Baby just look at us!

All this time and we're still in love...

The deep and sticky, hot and disgusting, late July can only mean one thing.
Another year has passed since I found the love of my life, the other half of my soul, the smile I cannot resist... and consequently another year since we fell in love almost immediately.

We met in July of 1999.
My parents lived next door to his parents, and after a stab at being a fully independent 19 yr old, I gave up and moved back in. I was lonely, let down, and so very sad.
Until I met the guy next door.
He was sprouting a fluffy, weird, growing out buzz cut, lol. His "baby bird head" he called it at the time. And he was hobbling badly from a recent knee surgery. And he was the most wonderful thing I had ever seen. When he shook my hand and looked me in the eye (briefly, as his concentration as a bit lower...) I felt that "bolt of lightning" I had been desperate to find.

After a brief period of me pursuing him (yes, it's true), I got his number. And I called him.
The first night that we hung out, I knew it was all over. I fell and I fell hard.
And I fall over and over again.

So it's been 9 years, honey. Can you even believe it?
This year has been a roller coaster for us.
Last July, I had a little bitty bean in my belly. We were scared to death that he wouldn't stay there. I cried. A lot. And you were my strength.
We got past that to the next stage of a rough pregnancy. Ugh.
You babied me through and encouraged me to go for the perfect birth... and we took the leap together.
Almost as soon as I started feeling better, YOU got hurt at work. That began the darkest, roughest period of our lives together.
Add in more than our fair share of family drama and issues.
Financial issues. Friendships disintegrating and hearts hurting. Feeling scared and alone, and only having one thing we knew we could count on- each other.

And lest we forget the biggest letdown of all- those damned Cowboys not making it to the Superbowl. (that's okay- THIS is our year, I feel it. ha!)

But we are Cotton and Krysta. We are tough, and we are determined.
And we pulled through, stronger for the struggles we have faced!

You got better.
I gave birth to our beautiful new son, right here in our home.
We have poured money and sweat into our little piece of the American dream- and boy am I proud of the home we've made together!
Our babies have grown so much this year...
Our first baby started school and oh how we worried- but he has blossomed and made us proud!
Our little princess has found a passion of her own- DANCE! And she is more like you every second.
Our teeny little man is just a chunk of heavenly baby- he's carved his place and made us complete. What a beautiful gift he is.

So we begin our 10th year as "us." Us plus 3.

I love you, Honey.