Anniversary Surprise

Our best friends, Cydney and Brandon McCullough, are our family. They cross the boundaries of friendship and have worked into a rhythm of life with us like only family can. We eat dinner with them weekly at our homes, in the summer there were long bike rides with snocones as the end prize, and there's always time for movies with them. When their anniversary came around in September, Adam and I dropped off a surprise gift them; some champagne, chimay (for non-beer people, it's an incredible, single bottled beer), and left them a note. Easy to do since we have keys to each others homes. (Like I said, family.) When we came home from our date Monday night, celebrating our anniversary, we were met with this:

The note on our log read, "Happy Anniversary! We love you both so much. PS: Share the wood and follow the trail. Love Cyd & B". We did just that and followed the cut wood throughout our home until it led us to the back door. Outside, waiting for us and our new yard, was a beautiful chiminea. I had to wait until the next day to get a good picture, but it was one of the sweetest gifts we've received, and we can't wait to share it with them, or anyone else who cares for a visit!

Also, just for fun, I've included a couple pictures of some of our "babies"....

Here you have Marzapan, basking in the sun and enjoying her new found freedom as an indoor-outdoor cat. Unfortunately Adam was attempting to build at the time, and her perch was his lumber!

And ofcourse, last but not least, Kitri, posing in all the bush we had trimmed over the weekend, smiling for the camera!

Two Years of Happiness and Excitement

Today marks the day, two years ago, that Adam & I became our own family. That once we turned towards our families and friends we became, as Holly said "Adam & Kaitlin, the couple that will never have to change their monogram". Every year has its ups and downs, and every year I feel our bond grow stronger, and tighter as if an invisible piece of twine runs between our hearts, no matter how far from each other we are. The perfect compliment to my soul and being, I can imagine myself with no one else. Every time we are struck with a moment of bliss I take pause to remember how much I love this man, and how lucky I am to be loved and cared for by him. Our love causes me to remember my favorite, and I feel the truest, line from Les Miserables, "To love another person is to see the face of God."

Disposable Cameras: Lost, and then Found

This summer, we stumbled upon an old (we learned after developing, 6yrs old to be exact) disposable camera and decided to use up the rest of the film and discover what was on there! It turns out that the camera was originally Adam's from his senior year of high school, and due to it's natural camera quality, and that it had spent years in the Accord, experiencing all of Texas's seasons...the pictures came out with a nice 70s effect to them. Either way, I thought I would share a few of our favorites of the roll with you!

Our niece Elizabeth, and nephew Ethan came for a week in the summer and we were lucky enough to have them for a day. The highlight for them, and obviously to Dutchess, was the time spent lavishing attention on our grunty sweetheart in the papasan chair.

Here I am apparently channeling Ryan as we took our "gangsta" photo at Sally & Donald's Rehearsal Dinner

Here we are...at our finest, and fuzziest.

Last, but not least, my favorite. Adam's AP-Calculas class at Amarillo High, the week of AP tests (we were in separate classes, so thankfully I'm not pictured).

Ahh, memories... :)

Finding a New Home

So, our decision has been made---a commitment to a year lease on an amazing house here in Amarillo. We're still staying in the Bivins neighborhood we love (f0r my Fort Worth friends, think historic district/craftsman style). Our new address is not far from our old, you can now find us at 1024 SW12th Ave! I will be sure to post pictures soon, we are VERY excited! Days before we found it, we had been talking about our needs and wants in a home, and happened upon this one, which meets all of them. To fully experience just how wonderful it is, you'll have to come down for a visit!