful smile.
6. His twisted sense of humor that sometimes only I get
7. His intelligence
8. His devotion to our marriage
9. His ability to beat me at cards everytime even though he never remembers the rules
10. The fact that he finally put the lawn mowing clothes in the wash! (I won)

So, Happy Birthday Ryan. Here's to many more Birthdays to celebrate together. I'm glad you were born. I love you with all my heart.

So Much for Public Humiliation

Remember this. Apparently public humiliation does nothing. The stinky, dirty, nasty clothes remain on my front porch.


Ryan came home that night and told me he thought my post was funny. Do you think that made him move them? Nope. His comment..."My parents always told me to stand up to peer pressure." What?!?!?!?! Are you kidding me?

My response comes in the form of a quote from one of the great heroes in my life. "Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God. Amen." - Martin Luther

Who do you think will win?

Lawn Mowing Clothes

Let me start by saying that I hate to mow the grass. Ryan does it regularly despite the fact that he hates it too. I appreciate him for this.


Unfortunately, everytime he mows the grass, he takes his shirt and socks off on the front porch. He leaves them along with his sneakers there. I don't know if he thinks that some fairy is coming to get them and put them in the laundry. I have mentioned these clothes to him more than once. They look tacky on the front porch. People come in that way and as they wait for us to come to the door, there are these dirty stinky clothes staring at him. Frankly its disgusting.


But, I am not a slave. I am a mother, but not his mother. He already has a wonderful mother of his own. So they will continue to sit there until someone else moves them. This is my protest. If you come to my house, ignore the pile. It's not mine.

It's Scary

Ryan's mom gave me a couple pictures of him as a baby. Take a look. Its kind of scary. Ryan calls her his Mini Me. Can you see it?