As any love story, it’s not always Peaches & Cream, but as for this fairy tale, there’ happiness to no ending. I met my husband back in 2004; I was a Junior in High School and Ryan, my husband, had already graduated from another High School. We met through a close family friend. From the moment that we started dating, I knew that I wanted to keep him forever! Like most young couples, there were a couple bumps in the road (no couple is perfect!) but because we both fought to stay on the road to the never ending story, we are where we are today and couldn’t be happier.

When we first started dating, of course at 17 years old, we went on a lot of movie dates and did a lot of eating out. Being as how I was still in high school, and he wasn’t, (he’s only a year and half older people,) we also had a lot going on with with our already established friends and family. I mean, as much as I had him on my mind, I was still a High School student and he was a teenage boy. I did a lot of school functions and loved hanging out with my friends, as he enjoyed hanging out with his friends too. I did show him off when I could though, I took him to my Junior prom, that’s a cute memory. As I entered my Senior year in High School, we became more and more serious. I can recall going out on the weekends with my friends, and in the middle of the night, once I got home, I would call him and tell him how hungry I was; I would hint around to him that I was wanting a large curly fry and two tacos!!! Jack N the Box was pretty much all that was open at that time of the night that I was willing to eat. We joke to this day, that he would come over the following night and see the food that he brought over the previous night just sitting there still……. I would pretty much ask him to bring me food over just to see him, why I didn’t just tell him to come over and visit with me, I don’t know. #TypicalTeenageGirl

When I have the opportunity, I like to relax and just relive certain moments in my head, of course all of the happiest moments, they just bring so much warmth and emotion. I mainly close my eyes and live in the moments of when I gave birth to my children and spent that first night with them in the hospital!!! Those memories are just so delightful to play over and over again in my head; but leading up to those heart smiling memories, I had Ryan. Ryan was always my best friend, through everything, he’s the one that I wanted to have kids with and spend the rest of my life with; I have him to thank for my happiest moments. I also really love remembering when it all began; when he first took me out to eat, when I had to tell him a shorter way to get the movies…..even after knowing he’s been there a million times prior, when he would pick me up from school, or even pick me up in the morning and take me to school, even though he had no other reason for waking up so early! I love all of these memories! The firsts are the greatest!! Those are memories that stick with you forever, you can never re-do those firsts.

During my Senior year, I started this new job in Modesto, it was called Clothes Avenue, it’s no longer there. Ryan would drive out there, from Manteca where he lived, and would drop me off Jamb Juice or some other kind of snack; I loved when he would pop up out of no where and surprise me. Even better, after working for Clothes Avenue, I started a new work of place at Bed Bath & Beyond in Tracy, Ryan would drive out to Tracy and leave me a card and roses on my windshield just because. He wouldn’t come in or let me know that he was or did come by…… I would be completely surprised when I walked out to my car; these were the best ways to be told that he was thinking of me.

When we were old enough, we would get out of town, just him and I, as much as we possibly could. Before kids, he used to take me to Yosemite, Santa Cruz, Sacramento, and Tahoe all of the time!!! This was Heaven for me. I loved just going on long drives and spending time with him.

Before we ventured to Disneyland Season Passes, we would get Great America Season Passes and go as often as possible. Sacramento, we would visit the Capitol and just walk around and eventually venture to the Mall and find cute little places to eat.

We once went camping as a young couple, just him and I. This was so much fun! I remember him laughing at me because I froze my butt off at a nearby lake in shorts shaving my legs. We went legit camping-lol.

Growing together and becoming a bit more lucrative, we ventured to visiting further distanced places. We went to Hawaii for the first time in 2010, this trip was so exciting. We did so much!! We did zip lining, rode in a helicopter over the Island, did a luau, took surfing lessons, we went on a cruise to a beautiful snorkeling area, went horse back riding and of course, tripped around and ate at all the delicious eateries. This was so amazing for me! I had never really left state prior to this, so experiencing this with my boyfriend for my first time was so romantic and magical.

As we grew older, we got our first apartment together and further on down the road, we bought our first home together. Prior to buying our first home, we took my nieces in and eventually adopted them together. After buying our little home on Tamara Way, we settled in as a family. We pretty much went from that life without children, to life with two little girls over night. I was 21 years old and he was 23; we were very young. But with them by our side, it tested our relationship in ways that most relationships don’t get tested at such a young age……and it made us stronger!

At 25 years old, he asked me to marry him in Disney World as the fire work show lit up the sky! While being 25, we had our first son and had our wedding scheduled for the following year in June of 2013. By the time we celebrated our ceremony, we had our little Landen, our first born. Landen was just hitting eight months old when Ryan and I said, “I do!” For our Honeymoon, of course I couldn’t leave my baby behind….. When I say couldn’t, I mean I didn’t want to. So my mother in law went with us on our honeymoon, hahahaha, I know, it doesn’t sound very romantic, does it. But it all worked out! We went to Hawaii for our Honeymoon, my mother in law got her own room, of course, and helped us out with watching Landen when Ryan and I went out on dates and spent time together.

Smile & Laugh Together, Joke with Each other, Drink Together, Share Together…..Grow Together…..

After having Landen, our three bedroom home was getting tight, so naturally, we started looking for a bigger home. In 2014, we bought our latest home; we love living here. The house was big enough to add additions to accommodate our lifestyle and our neighbors are all very friendly and great company. Since living here, we added two bedrooms to our house, going from a four bedroom to a six bedroom, and as we added bedrooms, we also added two more little ones to light up our life that much more. We now have five children together and live each day by day. With our love story in a nut shell, we are each other’s best friends and do most, if not all, of what we do together! We lean on one another and look to each other for advice and support.

Relationships aren’t always perfect, but you have to make it your kind of perfect! Find the things that are worth fighting for within your relationship and focus on them; those are the things that will hold you together through the hard times! True love isn’t something that comes and goes often, so if you have found it, hold onto it and cherish it!!

Much Love, me!