Meet Samantha (Part 1)

In the beginning, there was a girl, and she was hopelessly frustrated with the lack of eligible men in sparsely populated upstate New York.  So she trustingly and quizzically took her fathers advice and logged on to E-Harmony.com....and thus...a story was born.

*This picture was taken by my dad outside of our home in Upstate New York, and was the first glimpse that Kristoffer had of his mystery girl after two weeks of communication.  I'm sure he was getting a bit nervous!  I will say, it was very strange having my father take a picture of me...for a guy.

And then he came...

 *Kristoffer took this picture of me when he came to NY to meet me for the first time in February 2006.  What a fresh faced 21 year old I was!

 *In a car then and now, if I only knew then where this car would take me in the future!  I sat in that seat as a newlywed in NY, and then as an adventurer in our new home in Las Vegas.  I sat in that seat in labor with Marin on the way to the hospital, and I sat in that seat on the was to the hospital to deliver Owen.  What a car trip!  

*Here, Kris and I had taken a day trip before we were married up to the St.Lawrence River.  Kris keeps a printed copy of this picture in his tool chest.

 *Water!  I took my then fiancee on a lunch cruise on the St. Lawrence River for his birthday (in July).  The portion on the boat with the lunch service and tables was enclosed in glass, almost a big screenhouse, and for over an hour, the AC was out of commission!  It was sooo hot while we ate, everyone was sweating!  What a great time!!

*Sigh*  A happy outing to the Palmyra temple!  I just had my hair done that day.  I LOVED those days!!  Doesn't everyone love to get their hair done?!  These days it's a pretty rare treat, in fact, I usually con my sister in law into coloring my hair when I see her...thanks Melodie!

One of the same trips to the St. Lawrence River, out on a dock.

Kristoffer asked me the other night after the kids were in bed what I did before we had children...before we got married.  Exfoliate.  I told him I used to exfoliate, and paint my toe nails pink, and exercise.  It was fabulous!  And looking at these pictures...I remember it all so clearly!  There are days now when I don't get a shower until, well, I don't get a shower, and I have sweatpants and a T-shirt stained with throw up on all day.  My hair is pulled into a messy bun and I have no make-up on.  I told Kristoffer this morning that I think parenthood must be like running a marathon, it's terribly exhausting and painful, with intermittent moments of awesome pleasure.  The true ecstasy must come at the "finish line", when it all really seems worth it, although, I'm not sure there is a finish line?  

I am so happy and blessed to be a mother, and I wouldn't want things any other way.  The throw up stains on my pajama T-shirt are merely badges of honor, but I sure do miss being able to exfoliate from time to time.

Up next?  Meet Kristoffer!