Anniversary Trip

So for all of you wondering how our anniversary trip went - here goes:

For our 1st anniversary, Randy & I decided to take a weekend trip to Fredericksburg, TX. I am so glad we did. It was a wonderful weekend away from work and responsibilties. We left Friday before our anniversary and drove down to Fredericksburg, TX. Who knew Texas had such fun little towns to visit? (I'm just kidding, everyone pokes fun at me being from Oklahoma...lol!) We checked in to our B&B and unloaded our stuff. Here are pics of the outside and inside of the cottage.

Buona Sera

Kitchenette

Bathroom with Jacuzzi tub

After getting settled in, we went into town to visit the shops we had heard so much about. Well, most of them close at 5 on Fridays! So we just stopped for dinner instead. The next morning we woke up early and headed to Enchanted Rock State Park. Our friends told us this was a neat place to go hiking and exploring. And since Randy can't turn down exploring - we went. :)

Enchanted Rock State Park - the rock from the bottom

We hiked all the way to the top! Whew! it didn't look that high, but the rock is bigger than you think. This was our attempt at a self-portrait.

This was after some nice gentleman offered to take our picture, much better.

A cool tree on top of the rock.

Randy looking for the cave - time to explore!

Grant & Sarah had mentioned there being a cave you could go in at the rock. So once on top of the rock, Randy began looking for the cave. We saw a group of 5th graders all heading to the cave so decided to follow them. We get the entrance and realize this isn't just a cave with a big opening at the front, it is more of a crevice in the rock that you crawl through. Great! And to top it off, we didn't bring flashlights. So Randy asked the sponsor of the 5th grade group if we could follow them through. They said yes and we were off, or in. The first of the cave wasn't too bad, pretty wide and you could still see light from the outside. Then it got really narrow and dark. If you want a funny story to tell, put 12 5th graders in a dark cave with about 4 flashlights among them, none of the dressed to go hiking, and then put 2 tag-along vacationers and you have a story. It was hilarious to listen to the 5th graders talk.

We got about halfway through and thought we were finished because the cave suddenly opened to the outside - we thought. The guys (Randy & the sponsor) went to look around to see how we would get down. Turns out, that wasn't the end of the cave. We had to keep going. Well 12 5th graders had had enough cave for one trip so they proceded to find another way down the rock. We, on the other hand, kept going. There happened to be 3 college students behind us so we followed them through the rest of the cave. This is when it got really interesting. When the sponsor of the 5th grade group was great about sharing his light, the college students weren't so much. So we walked through (climbed, scooted, and squeezed) through most of the last half in the dark. We had our cell phones, and used them when needed for light. It really wasn't that bad - I knew we had to be able to get out, there were arrows on the walls telling you to go that way. But when you hear the people in front of you say, watch out! There is hole here and we can't see the bottom - it kind of freaks you out. And I did slip one time and couldn't stop until Randy grabbed my arm. But then again, I couldn't see what I was slipping into so it wasn't that bad. :) We finally got out and then climbed down the other side of the rock. It was fun, but I am not going back without a flashlight! Randy told me he was so proud of me for doing so great in the cave and not complaining until I hit my knee on the rock. I felt proud of myself - never did I imagine going into a cave with no light - but I did it!

My mountain man

Another self portrait, not too bad.

This is for Rhett - I thought it looked like a train.

After hiking up, through, and around Enchanted Rock, we headed back to our B&B to relax and take a nice hot bath. Ahhh! We did stop at the Wildseed Farm and got some seeds to plant once we have a house of our own. That night we ate at Mamacita's - a mexican restaurant in Fredericksburg. It was so good! We ordered fajitas for two and it would have fed four people! Yum!

Sunday we headed back into town to visit more shops and walk around the town. Its funny, but I didn't take a single picture of the town, just ones outside of it! Oh well. We'll do that next time we visit. We headed home Sunday afternoon.

These were some cows we saw outside of Fredericksburg.

We don't know what kind they are, but thought they looked like "Oreo" cows. :)

Monday - we visited the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens. This is a picture of the Japense Garden.

A cute little squirrel

Cool picture of some Japanese statue

Randy took this one.

And finally a funny little turtle - this guy had his back leg up in the air like that for 5 minutes!

Our first year

Preface - I know this blog is about 2 weeks late, but with the craziness and busyness of our life, I'm ok with being 2 weeks late. You'll still enjoy it all the same! :)

I can't believe we already have been married one year. It has gone by so fast and I have enjoyed every minute of it. On April 28, 2007, I became Mrs. Randy Harrelson. Wow! All my life I've only been known as Rachel Marie Dugger, now I was Rachel Marie Harrelson. Much more changed than just my name.

This past year I have learned so much about myself and about life as a whole. Living with another human who you committed your life to forever is different than just living with a roommate. I can't just not see him when I am frustrated with him - he lives here too! He has to adjust to living with a girl who forgets to put up the curling iron and hair dryer in the mornings, and who sheds - alot. We have had to learn how to do life together on a whole new level. Arguments have to be talked out (not always right away) and frustrations have to be voiced. We can't keep stuff bottled up inside us because it always eventually comes out - and sometimes that isn't pretty.

Joys and victories are shared and something about sharing them makes them that much more special. He is my encourager and I get to be his cheerleader. I've had to learn to let go of the little stuff and look beyond the annoyances, to the man I get to be married to. The man who loves to be silly and knows how to have fun. The man who can't seem to remember to put his dishes in the dishwasher, but always greets me with a hug and a kiss when I get home from work. The man who will go get milk for us at 11 o'clock at night even though he has to get up at 5:30 the next morning for work.

It's funny how much things have changed in just a year. When we first were married, I could hardly sleep for his snoring/breathing, but now when he is gone overnight for clinicals - I just don't sleep as well. We still have our moments of frustration, but I think we are learning how to communicate better and to think about the other person first. We're not perfect, believe me. And we have a long way to go, but God is good. He promised that he would carry this good work on to completion and that is exactly what he is doing.

So as we start our second year as husband and wife, I love you Randy! I can't wait to see what this year holds for us. It has been and is such an honor to be your wife and best friend. I love you (more than you know).

My 2nd Birthday Celebration/Surprise

You know something is important when you celebrate it twice and it is just as fun the second time. Today I was expecting to celebrate my birthday with my parents since they weren't able to come down last weekend. Well, I ended up being surprised with a Surprise party made up of my parents, my little brother, Randy and friends, April D., Courtney F., Jacob & Laura, and Grant, Sarah, Rhett & Hudson. Wow! How fun! And I was surprised. It was a great ending to a wonderful birthday week.

Randy & I are so blessed to have such loving family and friends. To sit and watch our close friends visit with my parents and brother and really want to get to know them is incredible. Thank you Randy & Mom for planning such a great lunch party. I really appreciate you thinking so much of my 25th birthday to plan a party with our friends. Love you!

Surprise!

Me & My parents :)

Almost the whole group - sorry we left you out Sarah!

I needed a little help - thanks Rhett!

Me & My wonderful Hubby

Randy just had to feed cake to me like at our wedding!

Daniel and April - aren't they cute?!

#25

So yesterday I turned 25 - yes, that is one quarter of a century (people keep reminding me of that). I had a wonderful day and weekend, and get to celebrate again this coming weekend!

I woke up to my hubby singing his version of Happy Birthday and then French Toast that he made for me. Thank you Randy! Then it was off to work, where my cube was decorated by my fun co-workers. Sadly, I forgot to take a picture of it, but let's just say I had to almost crawl out of my cube any time I needed to get something. :) My parents and brother surprised me with a beautiful flower arrangement of yellow daisies and roses. Daisies are my favorites (along with tulips)!





Laura (co-worker) took me to Olive Garden for lunch for some yummy soup and salad. Then back to work for the afternoon. I got home and Randy was so antsy for me to open my gift. So I did and guess what? He got me a cool, flexible tripod for our camera! It is like a Gorillapod, but a different brand and made for heavier cameras. I am so excited to get to use it on our next trip. Currently it is wrapped around Randy's bike, holding my camera. Silly boys!

Randy, Sonia, and Bruce took me to Outback for my birthday dinner. The steak was wonderful and I got a cool chocolate ice cream dessert because it was my birthday. And no, I didn't have to sing or dance for it. :) Although Randy tried really hard to make me believe I had to...lol!


My gift


Sonia & Bruce


Love this pic minus the glare from the blinds.


That's better.

My birthday was a very blessed day. I got so many calls, emails, and messages from family and friends wishing me a happy birthday. I am very blessed. Can't wait to see what happens in the coming year!

Haircuts, fish and frogs...oh, my!

So what have we been up to? Lots and lots, and here is a peak.

Last weekend, Randy and 7 other guys from church went camping and canoeing on the Brazos. They left on Friday and returned on Sunday. This was 3 days of "roughing" it and hanging with the guys. According to Randy, they fished, canoed, threw things into the fire, and listened to snoring and frogs at night (my words - not his). I really wanted him to blog about it, but I guess just having him take pictures of their adventures is enough. :)

Group Shot

My Hubby and his fish - he was so proud!

And what did I do while Randy was gone for 3 days? Well, I went to visit my parents and to the wedding of some dear friends of ours - Ernesto & Sherry. It was so good to see old friends and catch up on what is going on in our lives. My parents even had been going through old home movies and we took a trip down memory lane while I was there. It was so funny to see my brother wearing neon green and black striped pants and me in my kindergarten graduation. Ah, the memories!

Oh and last but not least....I got my hair cut. I'd been wanting to do something different for a while now, but couldn't decide what. Well, after talking to Sarah and getting a idea, I went Saturday to get it cut. And this is the result:

It is way shorter than I have ever had it before, but I like it. Granted I can't make it look like it did the day the stylist cut it, but I like it all the same. Its fun and different, and for all of you who like long hair (aka, Dad), it will grow back. :)

So that is what is going on in our lives. Randy starts his clinicals this week. He is excited and ready to get experience as a paramedic. Tomorrow April begins and that means a birthday and anniversary. Wow! A year already! Time has flown. I'll post more later about our first year of marriage and all we've learned. God has definitely blessed us.

Peach blooms from my parents' trees

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:8-10

RW '08

So this post is a little late in coming. Randy & I went home to Oklahoma a few weekends ago to help with Revolution Weekend at Marietta FBC. I grew up in MFBC and Randy went there when he moved to Marietta and we were dating. Our friends, Shane & Amy, are the youth ministers and graciously allow us to come back and help each year. This year's theme was Guy Talk - Girl Talk and there were 5 topics specific to guys and 5 specific to girls. For the past 2-3 years, we've been on the behind the scenes crew - helping Shane & Amy visit homes, organize the derby car race, and generally just help anywhere needed. This year, though, Randy & I both were leaders in homes. I had 9th grade girls and Randy had 11th & 12th grade boys.

The weekend was great. It started out a little rough for me - I was fighting a sore throat, but God stepped in and gave me just enough voice to get through each session. Although all the topics were great and the girls really needed to learn about them, I struggled with the first few sessions. It just didn't seem that the girls were getting anything. They weren't really talkative during the lessons and I was struggling to convey what I was feeling in my heart about the different topics. Thankfully, I had a wonderful co-leader, April Dooley, and she kept enouraging me that I was doing better than I thought. I was really having to depend fully on God to get through each lesson. You know, we always say, "God, speak through us. Let the words they hear be your words not ours." This is one time I can attest that they really were. I hardly had a voice for most of the weekend, and yet when it was all said and done, I think some of the girls really did hear God speak. It wasn't anything I said - they just really were listening to God and he was moving through the weekend. It's very humbling to know that it was nothing I did that made an impact. It was all God and he deserves all the praise. In saying all that, there weren't any "life-changing" decisions - that I know of. But God was moving and I pray that the girls respond and not just go away not making a change.

It was also really special to have the girls I did. One of them, Madison, I babysat from the time she was 4 until she turned 8. We had so much fun during those summers - finger painting, play-dough, Barbies, Frogger, more crafts than you could imagine, and lots and lots of fun. I got to kind of reconnect with her and it was amazing to see the young lady God is growing her to be. And she remembered all the stuff we used to do! That was so cool. Makes me glad I didn't just let her watch TV all day while her mom was gone. Lol!

The pictures above are kind of a brief overview of our Revolution Weekend '08 and end with some misc pics of me & Bella (I couldn't resist!). Enjoy and let me know what's going on in your lives. I'd really like to know who is keeping up with us through our blog. God Bless!

Christmas Letter

Merry Christmas to you and your family! Randy & I pray this letter finds you blessed. We can hardly believe that Christmas is almost here again. This year has just flown by! Of course, we have done our part to keep it busy, but we wouldn’t change a thing. Here are the highlights from our year:

• November 2006 – Randy proposed! On a snowy night, at my apartment Randy asked me to be his princess for always. I said yes and it was official. We were getting married!
  
• January through March 2007 – Wedding planning had begun! From picking flowers, colors, cakes, tuxes, and a wedding gown – our lives were almost completely wedding. We had engagement pictures taken, I found my dress, we picked out flowers, went to 3 wonderful showers given by our wonderful friends, discovered that there is way more that goes into a wedding than we realized, and through it all thoroughly enjoyed every part of our engagement.
  


• April 2007 – This was a very busy month in our lives. I quit my job at Fossil in Richardson, TX. It was going to be too far for me to drive once we were married and living in Arlington. Thankfully, I was blessed with another opportunity in Irving with BancTec, Inc. Our God is faithful to provide just when we need it. Then I moved out of my apartment, and moved in with Paul & Shannon Mints for a few weeks before the wedding. Randy & I have been so blessed with family and friends who helped us in so many ways leading up to the wedding. Thanks! And squeezed in between all of this activity – I had a birthday! I am looking forward to a calmer birthday next year!
  
• April 28th, 2007 – Randy & I were married at Marietta’s First Baptist Church in Marietta, OK. It was a very blessed day. We couldn’t have asked for anything better. Our family and friends were there to share it with us, the weather was wonderful, and we were getting married! Thank you to all of you who shared in that special day with us. We thank God for friends and family like you.

• May 2007 – Randy took me on a wonderful Honeymoon to Lake Tahoe, CA. We settled into married life – how fun! Randy also started EMT classes at the end of May. Our first nephew was born on May 12th – Caleb Matthew. He is a cutie!

• June 2007 – We moved – again! I moved 3 times in 3 months. This time we moved from Randy’s apartment (his lease was up) to the apartment we are in now. It is a 2 bedroom, 2 bath apartment and we love it! People say that the most stressful events someone can go through are getting married, moving, starting a new job, losing a loved one and divorce. We did 3 of the 5 in 3 months! Whew!

• July 2007 – Randy had his birthday on the 12th – complete with a double layer chocolate cake. Ask him about that sometime. It is quite the story. Oh, and our friends Jacob & Laura got married. We have been to so many weddings this year. I have to say 2007 was the year to get married!

• August 2007 – Randy finished his EMT classes. Yay! He finished as one of the top in his class. He also started his Paramedic classes. He should be finished by this time next year. Our church, The Community at Lake Ridge, also held a baptism at Lake Joe Pool, baptizing 8 people! If you want to know more about our church, check out the website – www.thecommunityatlakeridge.com. It is growing like crazy and God is working in amazing ways. Randy & I help with our kids’ ministry – KidRidge and we have grown from 40 at Easter to 70+! We are so blessed to have a wonderful church family – please be in prayer for what God is doing at TCaL.




• September 2007 – September was full of visiting family and friends. My cousin Waylon married his sweetheart Nina on Labor Day weekend. We traveled to College Station to visit Brian & Janelle Franklin (one of Randy’s best friends). The month ended with one of my best friends Tiffany visiting for the weekend. We are blessed to have friendships that endure despite the distance and busyness between us.

• October 2007 – Randy took and passed his EMT National Registration test! I am so proud of my smart husband. We also took a road trip to Odessa to visit Randy’s family. It was so good to all be together for the weekend.

• November 2007 – A surprise birthday party, Thanksgiving, a new niece – November was an exciting month. Randy, Daniel – my brother, and I threw a surprise birthday party for my mom. Boy was she surprised! We had so much fun. We spent Thanksgiving in Oklahoma with my family since we had spent last year’s in Odessa with Randy’s family. It actually was cold this year! At the end of the month, we had the privilege of becoming an uncle and aunt again. Bella Grace was born to Kristi & Andrew on November 28th. She is a doll!




• December 2007 – I love this time of the year. Christmas trees, snowmen, the Christmas Story, being with family and friends, celebrating Jesus’ birthday. It has to be one of my favorite times of the year. I love being with family on Christmas and reading the Christmas story. This is our first Christmas as a married couple. We are excited to look forward to what God has in store for us next year.
  

We pray at this special time of the year, that you would be able to spend time with your family and friends remembering the real reason for the season. Jesus was born in a stable 2000 years ago to be our Savior and Lord. He was the Ultimate Gift that first Christmas. May you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! We love you!