A Christmas Photo Shoot

My favorite picture of the day.  More to come! 

Canada

 Last week I spent the whole week in Canada here...

at the International Heart and Lung Transplant conference.  I learned a lot.  The days were long.  I met a lot of big wig Cardiologist across the country.  I networked, enjoyed happy hour and dinner at fancy restaurants, and got to spend a lot of time with the new physician joining our program in July.  It was a great week, although I missed my family tremendously.  But, with modern technology I was able to Face Time almost every night (expect Thursday) text Mark all week and enjoy random pictures sent by him.  I learned that you need to call your bank and credit cards when you leave the country or your plastic will get turned off!  (I don't do a lot of international travel!)  I had to order from French menus and ended up with Tuna one day, and I could not find any Diet Dr. Pepper in the country!  Travel was fine and I was so happy to get home Friday night.  

Mark and the girls survived just fine...I left them a calendar for the week.  Wednesday night was crazy with Religion class for Lauren and dance class for Addison.  But, with some amazing friends to help us out, Mark did just fine.  He even got the neighbor to come over and watch the girls so he could run Tuesday night and Thursday night.  His half marathon is this weekend in Lincoln!  Go Mark.  

We were able to do some sight seeing Wednesday night and Thursday morning.  Montreal is very French like and gorgeous.  

We toured the Notre Dame Basicila.  

These pictures could never do justice to this amazing church.  

It was a great week, although the days were long.  I was so happy to get home Friday night to my family.  

10 Years

April 6th, 2002 Mark proposed to me and on March 29th, 2003 we got married.  The proposal was amazing.  Mark had a fabulous day in Chicago all planned out.  Mark proposed to me in my living room of my town house, still dressed in a robe, just after getting out of the shower.  I was completely surprised!  I returned from the gym with roses on my stairs, a note that said "take a shower and get ready.  We are spending the day together."  Then, after I got out of the shower Mark was at my house, with a dozen roses, down on one knee proposing.  I still have that old robe!  He flew me to Chicago.  It was so cold when we got off the train.  We stayed at The Drake Hotel.  We had dinner at an amazing French restaurant on the top floor of a building that overlooked the whole city.  We drank a bottle of wine.  We took a Limo back to our hotel.  We stayed at The Drake Hotel.  We flew back the next day.  It was so fun.  

Then we started planning the wedding!  We had a 5:00 wedding at the church I grew up in.  The bridesmaids were black dresses, and carried red roses.  They day went off without a hitch and everything looked gorgeous.  

When I found my dress I did not really like it on the rack, but when I tried it on it looked perfect and fit perfectly.  It did not need any alterations (except hemming of course) and it was beautiful.  

We had a huge wedding party with tons of friends.  We still keep in touch with almost all of them. 

This is one of my favorite pictures from the wedding.  Walking out to everyone blowing bubbles.  The photographer did an amazing job of capturing this moment.  

Our reception was at the Royals Stadium Club and was perfect.  We surprised everyone by being announced from the Royals dugout and from the field!  The night included a huge buffet of food, pasta bar, wine, beer, dancing, cake and of course a KU win!  I will always remember watching the KU game at my wedding reception.  It was so fun.  

We danced.  We drank. We partied.  We had so much fun with our family and friends.  The next day we flew to St. Lucia and stayed at a Sandals Resort for a week.  We were in heaven.  

The past 10 years has been awesome.  I have grown to love Mark more and more with each day and each year that passes.  Mark is an amazing Husband and Father.  We see eye to eye on almost everything (money, goals, dreams, future plans, kids) and that is why there is no doubt in my mind that this marriage is forever.  We communicate well.  We talk things out.  I get my way a lot, but I know when to back down and let Mark "win" a few times :)  

This summer we will celebrate our 10th anniversary at an All Inclusive Adults only resort.  That trip can not come fast enough.  I can't wait to hear she sound of the ocean, the waves, the sand in my feet, a drink in my hand, and the sun all around.  But for now, we will celebrate at our favorite restaurant the weekend, The Melting Pot.  

Happy 10th anniversary Mark.  Love you!