an anniversary to out-do all those past.

4.11.13 was our happy little four year anniversary.

Four years?!?

With everything that has happened it four years it feels like decades more to me. I can only imagine the insanity the future will bring!!!! We have moved from Rexburg, ID to Tuscaloosa, AL to Boiling Springs, SC and now are shortly putting our house up for sale (wait, didn't we just move in?) for another move! Oh, boy! I got my nursing license, worked for a few years as a nurse, and got my Bachelor's degree. Dan got his Bachelor's degree, went to Medical School for a little test-drive, and now we are off to Optometry School! And our biggest accomplishment yet... we added another little one to our family. The most precious little Jude James Mulder on this earth.

Our relationship has, too, had its "moves." We have learned so much about ourselves, each other, relationships, loving, forgiveness, serving, and everything life likes to teach two naive little kids in love. We have made it through everything, becoming stronger and continually striving to love each other more and more every day and remember that our marriage relationship is the most important one we have, besides our relationship with God. 

Dan knew I'd been having a hard time with everything lately so he went above and beyond to brighten my spirits. And he did!

Started out with a beautiful bouquet of flowers to wake up to...

The day before he had told me I needed to be ready at 12:00 for a surprise. I racked my brain and thought maybe the dream of my soul's eternal duration was coming true and that he may be getting me a massage (like, a professional one). Then he told me Jude was coming... I love for my Jude to come everywhere with me but I knew that quickly made a massage out of the question. I thought we were going to go to the zoo or something! Dan had work the night before so he would be sleeping at this time. The morning of came and it was time to spill the surprise...

For the sake of truly capturing my excitement I will post these pictures... and to make you all feel a little bit better about yourselves...

Waiting for the okay to pull up the internet browser... the anticipation was pretty much explosive.

And the surprise is revealed!!

My dream came true. One hour full-body massage at Massage Envy. Jude didn't come after all. It was a very tricky decoy. My therapist recommended that I come again in two weeks and then monthly afterwards. Do you think my insurance will cover that?!

Nighttime came and we went out to dinner at a fancy restaurant. Shout outs to the people who made it happen: Mom and Dad Mulder for financing the whole outing and Meghan for "watching" Jude while he slept! Our rekindled love is forever indebted to you! (It had been too long since we'd gone out anywhere together.) We had some blurry picture issues all night, bear with us.

My sweet baby surprised me with a little BF note. :)

I felt like a creeper when he looked over at me and I nodded like we had just agreed to begin our top-secret mission. Self-induced awkward moment. 

I was reaching in my purse and literally just happened to find the nametags from our wedding luncheon!

I love my husband. Our relationship is not perfect, but it's perfect for us and we work at it every day.

I LOVE YOU DANNY!!! LET'S DO THIS!!! :)

Three Little Lovers

Valentine's Day is about love. Everyone has a reason to celebrate Valentine's Day! I remember when I was in college and single as could be, I wore a poofy skirt with a red sweater, white chucks and high white socks with red and pink hearts all over them (should have gotten a picture!!). I spent the night before making cupcakes to hand out to everyone I felt should receive one. I, of course, was late for my 7:45 am Microbiology class. So I strutted into class, about 15 minutes late, in my very loud outfit holding a plate full of cupcakes. I gave one to my teacher. He was adorable. :) Later in the day, I gave one to a boy that I had gone on a couple dates with recently (&nothing came of it) that I happened to run into in the library. He tensed up and got really awkward and said something about how he was sorry he didn't have anything for me right now. I just smiled and laughed. He thought it was a romantic gesture but it was really just a gesture of love for the spirit of Valentine's Day (and life and being a little 19 year-old lady who could do whatever she pleased).

This year was a little bit different. :) It was spent with not just one handsome guy of my dreams, but two! I attempted this, which is beyond my understanding how anything could look so perfect, especially eggs! Mine were at least made with lots of love. We hurried off to Greenville with the intent of Jude sleeping in the car. We made a tent out of blankets so it was dark, filled his belly full of some delicious milk, and set the plan into action. It failed. He cried, and screamed for about thirty minutes until I was so depleted, discouraged, &depressed I couldn't take it anymore. So we arrived with a tired little baby and full afternoon/evening ahead and hoping for the best. We walked around downtown trying to find a restaurant that had the "ambience &atmosphere" we was looking for. As we were walking, I looked over to see a spirited black lady stick half her body out the window, waving her arms in the air &screaming "LOVE THE SHOES!!! LOVE THE SHOES!!!! LOVE THE SHOES!!!!!!" as if she was yelling "The British are coming!" or something of equal importance. I was thoroughly amused, to say the least. She was a cute little ray of sunshine that sprinkled some love on my Valentine's Day.

We saw the sites and decided on Smoke on the River. We plopped Jude into those little seats and enjoyed our early dinner. (Thank you Mom &Dad James for treating us to dinner for Valentine's Day/Congratulations to Dan on his test... you are the best!!) Jude hasn't been to a restaurant since he was no more than three months old (&neither have we, tight budget) so he was loving it. He would throw his arms up in the air and dance to the music, wave at the people, and dance with people across the restaurant. He especially liked the 60-something year old man across the way who would dance back!

We then went to the park and enjoyed the picturesque and perfectly cliche scenes of lovers in the park. (We even saw a boy asking a girl to prom!) We saw the quacking ducks to Jude's hearts content. I wore my grandmother Norma James' fur coat, which was given to my mother and then given to me. It is my most special piece of clothing &I only wear it about once a year! Now with Jude, I might have to decrease the frequency due to his frequency of always managing to get different bodily fluids on me. We then off we went for my surprise from Dan. I was sure it was another park... but no, we went to Rita's! I was pretty thrilled. Last time we went was with beautiful Sarah in Philly! And since they were milk &egg free slushies, Jude could even have a little! He wasn't quite sure what to do with himself.

We then had to go to Whole Foods to get Jude some specialty products in our attempts to fatten him up (stupid SOY milk is worthless). $67 and a few goat milk yogurts, milk, specialty flours, xantham gum, dairy free butter & mayonnaise, and "vegan mexican shreds" (supposed to be cheese... do NOT recommend) our mission was accomplished. Let's not focus on how we might have gotten lost on the way and tempers might have soared as we were a little tense with a screaming baby who might have thrown up all over in all his confined-in-the-carseat misery. No need to remember all that. Or the "churros" I made Dan that were uncooked balls of dough with a burnt cinnamon shell. Let's remember the little heart Dan hid in the D&R in the kitchen with my last &final note, which I savor along with the others.

Valentine's Day is about romantic love and chocolates and teddy bears and awkward situations more than I wish it was, yes. When I was young I always pictured a ridiculously movie-like day with breakfast in bed, rose petals to the bubble bath, romantic dinners in stiletto heels, etc. I laugh at that now. I've realized that if we are not careful it will turn into another chore of having to do a Valentine craft and make a heart-shaped baked good. I want it to be another excuse to celebrate the love I have for my family and those around me and make them feel special and make sure-beyond-sure-can-be that they know they are so ridiculously and uncontrollably loved my this woman.

3 goin on 30

We've been married 3 years on April 11th. Feels like more. It's the most satisfying and wonderful thing to be in a happy, healthy relationship. A lot has happened since we've been married! Moved across the country, I got my license and first job as a nurse, Dan (almost) graduated with his bachelor's degree, we survived the 4th worst tornado in history (literally, Dan saw it on the weather channel), and we brought the most perfect child into this world... so productive!

We love each other a lot. And tell each other at least ten times a day. I'm so thankful we are happy and content just being together. Every day is an adventure. I'm so glad I get to go through all these crazy adventures with him.

Our love gets better every day. We can only imagine the love we will have when we add a zero to that three!

We had a little photo shoot in the backyard. It will be great when Jude can take pictures for us. :)

And then he decided he was done.

And then we got attacked by mosquitoes.

For dinner we dined on grilled pineapple and chicken and garlic lemon potatoes. And of COURSE Martinelli's! Of course.

And then we played with our baby some more.

And he grinned and laughed with his Daddy.

These two are best of friends already.

Preparing to take flight...

And then a little bit of this... yes!