a sweet visit

One of my favorite memories from 2008 will definitely be the weekend that Haley & Phoebe came visit! If you don't know who the famed "Haley & Phoebe" are, then let me tell you. Haley and I have been BFF since we were 5, so yes, that's a lot of years + a lot of memories. Phoebe is her beautiful daughter, who Andrew and I get the pleasure of being godparents to! So, they came for a night because we had a bridal shower for Lexie the next day, and no, we didn't do anything particularly special, and they only got to stay for one short night, but just having them here was enough for me! Phoebe changes so much between each visit I get with her, that it was pure joy to spend almost 24 hours with her!

an ike vacation

Since July, Andrew and I have been looking forward to September 13th because my sweet sister-in-law Kristin and good friend Tiffany, gave us tickets to The Eagles concert in Dallas! So when Hurricane Ike decided to head straight toward Houston, we got a little anxious about being on the road with so many people. We evacuated during Hurricane Rita a few years ago and didn't want to have a repeat of hours and hours in the car. We headed out Thursday afternoon and had a pretty decent trip to the DFW area. While we were there, we were able to see lots of family and a few friends, who either live there or were evacuated themselves. 

Here are some photo-highlights of part of our long weekend:

- Meeting Jamie & Nick's new baby girl, Elaine "Lainey" Campbell

- Dinner with Kristin, Tiffany, Camile & Ryan

- The Eagles concert with Kristin & Tiffany

- A visit with Aunt Jody who was in from Oklahoma

labor day

We got to spend Labor Day with our dear friends Rebecca & Travis McPherson. They made the long drive to Lake Brownwood from Amarillo for a much needed visit. The weekend was wonderful and relaxing. In fact, we were enjoying ourselves so much that we only took one picture! We love you Beck and Travis...and we still think you need to move closer so we can see you more often!

little preston

Last night we had dinner with our good friends, Brooke & Justin, and their new little addition, Preston Wayne! He is such a sweet baby!

little jules

It's no secret that I am in love with my friends' babies! A couple of weeks ago, Jennie asked me to help her take a birth announcement photo of Julia! We had fun and Julia did a great job giving her best smiles! We took about 150 pictures, but here are a few of my favorites, without showing which one they picked of course! Love you Jen & Jules!

enjoy your summer...job

Being a teacher, one of the biggest perks (okay, probably the only perk) is having the summers off! You get to finally sigh a B-I-G sigh of relief after a very long and sometimes very trying year. So, you can imagine my excitement when Andrew approached me with the idea of working for him this summer at Northwestern Mutual. After praying about it, it didn't take long for the entire idea to make complete sense: he gets the help he needs without shelling out the extra $$$, and I'll be doing some work for another rep, meaning I'll be bringing in a little extra cash flow as well. Clearly, I couldn't say no, and really the biggest thing I'll be missing out on is watching Regis and Kelly in the mornings while I drink my coffee. So, I decided to take one for the team and join Andrew at 1 Riverway.

I quickly learned that there is much concern in the office when husbands and wives work together. I had people very kindly offering their advice, tips, counsel; it was slightly funny. I will have to say, that after a week and a half of working with my husband, I love it! It's refreshing to get to spend so much time with him again! When we were in college, we'd spend all day together, and say goodbye at night. I have realized that I have missed those times (and now, I don't have to say goodbye at night). We've been carpooling a lot too because when you live and work in Houston, the HOV lane = sanity. I've missed experiencing every ounce of the day with someone, having inside jokes, and really enriching our friendship.

So to Andrew, thanks for employing me and revealing to me what I have missed so much. I love you!

In the spirit, here are some pictures from Keely and Andrew: The Dating Years

Julia Marie Scheldt
June 5, 2008
6 lbs, 13.5 oz
19 inches

Julia, you are so loved! We are so glad you are finally here!