22 year ago

WARNING: I drank a coke tonight. Caffiene this late is not good for me. This could run long!

I have to laugh as I am typing this. This time 22 years ago we had just had our rehearsal and dinner. My bachelorette party was going to play putt-putt then going back to my house for everyone to spend the night together. OK are ya'll done laughing? Those of you that were there know what a wonderful time it was. I was a wild child indeed. Honestly if I had to do it over again I would do the same thing.

One thing I remember so clearly is it being my last night at home. I remember daddy being there to pick on us once again. He would even sometimes go outside and walk around to the back door to knock on the door and scare us. I am so very thankful tonight for so many things. My heart is overflowing with joy. I am blessed!

I remember I wasn't nervous at all. I was so very excited to be marrying Mike. I don't think I was ever so sure of anything in my life. Mike always tells the story that he wasn't nervous either. He was out washing his car at 1:00 in the afternoon. Aunt Linda who lived next door to him came out and said aren't you going to get ready. She was actually waiting on him to get in the shower so she could write help me on his shoes. That way when we knelt to pray that's what you would see. Well that is if you weren't praying and you were looking around. They told me about his shoes right before I walked down the aisle.

Afterwards I found out he and Raife, our ring bearer, were on the floor playing with cars in while in their tuxedos. I said all that to say neither of us were nervous. I don't think either of us had any doubt we were doing the right thing. We laughed during the ceremony and really enjoyed it.

As I think back to that day and all the special people that played a part in making it happy I smile. Thanks to each one of you. I am so thankful to each of you that have shared in this 22 year journey with you. Lisa said she hopes God blesses us with 22 more wonderful years. ME TOO!!!

God is so good! I have dear childhood friends that I still have today. Wonderful hometown friends. Internet friends far and wide. I smile when I think of the internet. If it had not been for Michala being diagnosed with Aicardi syndrome I do not know when we would have gotten the internet had it not been for that. The night we came home from Michala's doctors appt we went to Kim's house to look up information. The first Aicardi mom I met was Anna from Hong Kong. We still keep in touch.

OK so I am thankful for the internet. The other day our TRAK (true random acts of kindness) list wrote list of our top 10 things about that group. I haven't done my list yet but my top thing would be Tracy Ruizcalderon. She was my first experience with TRAK. Once she told that list about us and that Michala had just been diagonsed with cancer our mailbox was flooded. I had never experienced anything like that from people that I didn't even know.

Sorry about getting totally off track here. This really started out being something to help me put down in words those precious memories of 22 years ago.

I can smell my daddy, feel his hand touching mine and hear my mama gasp as he raised my veil to kiss me. She thought he had messed up and didn't remember what to do. He and I had planned that and didn't tell anyone else. Once again proof that God knows what He is doing. He knew my rock would soon be going home and I would need another rock to carry me through.

My brothers Tommy and Bryant drove Mike and I to the Ritz Carlton after our wedding. We checked into our room and they waited while we changed clothes so they could take my dress and Mike's tux back home. We got changed and were going to go eat at Steak and Ale. They decided to join us. I still do not know how that happened but it turned out alright. Well at least until we got back to our room and Tommy sat down to see what was on TV and Bryant had to make him leave. Well maybe it was the other way around. Either way one of them was not ready to live their little sister.

SKIP to the next morning. We flew out the next morning to Jamaica. We had an amazing honeymoon there.

Well I wish I could share more of the past 22 years. I am sure that I will along the way.

OH and another reason why I love this man so much. Monday night we were at Spa Sydell Night at Camp Sunshine, Ann said Mike do you want to go next and he said no let Kelli. When I sign us up I always put his name first so he was next in line but he let me go first.

Today on our anniversary at the same time we got married 22 years ago our friend Georgette is getting married. We want to wish she and Kevin as much joy and happiness in their marriage as we have had. We love ya'll!!!

Thanks ya'll for enduring this rumbled message. It's good to share my heart and celebrate with ya'll. Oh and the picture is of course Mike and I (ain't we purty) along with our flower girl, Julie Howell and our ring bearer Raife Baker.