Chronology of love

We met in 2005.  In Kenya.  Two strangers in a foreign land.

October 2005, USIU campus, Kenya

The connection was instantaneous, loyalty unwavering from the start.

January 2006, on top of the KICC building, Nairobi, Kenya.

We lived together, listened and helped each other, made a home out of bare concrete walls.

November 2006, Guu Sita apartments, Kenya

 We fought, we made up; we lied, we repented; we regretted, we embraced; we turned an otherwise rough time in both our lives into a meaningful journey together.

July 2007, Fort Jesus, Mombasa, Kenya

 So of course, we got married.  It was a long and stressful 11 months of separation, full of endless immigration forms and static-y phonecalls, but on December 26th, 2008, we knew it was all worth it.

December 26, 2008, San Bernardino County Hall of Records, CA

 And so, the last few years have been all about integrating our lives...

Christmas 2009, with my Ma

 Celebrating...

New Year's Eve 2009, Redlands CA

 Living...

September, 2010, Oak Glen, CA

And loving.

October 2010, Highland, CA

 We entered 2011 with a resolve to better ourselves as individuals, grow stronger as a couple, support and care for each other in spite of challenges and setbacks.

May 2011, Ford Park, Redlands CA

The year, for us, culminated on December 17th, 2011, when for the first time we had the opportunity to stand before both our families and friends and renew our promise to each other.

I become more confident every day that I made the right choice - my husband is a perfect partner for me in so many ways.  I respect him for who he is and who he wants to be, love him for what he is and what he is not, and am confident that he loves me equally.

So now that we've reached this point of peace and confidence in our lives, it's time to take the logical next step.

It's about to get REAL up in here... beginning July 2012.

:-)

Dancing in the streets

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

A little late, but whatevs.  I had a wonderful Christmas weekend with TWO massive homecooked feasts (plus a modest breakfast, concocted by moi), lots of family nonsense, gift giving, my aunt's sweet potato pie (recreated by my brother), fresh cheese and chili tamales (which I've been craving for months), and the pleasure of helping make my husband's family's first Christmas in the USA a memorable one.

I have an entire week off of work, which I scheduled back in May, and the thought of which has been the light at the end of my tunnel ever since.  I have slept in till 7:30, crocheted a cowl, a scarf, and a hat, finished a novel, got my hair cut and a mani/pedi, taken daily siestas with my husband... and lived it up, basically.  I <3 Vacation. Six more days to enjoy before I have to go  back!

Since I will not be boozing it up this New Year's Eve, I was momentarily at a loss for plans... when an add in the newspaper caught my eye.  So, on New Year's Eve, we will be packing up our in-laws, boarding the Metrolink to Union Station, and walking over to the Ahmanson where we will be seeing:

I am sooooooo excited!  I can think of no better way to end the year than with Broadway.  Peace, friends!

Catching Up

It appears I have failed miserably at blogging regularly... sad, but understandable, since this has been  by far the busiest 10 weeks of my life. Let's recap, shall we?

First, I ran a race!

Mission Inn 10K - the starting line....

And the triumphant finish!

Thanksgiving happened, and I roasted my first Turkey!

I swear it tasted delicious, food just does NOT photograph well in my dark kitchen.

We spent a looooong day at LAX waiting for my husband's family to arrive from Nigeria.

The 5 faces of jetlag.

 And not even a week later, we were back at LAX to collect his parents!

We went to a Christmas party.

Yeah, we clean up pretty good.

The longest quarter of my life came to an end, and I passed both of my classes!  Information Management I even passed with an A, which I in no sense deserved, but luckily I teamed up with a diligent group who didn't turn me in for my slacker-ness (yes, I was THAT group member). 

A couple days later, my husband finished up his two-year journey to a Master's degree, and we went to his graduation.

Proud wifey.

Husband with my parents.

With his folks and brother-in-law.

Whew, this month has been beyond crazy, and I can't catch my breath yet....  I currently have around 5 dozen cookies circulating through my oven and pounds of cheese to slice for a holiday party tomorrow.  It's kind of an anniversary, vow renewal, Christmas, families meeting party all rolled into one.  Confused?  Me too.  If nothing else... there will be food!  Goodnight all.