A treasure

When I first got married I heard about the idea of making a treasure box and filling it with happy memories and so I started writing them down. And now I have a whole box full of memories. I only need to bring out my treasure box to bring a smile on my face.

I regret these are not in order. But all the fun to read them anyhow.

Treasure- something to value greatly or to cherish for future use.



Waking up after our first day of being married, knowing I'm laying in bed with the person I love and knowing Nick loves me back.

Swimming at the beach and snorkeling, watching for dolphins.

We stayed up late on the boat one night and had one of the best talks ever!

Our dates at the Java house and watching Anna and the King. We had such a fun evening!

The time we sat in the truck in the grass at the Mennonite school and watched the lightning.

Sharing our dreams and ideas of living on a boat, Thailand, a tipi, a van, a camper, a dome home, planning, wishing, thinking and changing our minds.

Walking to Ramey's, stopping to McDonald's and office on the way. Being so tired and hot but pushing ourselves home. Walking hand in hand, talking. Spending time together.

Tubing at Stockton Lake- holding on so tightly but laughing so hard! What great times!

Fourth of July at Aunt Louise's. The Yakel Farm and watching fireworks in the car with the dog. Nick outside taking pictures.

Warming up by the wood stove. Cooking a ham on the wood stove because the power went out with the ice storm. Had it not been for that wood stove installed by Nick in our Mobile home with the pipe running out the broken window, we would have frozen to death that winter!

Walking at the fields in Whitewright with Trudy. Enjoying one another's company. Being sweet.

Living on a boat, waking up to the sight and sound of dolphins, swaying in the boat being lulled to sleep.

Tickle fights- laughing, teasing, zerberts, zonking out tired.

Making up after a spat. Feeling so lucky to have Nick love me unconditionally even when I act like a brat!

At the beach at the Board walk, being nervous, yet excited walking down the aisle with Nick and saying our wedding vows. Driving away feeling so happy that we were going to spend the rest of our lives together.

We went to Bonham to get the part for our stove and got there a minute too late and they were closed. I'll never forget that day because it was so icy that we had to pull over and scrape the ice off the windshield every five minutes and before we were even back in the car, it was iced up. And even though it wasn't a happy memory back then, I am reminded how we stick together in good times and bad.

Cuddling in Nick's office on the bed with our 2 cats watching Jackie Chan movies. Laughing our heads off at the Shanghai Noon movie.

In Whitewright when we would take a walk every evening after supper- Our time to share about the day's events and talk about the things that mattered most to us. That year, I was having a hard time accepting Nick for who he had become but that year I learned to love him as he was. And it was like a weight was lifted off my shoulders when I learned to let go.

The time we went to the balloon festival. We ate snow cones, cotton candy and Nick won a bear for me!

Riding our bikes to the ice cream job in Fort Walton Beach. It was hard work but we stuck it out and stayed fit!

Playing dutch blitz, uno and redemption, just hanging out laughing and having a good time.

Driving around on Sunday afternoon in the country looking for neat pictures to take.

Our first trip to see the grandparents in Fredricksburg. Spending the week with them was awesome! Seeing the sights.

Went to the park in Farmersville, and walked around the downtown. We talked about our feelings and hung out.

Riding around town in Niceville on the tiny red scooter and then on the black one to watch the fireworks.

Cuddling on the couch after breakfast in Pensacola before Nick left for work early with Herbert and walking outside with him to say good morning to our pet turtle.

Snuggling on the couch, eating way too many eggrolls, popcorn and hershey bars. Watching t.v., hanging out, doing nothing but relaxing.

Walking everywhere in Niceville and choosing to not own a car. Accepting situations as they come. Not complaining. Learning to be content in all things. Walking 1-2 hours to go K-Mart, church, library. No weather ever stopped us. Went in our rain suits. We didn't let things get in our way. A team- we stood together. We looked like a pair of smurfs in our blue rain suits by the way!

We'd park our car on a hill to push it down to get it started. The looks we got from people!

We spent the day at the Heard museum and took walks on the nature trails and went to an herb sale.

We lived in a slide in camper and parked at the lake. We'd fish all day and watched the beavers swimming in the evening. We'd hear the owls hooting at night.

Our wedding day. You in your tuxedo. Me in that dress with all the ruffles. You washing my feet. Me losing my ring. Our wedding cake and the cupcakes I made to go with it. I found out who my true friends really were by those who chose to come to our wedding. Feeling sad that my parents couldn't love me enough to be there for me and to let me go and live my own life. Nick's mom was there even though she didn't agree with our choice but she chose to support us anyways.

The time we were vegans and rode our bikes everywhere lost a lot of weight. The way I felt so healthy and full of life and energy.

We rode to Texas on a greyhound bus and fit all our belongings in a green duffel bag. It didn't matter that we didn't have much, because we had each other and I know that's all that really mattered. That's when I realized that money can't buy happiness.

Waking up to the sound of dolphins outside the sailboat in Destin.

Sitting outside the front porch in Milo so content and grateful for our little home and wishing for nothing else.

Taking Huck our rabbit dog hunting and the thrill of the hunt and the feeling of satisfaction we'd get knowing our freezer was filled because of what we did.

Fishing at the outlet in Independence and I'd hunt and gather weights that had gotten lost. The happiness I'd feel after a good day of fishing with the cooler full. and on those days we didn't catch much or at all we still felt good about ourselves and each other.

Wondering where the time has gone. I remember when we'd been married for a year and hearing about a couple who'd been married for five years and thinking Wow! Then it became two and three years for us. And now it's been 11 wonderful years and no regrets! We showed everyone who said we wouldn't last a month.

We chose to heat our home with wood. The hard work it took to keep us supplied with wood. The back breaking labor of chopping with an axe and carrying the loads. It was worth it all when Nick fired up the stove and the feeling of warm heat we got in return for all our labor.

Flying our kites at Osage prairie and watching Huck chase bunnies.

Our simplistic lifestyle we chose in Pensacola and our great garden we had that year.

Chasing Huck in Nevada, listening to him howl as I threw one of his toys and it landed in a tree (on accident) and watching him put out a glowing ember while Nick burned trash. He pawed at it until he had the piece extinguished!

The first day I saw Milo our dog and falling in love with him.

Our scenic drives in Branson, getting some peace and quiet we so desperately craved.

Scenic drives in the country on our scooter and being chased by dogs.

Feeding Luna a bottle and watching her curl up for a nap on Nick's chest.

Raking up the cut grass to store for later compost use. Working together. Riding in the back of the truck with Milo in the backyard to store in the shed. Watching Milo sink into the pile of straw hunting for mice.

Sitting on the porch swing watching hummingbirds fight over the feeder and having to dash out of their way.

Picking blackberries on Mayfield's land and dreaming of our own place.

Canoeing in Noel, Missouri taking Huck and surprised at how much he loved it despite me pushing him in the water to take a swim. That dog hated getting his paws wet unless he was hot on the trail for a bunny. Swimming in the river holes.

The time we took a vacation and visited Independence for the first time (for an interview) Went canoeing in Noel, Missouri and Nick swung off the old rope and splashed into the river. Ouch!

Our first dates at the park, talking, and asking each other a million questions.

The day you asked me to be your wife. Feeling so lucky that we ever crossed paths. Saying Yes! and meaning it, forever and forever.

Watching Milo and Luna play together. Laughing our heads off at their silliness.

Going to garage sales and finding neat treasures.

Going to Jace and Nichole's house and watching movies, hanging out and laughing at their crazy cats.

Listening to Nick play music on the dulcimer, guitar and tin whistle. Dreaming of playing music together on the porch.

Going to rendezvous get together's. Throwing a tomahawk and being with friends.

Throwing a cast iron pot for a contest to win a prize but losing instead. It was still fun.

Going squirrel hunting with Nick and gathering 14 pounds of pecans!

Feeding ducks and geese at Towne Lake, paddle boating across the lake and having a fun time!

Going for bicycle rides around the neighborhood.

Picking and selling pears at the Farmer's market. Meeting neat folks.

This is a collection of the first 12 years. Can't wait to see what the next 12 will be like.

I remember...

Memories from childhood. Not in order.

I remember walking through a field with my sister, we would find snails crawling on the blades of grass and place them on our arms and watch them crawl up and down leaving a slimy trail. I remember goats at a zoo that we would feed stalks of grass.

I remember catching bumblebees with jars and being careful not to get stung. I'm not sure what we did with them after we caught them!

I remember playing a game called Airplane (something my sister and I made up, I'm sure!) on our family's black recliner in the living room. And a game called statue where we had to stand really still in awkward positions.

I remember wading in the neighbor's backyard "creek" after it rained. I always wanted the older girls to carry me because I was worried about stepping on worms.

I remember going to Dairy Queen and being sent in to buy kiddie cones. (because I was the smallest? or maybe the cutest?) lol

I remember running down the basement stairs as fast as I could and tumbling across the mattress doing somersaults. I'd pretend I was a great gymnast.

I remember playing with my rabbit Bunnicula and running barefoot in the grass.

I remember teaching doll classes with my sister to the neighborhood children in our basement crawl space. It reminded me of an indoor tree house. There was a ladder that we climbed to get to it.

I remembered a surprise birthday party my parents threw for me. I was so shocked and surprised! That was the year I got my first pound puppy. My sister liked mine so much she got one too and named hers Sniffles because she was sad that she didn't have one.

I remember playing with my Popples and cabbage patch doll.

I remember taking my doll "Tracy" and my sister's doll "Cassandra" on trips and having people ask us if Angel's doll was real.

I remember eating vanilla pudding in a can and sneaking bites to my dad.

I remember making mud pies with my sister and dissecting worms we'd find by overturning the brick lined walkways.

I remember playing hide and seek with my neighbor friends and playing the game "Ghost in the graveyard".

I remember taking our walkie talkies and "talking" to the airplanes that flew by.

I remember lemonade stands and walking to school.

I remember pretending to be a dog in my sister's classroom and feeling embarrassed when her teacher walked in the room.

I remember pretending to be a dog and lapping water from a bowl. I'd throw my cereal on the carpet and eat if off the floor! My mom sewed me various animal outfits and I practically lived in them.

I remember going to the movies with friends and buying the popcorn and snacks afterwards. My sister and I thought that was so strange that we didn't get to enjoy them while we were watching the movie!

I remember asking my sister to correctly answer a Sunday school question for me so I could get a free piece of candy. And she did!

I remember sneaking into the pantry to eat kool-aid powder and trying to deny it with dyed lips.

I remember making vanilla milkshakes in my toy blender.

I remember climbing up on a stool to reach a jar of raspberry candies at my aunt's house in Texas. They were so delicious!

I remember eating biscuits with chocolate gravy and thinking it was weird that I could eat sweets for breakfast.

I remember making gingerbread houses at Christmas time and sneaking pieces of it to eat.

I remember opening up a chocolate advent calendar and eating way too many pieces in a day.

I remember getting chocolate covered cherries for Christmas from my dad. (he enjoyed them year after year)

I remember going to the hospital when I shoved a pea up my nose.

I remember going to see a movie with my dad and sister and going to the pet store afterwards and coming home with a puppy!

I remember running through the woods to check on my sister who I thought was in a tree house during a storm.

I remember going to the Hydro-Tube. (water park at the mall)

I remember road trips and my mom feeding my sister and I beef jerky and sticky rice. We'd pretend we were birds.

I remember Alpine sledding.

I remember re-enacting stories from the Berenstain Bears books in the condo.

I remember tricking April (my cousin) that I could magically disappear into another room. I'd hide under the bed and then sneak out when she wasn't looking into the secret cubbyhole. It worked!

I remember jumping on the trampoline and doing flips and teaching our cousins square dancing lessons.

I remember Emory, their Great Dane. I loved that dog even though her size scared me!

I remember skateboarding with my dad. His skateboard had a skull on it with a worm coming out of the eye.

I remember he took me to a secret place to go skateboarding. It was beautiful!

I remember big HUGE nets that you could climb up and down on.

I remember going to my other Aunt's house for thanksgiving meals and playing with the cousins.

I remember family reunions in the building next to the library in Farmersville.

I remember walking on the railroads looking for squashed turtles and flattening coins when the trains went by. I remember running after the caboose and yelling "WATER!" and having folks throw us little jugs of water.

I remember going to the Dairy Queen for ice cream.

I remember going to the laundry mat with my mom.

I remember showing up at Granny's house and "surprising" her. She always knew we were coming, and often had a pot of beans and cornbread waiting for us.
She'd open up the hide-a-bed and Dad would find a shriveled up dead mouse inside. Her room smelled like the perfume she wore.

I remember going to the senior citizen center with her and playing dominoes and Skip bo.

I remember receiving a grocery sack full of paper thin taffy from the neighbors. I wonder if they still make that stuff to this day?

I remember sewing pillows with April, Leslie and Kristen and going door to door selling them.

I remember a girl got mad at me at school and when she told me she was going to beat me up, Angel showed up and scared her off.

I remember tricking my sister into thinking I used up all the pancake syrup and her "threatening" me that she was going to dump the plate of pancakes on my head. And then she surprised me and did!

I remember going to school with syrup in my hair and having kids laugh at me.

I remember my two pet turtles as big as half dollars. They were always escaping their aquarium and climbing out. When I'd get home from school,
I'd find their rocks piled in a corner and they would be found under my bed in the farthest corner.

I remember when Angel brought me home a box turtle she found. It mysteriously disappeared one day. I found out years later, my mom set it free.

I remember getting a pet hamster and it died. So I got another, and it died. And another, and it died. I decided it wasn't meant to be.

I remember our cat Toby and how crazed he was from all the catnip we gave him when he was a kitten.

I remember our bird, Mr. Rogers and how I was afraid he would peck me.

I remember the stories my mom would tell us of her childhood and how their dog found its way home.

I remember my mom's favorite phrase. "What you sow is what you reap" and how Angel and I made up a song about it. Something about chickens. Cheep! Cheep! Cheep!

I remember learning how to ride a bicycle without training wheels and not knowing how to stop I just kept circling around the neighborhood. I remember feeling proud and looking back at my parents and hitting a parked car.

I remember speech therapy and the man asking me to tell him the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears all because I was pronouncing "Chair" as "Share".

I remember sitting cross-legged in a circle on the floor and the teacher teaching us how to meditate.

I remember my sister taking my bike from me and how I hopped on her new ten speed bicycle surprisingly everyone including myself.

I remember my sister and I shuffling our feet on the white carpet and shocking ourselves.

I remember my dad spending time with me teaching me how to draw and paint.

I remember picture day and the promise of a donut at Dunkin donuts if I smiled nice. I remember the photographer trying to get me to smile by saying "Cheese". I'd say the word really fast and quiet and then go back to looking at them like they were the idiots.

I remember my first day of school.

I remember piano lessons at the purple lady's house. Everything in her house was PURPLE! Everything.

I remember tap dancing lessons.

I remember running outside in my wonder woman outfit.

I remember when I asked for a Michael Jackson doll and a transformer car.

I remember getting in trouble at school for talking too much and being told to write a 1,000 word essay typewritten on the computer. I had no idea what an essay was and thought I had to write, "I will not talk in class" 1,000 times by hand. My sister showed me how to save time using the computer and all was well until my dad walked in.

Transitioning

It took a while for Nick to find a job at first to put food on the table and a couple new ones after that. But thanks to a friend's recommendation to look into being a school bus driver, Life is great!

Nick subs for the school during the week and in the evenings and weekends he works at Walmart.

When we first moved here, we pitched a tent in the backyard and found out that we liked camping in a tent! We didn't care for all the neighborhood dogs that liked to bark and howl every time a train would go by, but for the most part, we loved living in the tent.

Even listening to the rain pelt down against the sides of the tent was peaceful. I'm surprised at how well the tent worked considered we won it in a drawing and it's not an expensive tent. We bought some camping pads and laid blankets down on top of that for padding. Our yard is not the most level thing either and I found that I preferred a harder sleeping surface over a soft mattress.

Listening to the owls hooting at night reminded me of sleeping in our slide in camper that we had in Kansas. Looking up to see the moonlight shining in the tent was also nice.

Knowing that we couldn't stay in the tent through winter made us look around for other choices for living. We had thought about getting a cabin. Either building one or buying one pre-made. But my thoughts always turned to a travel trailer or motorhome. My hopes are to take trips this summer in it.

It was quite the yo-yo experience in finding the travel trailer that we did. I won't bore any of you with that story! The thing I like to remember is that God does give us the desires of our heart.

I love the roominess and feel that I have when I'm in it. It reminds me of the first time I was in a camper as a child when I knew that I wanted to live in one.

And so another chapter of our life begins.