Valentine's Day Date Night

 Theron surprised me and made reservations at The Inn at Kelly's Ford for our Valentine's Day date night. We don't usually go out to dinner ON Valentine's Day, because everywhere is so crowded. We usually go out a night or two before.  Tonight was perfect!  There were two other couples in the dining room

and that was it.  Very relaxing evening, wonderful food, romantic surroundings and my favorite person in the whole world...perfect night!  I love being married to my best friend.

 Samantha took a couple of pics of us before we left for our date.

 Sunset on our way out to the restaurant.

The fireplace in the dining room. It was popping like crazy, and smelled so good!

 Our table was by the window, so nice!

 We asked the innkeeper to take our picture on our way out.  We had such a nice evening!

The sign out front

Miscellaneous Oldies But Goodies

 TJ pulling up on his Sesame Stree Toy at my mom & dad's house

 Chrissy and Mary's 2nd birthday (in Arizona)...right before we moved to FL.  Love Chrissy's cheeks!

 Grandma Bowman getting the girls ready to go outside and play.

 "Santa" Davey & TJ on TJ's first Christmas

 Chrissy, TJ and Mary at my mom and dad's Easter 1992

 TJ, Theron & me when Theron came home for his R&R

 (about 7 months into his year long assignment in Turkey)

 Me, showing Theron I was losing my baby belly, I guess. haha

One of my all time favorite pictures of Theron and TJ.  Theron left for Turkey when TJ was about 3 weeks old.  He came home for his R&R when TJ was about 7 months old.  They bonded quickly. :)  That's Mary looking at TJ, sharing Daddy Time.  :)

Christmas Party for Work

One of my favorite duties all year, as Theron's secretary, is putting together the  D.C. Christmas party. Here are a few pictures from this years luncheon.  We always have it at the Occoquan Inn in Occoquan, VA.   Great food and wonderful staff!

Carollers were out across the street.  

More pics of D.C. in December

Theron took me to D.C. for a couple of nights for our anniversary.  The first night, Dec. 20th, we went to the Mall and saw the National Christmas Tree and the State Trees. It was SO cold, but a lot of fun.

Temple Baptist Church Christmas Party 2010

 This year's theme was A Cowboy Christmas.  It was a lot of fun, as usual!  Here was Karen Blakemore "roping" her husband Jon.  I do belive they won! 

 Joey Bryan was one of the pony racers.

 Yep, that's me.  I decided to be a good sport and try it, too.

 Instead of a cute little pony, I received a mop to "ride".  haha

 That's Joey, passing me up!

 That red blur is me, being passed and almost knocked over by my friend's husband! haha  All's fair!

 Darlene and me warning our friend about opening her gift early!

I didn't want to get on the saw horse and saddle in front of everyone, so waited 'til they moved it into another room.  Then, I made Mary take my picture!

My Mom

Seventeen  years ago today, my sweet mom graduated to Heaven.  I miss her very much, but know she is happier than I can even imagine.  She is with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Wow, what a wonderful time she must be having!  She's dancing on those streets of gold!  I was going to scan some of the notes she had given me over the years and put them on the blog, but decided not to spend the day in the past, but to be thankful for the time I had with her and not make today a sad day.  This month is a hard month for me, but I am determined not to dwell on the sadness, but be thankful for the blessing she was to me over the 29.5 years she was in my life.  My earliest memory is of me sitting on her lap, and she was reading to me and singing to me.  She was always singing.  She'd sing in the kitchen while making dinner (usually humming more than singing words).  She smiled easily and had a great laugh.  Mom was mild mannered and the sweetest person I've ever known.  If I got up earlier than my normal teenage waking hour, I would find Mom sitting at the kitchen table, reading her Bible.  In my senior year of high school, I only went to school half a day most days.  I would come home, eat lunch and Mom would sit at the kitchen table with me and we'd just talk.  I cherished those times, and am so thankful we had them.  I could ramble on more, but will stop for now. I'll scan those notes and more pictures in another day, but today, I just want to quote a Bible passage that wonderfully describes Mary Stone.  The whole passage is "her", but I'll just put a few verses here. 

Proverbs 31:26-28  "She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.  She looketh well to the ways of her household and eateth not the bread of idleness.  Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her."

25 Years and Counting!

On December 21, 1985, I married my best friend.  We've been blessed with 25 wonderful years as husband and wife.  We have had lots of fun, met lots of people, travelled all over the U.S., laughed together , cried together, and grown closer with each passing year.  Theron has served our country overseas and all over the United States, too, so we've been apart a lot of our married life, especially in the first 15 or 16 years.  We enjoy the time we do have together, as the time apart has taught us to appreciate each other even more.  We're already looking forward to the next 25!!  Here are a few memories of these 25 years... and a few of the 3 years we dated, too.

 This was BK...before kids...we took up square dancing in New Mexico.  We had lots of fun. This is our graduation! We are getting pinned.  :)

 This one is for you, Jo.  Mary's doll is just too scary!  haha  This is Chrissy and Mary playing house when they were about 2 or 3.

 I believe this was in March of 1988, when Theron took command of B Company at HAFB.  I was pregnant with the twins and didn't know it yet!

 Here we are on our honeymoon in Hawaii.  We took a dinner cruise one night.  Wish I still had that dress!

 In Juarez, Mexico before it was too dangerous to be there. This is April, 1985.  Theron proposed to me a few days after this picture!  We drove his truck into Mexico and followed a guy on a bike to this shop...we HAD to follow him, when Theron tried to get past him, he'd move his bike so that we'd hit him if we tried to go around!  We didn't get mugged, though, and did get some good deals.

 Fast forward a few years.  This is November, 1988, right before the twins were born. My mom came and stayed with us for a few months as I was on bed rest.  She was so awesome and she helped me enjoy those months that could have been so hard.

 Theron and me playing Scrabble.  Mom took this.  I was pregnant with the twins.

 This is our first date after the twins were born.  Mom and Dad watched them as we went out to dinner.  We were right down the street and only gone for an hour or so.  I think this was about a week after they were born. I think I was still sore, as I look about to fall over! haha

 The twins singing in their bedroom at Mom and Dad's house.  They had their own room there as we stayed with them when Theron went to Turkey for a year.

The happy family right after TJ's birth.  Theron left for Turkey when TJ was 3 weeks old.   

 This must be Easter of 1991.  Theron was gone most of that year, but came home in between classes.  I was very pregnant with TJ. :)

 Our first official picture as a couple...taken at Olan Mills.

 Our 5th anniversary, in Bizbee, AZ. I was pregnant with TJ.  This is at the Gardners' home.

 Chrissy, TJ, Mary and Samantha in April of 1996.  Easter in Ft. Leavenworth, KS.  Love this picture!!

 Theron & me at my parents' house when we were first dating.  We had known each other for years (he was my brother's friend), but when he came home from OK that December (1982), it was like love at first sight!

 Mary's first picture taking experience.  This is Chrissy, me, Theron, and TJ (Sammy's in my tummy) in Tombstone, AZ.   We used to love going there!

 Samantha, our little snow baby.

 Theron, TJ, and me right after he was born.  July 15, 1991

 Our wedding cake leaned, so we leaned for the pictures so no one would notice! haha  We had so much fun at our wedding and reception.  Like I've said before, no bridezilla or groomzilla here!

 The feeding of the cake....haha  We were nice to each other and did not cram it in our faces.  :)

Our bridal party! 

 They wanted us to pose like my Mom was giving me advice.  We were both trying not to laugh. haha  Isn't my mom so pretty? And she was such a wonderful Christian example, too. 

 I'd love to know what Pastor McCall was saying that made Theron and Rod laugh!  That's Rod Salter, our best man.  He's also a very talented wildlife artist now!  Check out his site!

I now pronounce you husband and wife

Theron wore his uniform at the request of

Pastor McCall when he'd come home on leave.  This is Easter one year when we were dating!

Thanks for walking with me down Memory Lane. I hope to post more oldies but goodies soon.