Let's start from the beginning...
It all started in 4th grade at Golbow Elementary in Katy, TX. E and I attended school together until 7th grade and then I moved to a different school district about 30 minutes away in Cypress, TX. We lost touch for about 5 years.
Erik was an offensive lineman in football his senior year.
I was the Varsity Cheer Captain my senior year.
Somehow, by the grace of God, E got my number and we attended our very first date, Sweeney Todd the play at Klein Oak High School. A few months past and he finally asked me to prom. We arrived to prom as friends, but while dancing to Big Green Tractor, E asked me to be his girlfriend and I said yes! Prom was May 8, 2010 and it was there we shared our first kiss, which E's mom captured for us.
We dated for 8 months and during that time, E moved to Huntsville, TX to attend Sam Houston State University and I stayed in Cypress, TX to attend community college.
On December 23, 2010, E asked me to marry him. Although we laugh at the story every day, it really was a beautiful night at Santa's Wonderland in College Station, TX.
After begin engaged for about month, I finally decided to move in with E. We got our very first apartment together on January 11, 2011. Just one month later, we welcomed sweet baby Chief Crunchy Richards into our life. He was only 6 weeks old when we brought him home! His name is a combination of nicknames given to E and I. My father always called me "crunchy" growing up and E's dad called him "Chief."
A few months passed and we decided that we wanted to bring another little pup into our lives and found Brooks Harlow on Craigslist. She was only 8 months when we got her. Her name is a combination of names and things we love. I have always loved the name Harlow but never really felt it appropriate for a child. E named her Brooks after Garth Brooks.
We moved around a bit from Huntsville, TX (01/2011-07/2011) to College Station, TX (07/2011-07/2012) then down to Cypress, TX (07/2012-09/2013) until we landed back in Katy, TX (09/2013-current) where it all began. While living in College Station, TX we found a photographer we could actually afford (keep in mind we were only 18 and 19 and didn't have a whole lot of money for a fancy photographer).
On May 12, 2012, E and I said our vows and became husband and wife. We were married at Huntsville State Park at 2pm. It was a beautiful day. Not too hot and not too cold, it was perfect! A few months before our wedding, we decided to start trying to have a family. I got off birth control in the hopes that we would be able to get pregnant after our wedding. After a full year of trying to conceive, with no luck, we headed to the Dr's to find out next steps.
While in Cypress, TX we celebrated 1 year of marriage and I started my first round of Clomid, just one month later, in June 2013 at 50mg. After one month, I was adjusted to 100mg for July 2013.
On September 26, 2013, after our first round of 100mg in July, E and I found out we were pregnant after 2 years of trying to conceive. I was about 8 and 1/2 weeks pregnant. On October 3, 2013 we had our first Dr's appointment. It was at that appointment, almost 10 weeks pregnant, that we found out we had lost the baby just the week before.
We decided to take a break from trying to conceive for 2014 and focused on traveling. We moved to Katy, TX and celebrated our 2nd year of marriage. We traveled to Las Vegas, Florida, and took a cruise to Mexico! We also focused on losing weight.
As 2015 rolled around, we decided to start trying to conceive again. To our surprise, we got pregnant on our first cycle January 2015. I found out at 9DPO with a very faint positive on February 10, 2015. Unfortunately, just a few days later, I miscarried.
But after all the bumps, joys, tears, laughter, and crazy times we've spent together, we have made it through and are stronger than ever. Today, we celebrate 3 years of marriage! I look back and even through the loses of multiple family members, our two babies, moving from city to city trying to build ourselves with jobs, and finding who we are together, I am so proud of us. I look forward to whatever the future holds and know that as long as I am with E, life is complete and I am blessed.
Here's to many more years together with you my Husband!
Happy 3 Year Marriage Anniversary!
