12/18/12 - 12/18/23 First Date

 Happy day of our first date day!  (12/18/12 - 12/18/23)

Dundee Double Shot :-)

11 Years ago today we had our first date. Then look what happened!! I'm glad we did go out on that date!

Days, Months, Years

After almost 11 years since our first date, our lives have inevitably changed. Change is one of the only things we can count on in life! After all these days, months, and years, I still love you so much. We could have never fully envisioned how our lives would change - going from being single, to dating, to marriage, to kids, and everything that comes with family and careers and houses. Through it all, through sickness and health, I choose YOU. I love YOU. 

Wedding Season

 I love you!

This is a great picture - we are at Allison Quandahl & Jake wedding October 2023 at Lucky Bucket Brewery. 

Just a note for Today.

 Sonrisa,

Thank you for making me a better person. Just being around you and spending time with you for so many years now, I have learned a lot from you. Patience is one, although that will be a lifelong battle for me in some ways. Your love for me and the kids is so beautiful to see. I love you so much!

Husband

Dates Over the Last Year (2022-2023)

Dates Over the Last Year (2022-2023)

2023

September 2023

September 8 - We dropped off a meal at the Julian's (Whitney had just had surgery) then we went to Benson to eat at "Mas Chingon."  They didn't have mixed chips like you like! We then went to Kohl's (haha) then to Aksarben to walk around together. They had another free band/concert on the green space we got to listen to.

August 2023

August 25 - We played Pickleball at Regency Landing "Blue Sky Patio & Pickleball." Then we went to Oklahoma Joes bbq for dinner in Aksarben. We got it to go, and walked accross the street and watched the free outdoor concert with live band that was going on. Then we tried driving to Blackstone to eat Coneflower but the line was super long and there wasn't parking so we kept driving. On the way home, we stopped by Westside High school where the first football game of the season was going on - Westside vs Creighton Prep. We got there just before halftime, watched the halftime show, then stayed for the 3rd quarter!

August 24 - coffee date at Roast Coffee in Aksarben. We tried their scones/muffins.

August 17 - Breakfast date at "Early Bird" Regency Landing. We both got the breakfast tacos - sooo good! We talked about all our vacations this past year (Mexico in February, Estes Park with 45 of my family members (June), Orlando for the NDSC Nat'l Down Syndrome Conf (July), and South Dakota with your family (August). Then we talked about potential vacations for 2024 (Estes Park in June, NDSC in Phoenix in July).

July 2023

July 18 - After dropping Noah off at his day camp at the Zoo (Gavin is at Camp CoHoLo near Fremont - first overnight camp ever!) we went out for breakfast at "Sunny Side" on 35th and Center. We went there one other time a couple years ago.

July 6 - Out to dinner at "Bomb Taco" in Papillion (84 and 370). Then to Crumbl for cookies. Then to "Tree Rush" at Fontenelle Forest! We had done this the first time a couple years ago (masks during covid) and it was really fun to do it again!

June 2023

June 8 - breakfast date at Early Bird in Regency Landing (108 Regency).

May 2023

May 6 - DSA Gala fancy dinner/gala date!

April 2023

April 28 - Funny Bone Comdy show - Nick Griffin

April 27 - Thursday morning breakfast date! We went to breakfast at a new restaurant in downtown Ralston now called Lemon Tree. It's in the same building as a different breakfast place that just shut down (we had gone there before, maybe 1-3 years ago? Owned by a veteran...can't remember the name). This restaurant just did their soft launch this weekend so we had to wait a long time to order and to get our food, but once we got it, the food was great! We had a great time talking for this date :-)

April 20 - Lunch date at "GI Forum" in Bellevue/South Omaha. We were getting our first 5k mile checkup at the Bellevue Toyota dealership so we ate lunch at GI Forum while waiting.

April 15 - Dinner at "Stirnella" restaurant in Blackstone District. After we met Susanne & Kris Waechter for a comedy show at the Holland (John Crist). Gavin & Noah spent the night at Bria & Haven's house - first time sleeping away besides a grandparents house

April 7 - While the kids were in Grand Island, we went to see the movie "Champions" with Woody Harrelson. Then we went to dinner at "Three's Happiness Express"

March 2023

March 29 - Wednesday morning breakfast date at Early Bird. Egg sandwich and frenched cinnamon roll... yum! We talked about spring break next week - painting the boys bedroom and fixing their curtains. We also talked about a few date questions - What is one day you'd like to relive? What would a day of all your favorite meals look like?

One day you'd like to relive - our wedding day. any of the days we were at Disney World for Make-A-Wish. Your Cancun trip with your grandpa and family in 2012.

Your date of favorite meals - breakfast burrito. lunch - The Hoppy Taco. Dinner - Brother Sebastian's. Also Doña Lesbia's gallo pinto in Costa Rica.

Mid-March - Stories coffee date while the kids were at Awana

February 2023

Week of February 14 - Mexico trip!!

February 11 - "To Kill A Mockingbird" at the Orpheum Theatre (with the actor Richard Thomas in it). After we went out for dinner at "Via Farina" (italian place - plasta and wood-fired pizza) on 10th and Pacific.

early Feb 2023 - Thursday morning breakfast date at Early Bird (again!) - very good food.

January 2023

January 19 - Breakfast date at the new Early Bird location near One Pacific Place. The kids had a "late start" to school (10:30am) due to snow so after we dropped them off we went and ate brunch together! We talked about how grateful we are for each other. I am grateful for your smile, your faith, the way you are such a great mother, I am grateful we met and continue loving each other. 

January 5 - Impromtu breakfast date at LePeep (near 72 and Pacific) (while we waited for Kohl's to open at 10am to return some things from amazon, we had 30 min before they opened)

January 4 - Stories Coffee while the boys were at Awana. We talked about a potential bible reading plan since we just finished reading the whole bible in two years (2021 and 2022). We also talked about how I can have more patience and be less frustrated in general :-)

2022

December 2022

December 20ish - out the Sara Elrod and her fiancé Rahul. It was below 0 degrees and a blizzard starting! we ate downtown at Upstream and then went Axe Throwing. We went around the corner to the "speak easy" Wicked Rabbit afterwards.

December 1 - "Good Evans" breakfast date

November 2022

November 19 - We ate dinner at Mula's Mexican restaurant (they changed their menu and only have street tacos now?), then we met up with my coworkers at Bob's Wonder Bowl mini bowling.

November 11 - "The Holland Music Club" at the Holland Center downtown. We saw a live concert where they have tables of 4 people and you order drinks/food. We went with Kris and Suze Waechter :-)

"Bad Bad Hats" double date night

Early November - The Brownie Bar at Rockbrook Village. We had gone to their original location downtown 1-2 years ago but they opened up this 2nd location. We did our Bible reading plan there (2 year bible reading plan with City Light - we started on Jan 1, 2021 so we are almost done reading thru the whole Bible together!)

October 2022

October 13-16: Trip to Austin, TX!  Austin City Limits music festival. P!nk

September 2022

September 30 - Out for our anniversary (9 years): We recreated the night we got engaged. First we ate at Brother Sebastian's. Then we went downtown where we did a horse/carriage ride through downtown Omaha / the new Gene Leahy mall. Instead of going to Double Double Shot coffee shop like we did the night I proposed, We tried getting into the hidden speakeasy "Wicked Rabbit" but there were too many people in line waiting to get in. So we stopped by Thunderhead brewing instead.

September 14 - Hacienda Real

September 7 - breakfast date at "Good Evans" on 74th and Pacific

September 1 - Harold's Koffee House on 30th street in Florence! 

Notes

 

Grateful

 After over 10 years together, it should not be a surprise that you still amaze me every day. I am so grateful for you. For what a beautiful person you are. For what a great mother you are to Gavin & Noah. How you work with them, inspire them, and love them unconditionally. I am grateful you love me so much. I never knew anyone existed like you, until I met you. You make me and our family better with your love and presence.

We love you!

To My Love

 Thank you for supporting and encouraging me despite my many flaws and selfishness. Thank you for encouraging me to go to F3 men's workouts in the mornings. Thank you for encouraging me as a father. Thank you for having patience and then supporting me to learn to have more patience. I love you with my whole being. I thank God for you.

Love,

Husband

DSA Gala 2023

Down Syndrome Alliance Gala 2023

We have gone to the Gala since they started. I think this year was our 5th year? We had two tables with my family and your family :-)

It's fun to get dressed up together and go out. I love you! I can't imagine doing life with anybody but you. You truly amaze me.
 

10 Years of this Blog

I started this blog for you 10 years ago last month, on February 18, 2013. It was two months after our first date. 

First day of the rest of our lives

This is the title of my first time writing to you on this blog. First day of the rest of our lives. 

Coffee at the Dundee Double Shot really changed our lives, huh? Well, really - meeting at UNMC/Nebraska Medicine changed our lives. Choosing to work there even before that, well that really changed our lives...

God's hand has been present throughout our lives. You just have to remember to look for it.

One thing that sticks out to me from my first post to you - "I have been finding that I look at you and tell myself “I’m going to marry you.”  When I look at you, I see my future wife."

You are amazing because…

Your care and love for the Down Syndrome community is inspiring. You serve your patient's at Children's Hospital so well. Dr Nielsen''s note to your manager last year about how you are such an important part of the clinic [you had called another state to help a family who had moved from Nebraska, and helped this underserved family find a doctor and Down Syndrome clinic and all their specialists, who were located in various towns throughout that state]. 

You inspire me because of your service to others. 

Mexico

 February 14-19, 2023

-with Alan and Lindsey S

-10 year anniversary trip

-snorkel - saw and touched sea turtles

-ping pong, volleyball, soccer

-dinner every night

-Xplor (zip lines, swim through cave, drive an ATV)

View from our hotel resort balcony (Barcelo Maya)

Zip lines at Xplor

Bike

Mi amor,

I am so grateful and lucky that you bike with me, even when it might not be your most favorite activity. In Austin a couple months ago, we didn't rent a car because we just biked everywhere. Remember biking all that way to the Mexican Restaurant (and then straight to the concert after eating)? We got pretty sweaty! Thank you for loving me and humoring me while we biked all over Austin - to the coffee shops, to the concert and back to the hotel every day, farmers market, restaurants. 

Lets not forget the long bike ride on our honeymoon on the island of Dominica! How long of a ride was that to the ruins? I think it took us an hour to get there or something like that. That was another very memorable bike ride.

I love you and appreciate you!

(Not a good) Poem.

To the love of my life

I want to write you a poem 

But don’t have the skills

I do want you to know how much I love you

I wish to be the best husband because you deserve it

If I could waive a magic wand and meet as many of your needs as possible I would

If I could be a strong, courageous, patient Father, I would

But I am human and flawed and selfish and a sinner.

What I can do is strive to meet your needs

And love the kids better with more patience and strength 

Since I am not perfect I will bow down to Jesus and pray for these things

To the love of my life

I love you