The best years of my life....

Eight years ago today, I started dating the man that I knew I was going to marry!! We have had our ups and downs, but I would give anything for the relationship that we have with each other. I met Andrew when I was in the 7th grade. He came to Verona to do a play with the high school drama team. I bet you can guess that he wasn't a part of the cast, he was on the production crew as always. He did sound. I thought he was just the cutest thing ever. I'm not shy as most of you know. I walked right over and asked him his name. He told me, Andrew, and ignored me for the rest of the time that I was there just watching him work. I never thought I would I would see him again.
I went to high school with the big idea that I was going to date around and date all that I could. I wanted to be popular and a cheerleader, and date a football player. Well, the other guys that I talked to were jerks to say the least!! I shouldn't have wasted my time!! You live and learn!! I went on several trips my freshman year. I went to Beta convention and met a guy, Michael. He was a Junior, and we emailed back and forth for awhile, and it didn't go anywhere after that. Andrew also went, but this other girl was talking to him so I left them alone. He thought I was crazy and that he would never date me! Ha!!
The next month was spring break, and I went to New York with the drama group. Andrew went also, but the girl at Beta didn't go on this trip. I was yet again talking to another guy and Michael! Well, the guy that I was talking to at the beginning of the trip and I were not talking by the end of the trip. He wanted to move on, and I didn't care. So, I walked around New York with one of my girl friends and Andrew hung out this us. I still though he was so cute!! So, I started to talk to him more. We sat on the bus together and had Dog Hots and Cola Cokas together (hot dogs and coke a colas). He even bought me some hot chocolate at the Statue of Liberty. He was so sweet!! He also let me sleep on his shoulder on the fight home!
We started dating on March 10, 2003. Then we were dating for six months and he got me a promise ring for my 16th birthday. He also took me to see Radio and to Outback for my first real date. I was able to group date but not one on one until I was 16. He made my 16th birthday so special.
He proposed the night I graduated high school with all my friends. He didn't get down on one knee, but it was still special. He had bought the ring months ago. He told me he was going to the mall to buy shoes, but he's not the guy to go to the mall by himself to buy anything unless it's go to like Best Buy! So, I knew that he got me the ring. We had been looking at a few, and I showed him my two favorites and told him to pick his favorite out of the two. He did ask my dad for my hand. I'm old school on that kind of stuff. It's the only right thing to do. I told him that he should take the ring with him to church on one Wednesday night and ask my dad there. My dad is a wonderful dad and can and will be intimidating!! My dad said yes, but told him that he didn't want him to move me off to very far. So, he asked and I said yes of course. We set the date for March 8, 2008. We tried to push for it to be earlier, but it wouldn't have worked out for when we wanted it. I really wanted a beach wedding, but I had a beautiful wedding, and I'm still happy with the way I did things!!
We had no idea that after only six months of marriage that he would have to work those sickness and health vows so soon. This is when I really started to have complications with my UC. He was there when I had my first scope two years before. This wasn't how I wanted to spend my 21st birthday, but Andrew always made it special! Live got the best of us for a while, but I would marry him again today! I haven't always been nice to him, but he knows I love him and would do anything for him! I love you, Andrew, and I hope and pray that we have many more years together.
Here are a few pictures of years past and our wedding!!









This one of my favorite songs that represents us:

Kid in a Candy Store!!

The name of this post is literally what Andrew has been like the last few days!! The reason is because of a purchase that he made on Monday. I was fully aware of what he was about to do and stood behind this because I know how bad he wanted to make this purchase.
First off, I want to go back a few years. We were in Kansas City, MO for a new Christian Band Competition. He and the group didn't make it into the final groups but were fourth in their division. The competition only went for the top three of each category. They were so upset that they didn't win the $10,000 prize. They were going to use that money to buy each of the band members a new instrument! We even went to the Guitar Center. It was our first time there, and it's very over-whelming to be in this store!! The store had Andrew's dream drum kit!! His dream kit is a DW set of drums. He has wanted a kit like that for as long as I've know him. The set was just over $6,000. We had talked them down to about 3. This included the stands, a custom snare drum, and all the cymbals!! It was perfect!! Well, we left the store with heavy hearts and very sad because we did not purchase that kit!! I told him over and over that he should have gotten it. They even started to put us on a payment plan to get them. I was almost in tears that we didn't get it!!
Since then, he hasn't stopped talking about getting a DW kit. The drummer at our old church had this type of kit and each time Andrew got a chance to play it, he glowed! You could tell that he's in love with drumming and wants to get better at it!
Well, we have come into a little bit of money because we sold an older kit of Andrew's. He went Monday and got his dream kit! He loves it!! It is the performance series, and it's cherry red!! It is a really beautiful kit!!





He hasn't had much time to play with them since he got them due to work and school, but I know that it's going to get loud in my house once he gets time to play them!!





I'm not sure if this is going to be a good thing or a bad thing! I wonder if I'm going to get any sleep now! He loves this kit and I'm glad we could finally get it for him! His dad is a drummer too! He is just as excited about the drum kit as Andrew is! He might even be a little bit more excited than Andrew! Ha!! He's coming up as soon as he can to play them! I can't wait either!! It will be great seeing father and son doing what they love!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Good evening!! I had some surprise for Valentine's Day! I have been telling Andrew that I could use more help around the house and would like for him to be a little bit more romantic! He hates Valentine's day. I hadn't asked for anything because of all the wonderful gifts that he gave me for Christmas! (MacBook and Canon Camera!) I didn't want anything other than a nice dinner and time together. He had to work on that day, and I was at school until 9. I didn't get home until like 9:30 or so.
I get in the house and put my ID up. As I'm about to walk out of the living room, I turn around and see some beautiful flowers! I was shocked! I love roses no matter what color they are. It's was wonderful. The card told me to look in the fridge. Once I opened the fridge I found a dozen chocolate covered strawberries!! Once again, another one of my favorites!!


Dinner happened tonight because of school, I grilled steaks! They turned out wonderful!! This weather also made it enjoyable to grill! We finished dinner, and Andrew went to work on homework because his been so busy with work that he hasn't had time to do it. He means the world to me, and the last few days he has really shown it to me by really helping out around the house! I hope all of you had a great Valentine's day as well!!

A Letter to Myself

I know the heading sounds a little crazy, but as a senior in high school my English teacher asked us to write a letter to ourselves to see if we accomplished the things that we thought we wanted to do at that time. She would mail them to our parents or the address to where we thought we would be five years later.
Well, the five years has happened, and the letter went to my parents house. I got it over the weekend and sat down to read it. My parents read it a laughed a lot. I noticed that my handwriting was awful!! I'm glad I write better now!
As I read the letter, I realized I'm not a school teacher working on getting into grad. school, Andrew and I don't live in Florida, and I never went to Blue Mountain. These were my dreams as a high school senior. It's neat that God has other plans for us and has His hand in everything that we do. Dreams come and go, and mine sure did.
Some of the good things that happened from reading my dreams, I did marry Andrew, and he is finally going to school where he wanted to in Florida. We waited long enough for it that the school made it in to a online program! He's living his dream and that makes me happy. I'm glad that they did that because we didn't have to move there. It would have been so hard to go through everything that we have been through living that far away. Maybe sometime in life Andrew can work for Disney. However, it's all in God's hands. Everything happens in His time.
I loved going back to think of my life before everything started going down hill as a lack for better words. Life seemed so simple back then. I feel I'm wiser, definitely older, but glad I've been through everything that I have. It's going to be hard to keep everything going, but I know I can make it with the help of the good Lord above. It was great looking back, but I can only change my future!

I'm in love!!

I love the snow and the everything that comes with it! Being out of school, spending the day with the hubby, and sleeping late. I have the flu, so that means no playing in it this time!! It is beautiful though. I did snap a few pictures of it yesterday afternoon when it all began.




It started snowing yesterday at about 11;30 and didn't stop until almost six. It was coming down hard, and the roads started to get really bad. Wrecks were everywhere on 55, 51, and 240. Andrew left work at about 2:20 and didn't make it home until 3:45 almost. It was nuts! He carpools with a friend from work, and at 3 I texted Andrew to make sure they were ok. They were going 7 mph on 55 due to a huge wreck. By then, hwy 51 had been shut down due to wrecks. I'm just glad he made it home safely. He is a home with me today and helping me out since I'm sick! I promised he has truly earned his wings in the sickness and health and for better of for worse part of our vows at we said almost three years ago. I hate being sick. I feel so useless, and the house becomes a huge wreck because I don't want to clean. I'm feeling better today so laundry is on my todo list. I've also done some home work.





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Sunday night was the Superbowl between the Greenbay Packers and the Pittsburg Steelers. We have a chili cook-off at church. This year, I made chili and potato soup. i didn't when this year, but I'm going to work on it for next year. The potato soup as always was a hit. We had one bowl of it left which Andrew ate. I guess I'm going to have to make it again so I can finally have a bowl of it this winter. It was fun though. I even got some really sweet cuddling time with Jake!! I just love him and the cuddles I've been getting the last few weeks. He's teething so this won't be for too much longer so I'll take it!

We also had some awesome desserts at the party.

They were made by Mrs. Phillis!! Man, they were good!! The first one is a chocolate cupcake with coffee frosting, and the second one was the strawberry cupcake with strawberry frosting!! I think the strawberry one was my fav!! They were both wonderful though!!


The last picture is of Jennifer, Jake's mom, Jake, and me!! I love this family!! Oh and for my family, Todd, Jake's dad, is also in the picture. He's in the light brown coat behind us. The really tall one!

UpDate on My Health

Good morning all!! I feel the need to share how my health is going since I started this blog to document what was going on in my life due to a J-Pouch surgery. I'm so glad I got to have this done.
I have been doing great since the last year and a half. I wished that my doctor in Tupelo would have sent me in December of 08 to have this done. Yes, I do still have a lot of bowel movements, but hey it's a lot better than being in all that pain that I was in. It makes so much sense to me now on why I needed this done. I needed my life back and that's what I have gotten through having this surgery. I hope and pray that any patient out there who is having a hard time trying to figure out whether to have the surgery or not go for it!! It is well worth it in the in!!
Many of you know that I would love to have children of my own, and I don't think I have shared this on here or not. Due to the surgery and were it had to be done, I fully capable of having children some day. I have become about 30% less fertile than most people, but who is 100% fertile anyway?! I had several serious conversations with my surgeons in Birmingham about being able to get pregnant. I was scared that this would not allow me to have them some day, but they all reassured me that I can have children.
My friend, Brandon, told me to think of it that I would have more room than other women to carry a baby! Most of you know that I would love to have twins so maybe this is another way of God getting my body ready for that some day!! Ha!! A girl can dream can't she!!
One big thing that scares me to death about having children some day is that how are they going to be brought in this world. I know what your thinking the normal way, duh!! I have other issues to be worried about. I also had a serious talk with my OBGYN about this situation. She told me that she would let me go as naturally as possible however if it came down to it I would have to a C-section. I'm praying that I won't have to have one because they would use the scar that I already have to get the baby out!! I know how that feels and don't want to go through that again if I can help it!!!
No, Andrew and I are not wanting to get pregnant any time soon, but we do want to eventually. Once I'm finish with school!! We also want some more time just us so we can go to Hawaii the summer after I graduate! That's our plan! Anyway, I just wanted to share this because if were the person who hadn't had this done this would be one of the questions that I would ask! If you ever have any questions about this please don't be afraid to leave a comment to ask!! Until next time, Ambere

Snow Day!!

We were so surprised that it was going snow!! It started snowing on the 9th. We made the stupid trip to Kroger that everyone else in Hernando was making Sunday after church!! We came home and waited for the snow!! It finally started snowing at about 4:30 that afternoon. I knew I had to have pictures since I have the new camera and all!!



We went out with our neighbors, Brad and Brittany, to have some fun!! We road their four-wheeler, doing doughnuts in the street, and did a few sliding down the hill close to our house!! We had a lot of fun. We came back to our house to have hot chocolate and to play cards. We stayed up until 12:30 hanging out together!
The next day, we went out to do it all over again and to build a snow man!! The dogs loved it!! They had their sweaters on and had a blast rolling in the snow!!

We had a blast playing in the snow with our neighbors. We were invited to go to a friend's house who has a lot of hills to sled on, but we were afraid of how the roads were and decided to stay at home and spend some much needed time alone.