Josh,
Another wedding anniversary has come and gone. This year was special simply because it was the first “milestone” anniversary. I consider the 5 year mark a milestone anyway. Basically any anniversary that is a multiple of 5 is a milestone in my book.
So much adventure has been packed into the last 5 years. Many ups along with a few downs…2 kids, pets, vacations, house projects, cars (inside joke), new jobs, and old jobs made new again. We are in a completely different place at this time than we were 5 years ago.
5 years ago we were broke but in love. Doesn’t everybody say that?? haha Well, it’s true. We were. Now, we are blessed so much that I’m able to stay home with the Bear Cubs. Josh, you are such a hard worker. Better yet, you are a smart worker. You are inventive and a natural problem-solver. You are able not only to lead people but to motivate them as well. Word on the street at ERAC was that you were “the guy to work for.” Everybody genuinely liked you. You were the only branch manager I never heard anything negative about which was quite a rarity. I’m sure we would’ve worked great together as well, but, of course, they put a stop to that whole “working in the same area” deal real quick. π
Here we are at an after work get-together…One of my all-time favorite pictures!
Thankfully, we both broke through the bondage of ERAC employment relatively unscathed. It was exciting to see you move on to Carmax, because you were already so knowledgeable about cars. Of course, Nelson is the perfect fit for you now. So proud to see all you have dreamed, developed, and successfully executed in just one short year there.
Our hobbies and interests have definitely shifted over the last 5 years. When I first befriended you and in our early dating/marriage time together, you were playing on a regular basis in Okie Down. It was so much fun to see you, Dan, Sloane, Metzger, and the whole gang play while Jason, Claudine, and I looked on. Of course, now you couldn’t pay me money to stay up past midnight just for the fun of it. No way. Hopefully, you all will get to play together again once things slow back down for everybody.
And I can’t leave out this hobby…
A huge hobby of ours in the beginning was fitness. Running and biking on Riverside was always an absolute blast with you. Sunday morning runs with you, your dad, the Liles, and others were the highlight of my week. The smoothies at Cafe Cubana afterward might have played a part in that as well. π Now, our Sunday mornings are filled with frequent nursing sessions, diaper changes, and orange rolls if you’re lucky! π Livin’ on the edge in the Winders’ house.
PLEASE tell me we will look like this again one day. Dare to dream.
This house, soon-to-be-someone-else’s-house demanded a lot of our time as well. When I moved in, the kitchen was red, the living room was light green, and there was the most horrendous carpet in the living room. Well, everywhere really. While it was a tidy bachelor pad, it was still a bachelor pad. I can’t thank you enough for giving me freedom in doing things like taking cabinet doors off, painting, bead board, the whole nine yards.
Oh, the Before pics…
Thankful for the After…
You usually agreed to projects with an open mind and a willing spirit. Remember when I complained that I wanted to change the trim color in the whole house?? haha Yeah, that didn’t happen. Oh, and the pyramid gold yellow paint color that we spotted on the cover of a Traditional Home magazine while checking out in Home Depot?? Worst. Idea. Ever. It was like a stand off in the living room to see who folded first and admitted it was the worst decision we ever made.
I so hope that everything goes smoothly with the sale of our house and that the new house becomes OUR house. The excitement is overwhelming at times! Aggghhh!! I can’t take it! This Christmas season is going to be an absolute whirlwind.
We have been fortunate to take several vacations in the last 5 years. Not as many as we could have if we weren’t spending money on the house and kids…but definitely better than none! Still to this day, the road trip to Yellowstone with the Goodriches is my absolute favorite. I’m sure it is yours too. Cape Cod was beautiful, Virginia Beach was fun (except for the ride home with Jordan and Boone), and Santa Fe was beautiful. I can’t wait until we gain our freedom back after Everett is older and weaned and we can travel again! One day…one day. I can’t wait.
Southeast OK – a month after we were married…
Yellowstone, Jackson Hole, Grand Tetons, Boulder…
Virginia Beach – Before kids!
Red River, Taos, Santa Fe – just a few weeks pregnant with Elisa on this trip!
Dallas – First overnight trip after the Bear turned 1!
Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard
Weekend getaway to the Canebrake – pregnant with Everett…
The kids. Oh, the kids. It’s so weird that we have 2 of them now. We were obsessed with Elisa for the last 2 years and now we have another kid to oooh and aaah over! Elisa is so stinkin’ funny and Everett has your hairline sweet face. π You were a champ in the delivery room the second time around. You were such a helper and encourager…through both births but especially with Everett’s when I needed you to be with the whole natural thing. I can honestly say that one of my proudest moments of you was listening to you through the door of the hospital bathroom recite to the nurses what I wanted and what I didn’t want in terms of Everett’s delivery. You really had been listening all along and sounded like you knew what you were talking about. Proud and thankful wife right there.
Elisa
Everett
Just a few more non-kid pictures for good measure…
First trip to Duncan to visit your family…
OU games…
Concerts…
Your 30th Birthday party…
Just us…
Although I can be terrible at showing it, I really am thankful for you each and every day. I cannot wait to see where the next 5 years takes us!
Cheers and Kisses from your Wife!







































































