Happy Birthday Eric!

Today is Eric's birthday! It's been kind of a low-key day... we both had work and there was youth group tonight... but I hope it's been a good one for him :)

I started thinking about how many birthdays I have celebrated with Eric... and realized it was five- wow! For two we've been married, one engaged, one dating.... and one flirting.

Back in 2004, Eric's birthday fell over my Spring Break. Eric and I had been chatting frequently over msn messenger as "just friends" but the teasing from my friends was starting to become incessant. So armed with my good friend Susan, I agreed to go camping with Eric and some other close friends over break and resolved to get any ideas of liking Eric out of my head. (It was kind of an independent phase.) To accomplish this goal, I made a plan to go out of my way not spend time alone with him. It was a great plan- there was only one problem. Everywhere I went, Eric was right there- Amish beard and all talking to me. My mission was failing.

We came back to Dallas after the camping trip, and on Friday night went to play mini golf with other good friends (shout out to Mary, Andrew, & Kara) for Eric's 19th day. As the evening wore on, I realized Eric was flirting pretty unashamedly with me (not a typical 2004 behavior for him). The next evening, he called me at my house- "just to talk."

Well, four years later, and we're about to celebrate anniversary #2.... I'm glad my plan failed and that the Amish beard disappeared.



Happy Birthday Eric!

A Couple of Pyromaniacs...

Ooooo, Ahhhhh

Some healthy fear.

No fear.

Apparently, one of them hit out the fire... my bet is on Cuddles.

Press Secretary

Alright all you married or almost married people out there! Who's the press secretary in your relationship????

My guess is there probably is one.. in our relationship it is definitely Eric.

The press secretary carries the important role of communicating ideas in a non-offensive way ... a task that some spouses are better suited for than others. Eric and I were discussing the PS phenomenon at dinner the other night- so allow me to shed some light from our conversation...

Like I mentioned above, Eric is our PS. In order to not incriminate let's take a hypothetical situation in which someone was going to meet us in Montgomery for dinner. After the 45 minute drive, they call to say their not going to come because they didn't feel like it... If I responded it would sound something like, "Oooohhhhh, well alright. Yeah Eric and I were really tired too, but we didn't want to cancel on you. Well, I better go... we have a looonnggg drive back. Bye." (Not so good.) However, if the Anderson PS (aka Eric) took the phone you would hear, "Hey! I understand. Things come up. No, we don't mind being up here- it's a good excuse for us to do some shopping up here. Have a good night." Definitely Press Secretary.

In some couples, there is one Press Secretary... this is a gender neutral role... personality playing more of a role than husband/wife.

However, in other couples a certain, rare phenomenon can take place in which there are two PS: for example our friends Susan & Al who are two of the most calm level-headed people I know.

And, in the last subgroup of couples there will exist- no press secretary... for better or worse.

It's important to add that no value judgment can be assigned to the press secretary... with this role comes both strengths and weakness...

So, which group do you and your spouse fall into.. and who are you??? Please share... Eric and I have already been evaluating you anyway :)

Green Eggs, A Cat, And a Love of Books

I do not like green eggs and ham! I do not like them ...

You fill in the blank. You know it.

Dr. Seuss has forever stamped his mark on children's literature, and for many, some of their first reading memories are associated with him. I remember eating green eggs and ham in preschool, learning to read One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, listening to my grandmother read The Cat in the Hat and The Cat in the Hat Comes Back (two books which immediately take me to my grandparents home in my mind).... as I got older I remember hearing many times around high school graduation Oh The Places You'll Go, listening to my JBU Leadership Program director read the wise words of Horton, "I meant what I said, and I said what I meant... an elephant's faithful 100 percent!", creating my version of My Many Colored Days (with much illustration help from my friend Jeremy Grant).... and the list goes on. And then of course how could we forget oobleck or the wise words of the Lorax???

March 2nd is the birthday of Theodor Seuss Geisel.. and so all week long my kindergarten classroom has been busy doing Dr. Seuss activities. We've read a lot of books with special readers... firemen, a policeman, the superintendent, and my favorite "Mr. Anderson." Tonight we had a Dr. Seuss Party at school for kids and their parents to attend... which was great! Below are some pictures:


One of my kindergarten co-workers... you would really like her :)

Most of us kindergarten teachers... there are 11 of us in all!

Mr. Anderson doing his thing!

So, what is your favorite Dr. Seuss book? Please share!