ALL BECAUSE TWO PEOPLE FELL IN LOVE (A MUSHY POST.)

You see, October 24th is kind of a big deal around here.

It all started with the one back in 1998. (Spoiler alert: Braces were involved. And I’ve got pictures.)

After nearly a month of dear diary anticipation, this really cute boy (who was ACTUALLY taller than me!) named Jeremy Brown asked me to be his girlfriend at our 8th grade carnival dance.

I squealed on the inside, calmly said YES on the outside. (Then I went home for a slumber party with my girlfriends and squealed on the outside.)

I don’t have a picture of that night, so this awkward one from Feb ’98 will have to hold you over.

Ten years and puhLENTY of valuable life lessons later, just 33 days after our original wedding venue went BANKRUPT (thanks, Hurricane Ike), that same cute boy became my husband.

(Clearly my 8th grade “Nicole E. Brown” doodles had serious manifesting power. Heaven help me when B’s in middle school…)

After a lovely babymooniversary weekend at Turtle Bay Resort, my water broke.

Two and a half weeks early. (Didn’t see THAT one coming!)

Exactly thirteen years after we first started “going out” at thirteen years old, we became parents to a little fella we like to call Bryson Dean.

I tell the whole story in a four-part series that starts right here.

I went ALL. OUT. for Bryson’s first birthday -slash- Halloween.

Because what’s more fun than a one-year-old dressed up as a 78-year-old man with his own custom cardboard house?

(Click here to see all the obsessive details. This baby’s all over Pinterest.)

Last year 10/24 was a bit different as we spent it celebrating the life of my sweet Noni (my grandmother).

Jeremy had been in Connecticut for training at the time (+ otherwise wouldn’t have been there with us), so I like to think she had a hand in coordinating so we could all be together that day ;)

Non and my Paw Paw would’ve been married 60 years last November. Amazing.

I never imagined I’d be adding this part of the story when I planned a 10/24 post for today, but our dear Paw Paw passed away earlier this week…reunited with Non just in time for their next anniversary.

Life sure is precious – at every age and every stage.

And that brings us today.

I couldn’t do what I do “on my computer” without you stepping in to fill ALL the gaps and cheering me on even when you don’t know what the hey I’m doing.

Thank you for being patient when I work too much. (Which I know is…too much.)

Thank you for giving the BEST hugs when I just need to feel human again.

Thank you for indulging me in my woo woo “describe your ideal day” daydreams…because I have NO doubt they will be our reality one day soon.

I love your guts.

I love everything about you.

I guess that’s what moms are for.

I could ugly cry at the THOUGHT of you growing up and leaving the nest one day, but I know that’s what life’s all about. We go and we grow (as Pop says).

In the meantime, I treasure this sweet phase of NOW. Where you’re tiny enough to fit on my hip and I’m cool enough to deserve your company every night of the week ;)

Happy 3rd birthday, my precious boy!

Loving for a lifetime.

Praying like you mean it.

Standing up for what you believe in.

And keeping a lively sense of humor all the while.

Perhaps most importantly, you taught us how to fight when it’s time to fight, and how to let go when it’s time to let go.

What a blessing it is to be part of the family YOU started.

All because two people fell in love.