STRIKE!

The girls....and Hot Pink bowling balls!

The twins!

Satisified with a tie!

There are very few things that I can beat Trav at. There were a few times I won a game of horse but he still claims that he let me win. However, if you could have been there, you would have seen the beads of sweat pouring down his face as he realized he was going to loose to his girl friend! One of the only other times I have beaten Trav was the summer after we started dating when we were in Bass Lake with his family. We went bowling with everyone and I won....both games. And it was no close match between me and Trav....I'm pretty sure triple digits were not broken from his side. But, it made me a little too cocky about bowling! We went the other night with some of my close girl friends and his close guy friends and I was talking it up about how I won. ( Let me remind you it was 3 summers ago and It was only one time that I had won) Well, Doug and Rick chimed in about that time in Bass Lake and I was confident that I was going to bowl the same that night! When it was my first turn I bowled a Strike! Oh yea, this is going to be a good night is what I was thinking. Eh, not so much! We ended up with a tie for the first game, neither of us breaking 100. And the second game he left me in the dust! And needless to say, that one strike was the only one of the night. I think a rematch is in order! :)

"Will You Marry Me???"

If you are like me you have been planning your wedding since the day you learned to walk. Growing up I thought I had every little detail planned out and I couldn't wait till I was old enough to get married. Now, I'm getting married and it's crazy how fast those years flew by. Well, by the time Trav proposed, I was pretty sure I had thought of every possible way he could propose. It was to the point where everytime we would go out I made sure I liked my outfit ( just in case of course) and whenever he would bend down to pick something up or tie his shoe, I want to yell," Yes, I do!!!!" ( Thankfully I never embarressed myself in such a way.) But no matter how much I had day dreamed about that day, I never would have thought he would surprise me in the way he did!

It was a Thursday night and I randomly called my brother in law in St.Louis to see if I could surprise my sister and their kids and stay with them on my week off. He called me back to say he found a ticket and asked if I could leave the next morning! I jumped at the chance to go but I was bummed Trav was staying behind. I hadn't seen him in a week since he was doing a medical study and I was not going to see him for another week. Looking back, I should have been able to put all the clues together but I'm just not that on top of things. It was much better as a surprise though.

The night I arrived we went to Monkey Joes for dinner. On our way I was sitting in the back seat with Maddie and Sam while Lea and Jon were whispering up front. ( Mind you, it drives me crazy when people are in the front of the car and whisper because they know there is no way you can hear them. My parents still try to pull that on me but I haven't mastered the eavesdropping skills yet!) The next day they pulled the same thing while we were on the tram at Grant's Farm. I heard my sister say, " Do you think she heard?" But i thought they were talking about my niece so I started talking to her to distract her. Little did I know that both times they were talking about a phone call they reveived from Trav asking if he could come out there. The week went by and I was having a blast with them but still missing Trav. I was bummed because we talked on the phone once the whole week and we were barley texting. And to top it off, Jon's bro was coming into town for the Cubs/Cardinals game on Fri. and we were going to go to the Arch with him downtown before. I was excited to see the Arch but not so thrilled to have Dave as my date instead of Trav. Plus, to show how gullible I am, Jon had me believing that there was a restaurant at the top of the Arch we were eating at. If you have been to the Arch you know that there is no way a restaurant could be up there!!! I kept myspacing Trav that I wished he was going and I even texted Heidi on that Friday asking if she could put Trav on a plane and send him to STL so he could come with!!!!

My sister was persuasive and made sure I showered and dressed cute for dinner despite the fact that I really didn't care what I was going to look like for Dave. On the car ride there, it was just me and Lea, but Jon kept calling her a thousand times to see where we were and how soon we would be there. When we pulled in the parking lot he was waiting for us but Dave was not there. He claimed he was in the underground museum. ( Yes, that is a really place unlike the restaurant) I was making fun of Jon because he had his video camera yet he lived in STL and had been to the Arch before. But I am so thankful he had it now!!!We walked up to the edge of the grassy field that laid under teh Arch. I heard Jon say he saw someone that looked like Trav. I looked but didn't see anything. Then my sister repeated what Jon had just said and pointed to the middle of the field directly under the Arch. All I could see was a guy down on one knee, just waiting in the grass. I looked at my sister as if to ask, " Is it really Trav?" and she just smiled. I took off walking, feeling as if I was floating. It felt like I walked a football field to get to him! As I was walking I realized I had tears streaming down my face. I couldn't believe this was really happening! There he was, on one knee, waiting to ask me to spend the rest of my life with him! As I got closer I could see he was nervous and I realized that I was shaking and my heart was pounding! I made some stupid comment like ," aren't you supposed to be at practice?" ( Duh Emma. Obviously not!) Anyways, Trav took my hands and said the sweetest things before saying, " Emma, will you marry me?" AH!!!! But you know what the first thing out of my mouth was? " Did you ask my Dad?" He just laughed and said yes and then I said yes!!!! He stood up, kissed me and gave me a ginormous hug! ( Oops, sorry Mom and Mrs. H....that was the first time we kissed, don't worry!) Right when that happened all the tourists around us started clapping and cheering! I felt like I was in a movie!!!! The longest walk of my life to get to him!

" Emma, will you marry me?"

" YEESSSS!!!!

Never felt as happy as I did at that exact moment!

Trav then pulled out the ring and when he opened the box all I could see was sparkling! It was the most beautiful ring I had ever sing!My sister and Jon came up and hugged us then we spent the next few minutes calling our family! When I called my parents they both said the same thing, " How are you engaged? Travis is here in California!" :) I still can't believe he surprised me that way! And it was so neat having my sister there and a part of it!Plus, we got some great pictures and video! It's going to be such a great story to tell our kids one day!

Talking to our parents!!!!

I was slightly freaking out!

We're getting married!

The plane ride home....with my fiance!

Kids at Heart :)

There are so many things about Trav that I just absolutely love....but one of the biggest is the fact that he brings out the kid in me. I know that sounds weird...I'm 22 and I am trying to be a kid....but I don't mean it in that sense. It's amazing in our relationship how his strengths are my weaknesses and vice versa. I have always had that "kid at heart" part about me but lately life has been so intense, sometimes I forget. Trav just brings out that part of me and I am so thankful for that! My life these days involves studying, school, studying, clinical, studying....you get the picture. I recently finished my rotation working at a SNF ( Skilled Nursing Facility) with geriatric patients. There were days when I came home where I didn't want to eat or talk after what I experienced and then there were days where I couldn't decide if I should break down and cry, take a bath, or curl up and nap. I feel like lately I have been so drained....and that is where Trav comes in! He always has so much enerfy and he is the absolute goofiest person I know and I love it! Those days when I was just so worn out, he had me laughing till my stomach felt like I had done 1500 sit ups! I love how he evens me out with being serious and just letting myself go and being goofy. I love how he doesn't care what others think and is completely real....that is such an amazing characteristic to have! I love how sometimes his excitement towards something new is like that of a child who just got the best Christmas present....the one they didn't think they would ever get! When I am with Trav I can be myself. I can let go and not be concerned he will think I am a weirdo! He has taught me to not care what others think... just be myself. But the greatest thing is....we really are both kids at heart! And it definetly shows in how we occupy our time! ( The famous "airplane". My nieces and nephews love it when I do this to them, so one day I asked Trav to do it to me so I could see how fun it really was! I tried to give him an airplane after....bad news.)

One of my favorite things we have ever done was last winter. We could not think of anything to do so instead, spur of the moment, we went to Target and bought board games and candy!!! We then went back to his parents and built a fort where we played games and ate candy! I know....perfect example of the kids in us coming out! ( and don't you worry....we had flashlights too! We were all set!) But regardless how ridiculous we looked sitting in this tiny fort made out of sheets at 21/22 years old....it was one of the best nights of my life! ( And let me tell you, the older you get, the harder it is to become creative with building a fort...oh how I miss being 7!) I do still remember the look on Trent's face though when he came home and saw us....and little did we know he was bringing about 5 guys who were in his best friends wedding with him....slightly awkward, but with Trav I don't get embaressed, I just laugh. :)

You know how when you are sitting in church and there is that adorable little baby in front of you and you try to make her/him laugh by making silly faces??? Well, we do that too...just to each other!!!! ( Oh yes, I am dead serious right now!) Sometimes while we are driving we make the craziest faces and sounds while trying to mimic each other and we end up dying of laughter! Another favorite of ours is when we are at Disneyland we try to think of the weirdest ways to walk and then strut thru the park with our new moves! We get some interesting looks...but it is worth it

( Sleepover with Sammy and Huds! )

( Silly faces with Parker)

(Small World with Van Man)

( Follow the leader with Lexi! )

Trav and I absolutely LOVE kids! I think part of the reason is because we relate to them. I love just sitting and playing with my nieces and nephews...whether it's dress up or "sledding" down a dirt hill. My nieces and nephews have adored Trav from the moment they met him and I think part of the reason is due to the fact that he didn't hesitate to get down on the floor with them and play a game or run around with them outside. And the best part is....he loves stuff like that! He gets so excited when they get something new and he gets to try it out too! ( ok, I'm not going to lie...we both do! I'm still jealous about the sweet streets they have...they did not have that cool of stuff when I was that age!) I can only imagine when we have kids it will be massive play time all the time at our house! ( or our tent, Rv, or our parents upstairs since we all know that housing in the OC is ridiculous!) One of the greatest things, is with Trav each day is different and packed full of laughs, humor and complete joy!

Basically, I am blessed to have found a man who not only has a heart for the Lord but a heart for the joys of child as well!