For The Love..

For the Love of Russ:

I love you to the moon

Way to step up and be a great Dad when Bubba is sick

Way to win a 48 hour ball tournament by run ruling all 6 games (baseball is the one thing I wont take away from you)

Your always there when I need you and sometimes when I don't :)

You are a hard worker and a great lounger :)

Your my best friend James Russell and always will be.

Sometimes the notes we write eachother in the weee hours of the morning just never say it well enough..

I LOVE YOU

Jordyn Brooke Turns FOUR

Today Jordyn Brooke turns 4. Dalton wanted to get her something extra special even though we celebrated her birthday on Saturday. so I suggested flowers but noooooo, he got her strawberry shampoo, a princess sticker book and some hair ties. He also insisted on getting Ashley a hair clip and little ties for Sissy's hair too :) He is gonna spoil the ladies and hopefully not with Mommy's money :)

To my Jojo, from the moment you were born I loved you. Wow how time flies when your having fun. You and Bubba are the best of friends. However, you have got to quit dressing him up in your princess dresses and letting him play with your barbies and barbie house. We need him to be rough and tough sister! So he can beat up boys when they break your heart later on in life.

Aunt TT loves you Jojo. Happy Birthday!

P.I.C.T.U.R.E.S

Thank You Lord and All Others involved!

This picture was from Friday's blood draw! He has been scared since. :(

(update and letter to Dalton regarding his dr's appt. today)
Dalton---Mommy is so relieved to have an answer. I have waited THREE AND A HALF years to walk out of that Dr's office with an answer to the very well known "mystery boy"
Dr. Dobratz is amazing. He literally does research right in front of Daddy and I. I know you were so not a fan of the blood work and that simply tears me apart inside. Now that you are older you remember the pain and the specifics, like the room and the grey chair and the man with blue and white clothes :(. It breaks my heart to tell you that we are nowhere finished doing that either. We have to go back next week for more blood work and then the week after that we see the Hematologist and honey, he is a speciality blood Dr. Mommy and Daddy are gonna have to start thinking of some really good bribes :) Stickers and suckers aint cutting it!
After 3 long hard years Bubby you have a disorder called "Cyclic Neutropenia" What is that you ask? Its a rare blood disorder that causes your white blood count to drop to low when it assumes infection in the body and this happens approx. every 21days. (Hence the word cycle) Also "nuephritals" are these specific white blood cells and anything under 2000 is dangerous. Today, my tough little buddy your count was ONLY 624! Mommy was scared but I didn't show it to you. I plan to grab this bucking bull by the horns and hang the hell on. We have an answer Bubby!!! Mommy isn't crazy :) Well not technically.
What causes it?
The causes of Neutropenia can fall into three categories:
1.Decreased production in the bone marrow resulting from a hereditary disorder, cancer, medications, radiation, or Vitamin B12.
2.Increased destruction from aplastic anemia, autoimmune neutropenia, and chemotherapy.
3.Marginalisation and sequestration caused by hemodialysis.
The causes are from the side effect of certain medications, such as diuretics or antibiotics, leukemia, viral infections, such as mononucleosis or AIDS, bacterial infections such as tuberculosis, and certain autoimmune disorders, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.
Whats the treatment?
Well, there really isn't any, once you have found this disease they attempt to link it elsewhere and you gain treatment according to that diagnosis.
So I should be getting a call from Children's Mercy Specialty Center soon. The Dr's have already been in touch.
FYI...for all of my fellow readers. It has been exactly 23 days since his last 104 fever that lasted 4 days. Whew!!....what an answer!
Any prayers would be great but I am certain all will be fine! :)

Single Parent? No Thank You!

Let's start with this; I was dreading this past Friday last Monday because I knew Russ would be leaving for a 48hr ball tournament in Dodge City, KS without me. He is my best friend, I am able to enjoy a maximum 12 hours of alone time but then I want him back around. True story!
I then learned early on into my dreadful week, that it might not be so dreadful, my sis-in-love would be coming up to stay with me because my niece, Stacia, also had a ball tourney. So I could relax in the "having to sleep in my house alone" department. However, Stacia's tourney might as well been a 48hr cause I only saw them mainly at night.
They rolled in about 9 on Friday night and we stayed up gabbing until midnight. We were all awake at 6am including Dalton, because my niece had early games and well Dalton had gone to bed earlier Friday night and was FULLY rested.
By 9:3am Dalton and I had been to Walmart and were now in our swimsuits playing in the plastic pool and I of course had to show him how to use the Slip-N-Slide. Let's just admit that there should be a WARNING NOT FOR ADULTS label on the box because WOW, I feel sore in places I didn't know existed. It hurts to laugh or turn a certain way.
Dalton and I were both napping by 1pm and then dressed and out the door by 315pm to attend Jojo's 4th Bday party which was at the park with a scorching 107 degree heat index. Ahhhhh cake and ice cream! What a treat in that heat!! In return that treat was toxic to me and made me horribly ill....DUH; the new meds I am on PLUS cake equals a HUGE NO-NO! No stopping there, Des was hosting a BBQ out in Bonner at her apartment and since I missed the last one, I had to show my face. Backing up, Did I mention it was HOT? IT WAS HOT Well we got to Des's and my son did a 360! He wanted to lay on her couch! What?! Not play with the other kids? Be inside? Not my child. My motherly instinct knew something was wrong but mainly assumed he was just plain exhausted from the day/heat etc. So we headed home.
About 7pm he states he wants to go to his bed...I immediately whipped out the thermometer! 102 temp...."#@&!" was all I could say. Why? Because we just did this whole high fever out of nowhere for 4 days crap not even a month ago. We were healthy for a year...a year! So I dosed him up and off to bed he went. I text Russ and just sobbed, I wanted my hubby! He of course, at that point wished he had driven himself cause he would have turned around and headed back for us. But that wasn't the case and I just needed to suck it up and be a big Mommy :)
Until... 3am when Dalton woke with a 102 and ......(wait for it)....HIVES! Are you freaking kidding me? Is this a joke? Hives? We haven't seen those in a year and a half. Granted they weren't geographic in size but he was aware they were there and that they itched so we both weren't happy. I dosed him with Motrin and Benedryl and asleep he went...Until... 6am when he woke with 103 temp mind you NOT ready for meds. So here we are again rotating meds for break through fevers! (THIS IS EXHAUSTING TO TYPE)
Sis, myself, Dalton, Stacia and RayRay(Stacia's great friend she brought with her) all slept or lazed around until Noon...Yes Noon!(backing up did I mention that I shared my king size bed with Stacia and Rayray? It was like a teenage slumber party all over again) I hadn't even been to Starbucks and Dalton was for sure not my normal running, entertaining child by any means!
Sister and I had the best laughs this afternoon. We were trying to figure out some word that Stacia and Rayray had concocted so parents couldn't understand what they were talking about. Well, Sis and I couldn't stand it and were trying to figure it out. We were in tears and wheezing we were laughing so hard at them and ourselves! It was by far a point that broke my stress/tension/anxiety level with all of the Dalton issues. On top of everything we found he also has early stages of juvenile diabetes Friday afternoon. (of course again after Russ had already left town) we go back Wed for more blood work and better detailed answers. Now can you imagine my single parent anxiety attack I was having this weekend? :)

Things I need to know sooner rather than later regarding this weekend:
What in the hell is wrong with my baby boy?
What does JACOBER or TRAJACBERT or $%^&*#@@! mean? (that's the word Stacia and Rayray made up)
Where can two teenage white girls get corn rows done for a decent price?
Last one: WHY do they all live 2 hrs away again? I had a blast and am looking forward to some major GIRL time in a few weeks. I totally played my Rap music for Stacia. She thinks Little Wayne is good rap....Hello...Master P, Too Short, Bone, Thugs and Harmony????? that is rap my little country bumpkin! :)
OK well pictures to come soon but for now I say Goodnight. On great news of things, my hubby WON the tournament and is now 5 hours from home. He cant get here fast enough.
Any prayers for answers I would greatly appreciate!

Thank You Dr. Greene

Thanks to all of my great Dr's combined I received an answer yesterday to a lot of questions and concerns. Bottom line you have to be your own advocate in the health field or you will be tossed in the shuffle. Trust me.
So here it is.
Diagnosis #1 is PCOS Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome: I copied this from a website I understand it quite well but am exhausted trying to explain it so here you go.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) symptoms tend to start gradually. Often, hormone changes that lead to PCOS.
With PCOS, you may have only a few symptoms or many symptoms. It is common for PCOS symptoms to be mistaken for other medical problems.

Symptoms: Few or no menstrual periods . This can range from less than nine menstrual cycles in a year (more than 35 days between cycles) to no menstrual periods.3 Some women with PCOS have regular periods but are not ovulating every month. This means that their ovaries are not releasing an egg each month.
Hair loss from the scalp and hair growth (hirsutism) on the face, chest, back, stomach, thumbs, or toes. About 70% of women in the United States with PCOS complain of these hair problems caused by high androgen levels.5
Acne and oily skin, caused by high androgen levels.
Depression or mood swings. Hormonal changes are a known cause of emotional symptoms.
Living with PCOS symptoms can affect your sense of well-being, sexual satisfaction, and overall quality of life. This too can lead to depression
Gradual symptoms
PCOS symptoms that may develop gradually include:
Weight gain or upper body obesity (more around the abdomen than the hips). This is linked to high androgen levels.5
Male-pattern baldness or thinning hair (alopecia). This is linked to high androgen levels.
Repeat miscarriages. The cause for this is not known. These miscarriages may be linked to high insulin levels, delayed ovulation, or other problems such as the quality of the egg or how the egg attaches to the uterus.
Inability to become pregnant (infertility). This is because the ovaries are not releasing an egg (not ovulating).
Symptoms of too much insulin (hyperinsulinemia) and insulin resistance, which can include upper body weight gain and skin changes, such as skin tags or dark, velvety skin patches under the arm, on the neck, or in the groin and genital area.
Breathing problems while sleeping (obstructive sleep apnea). This is linked to both obesity and insulin resistance.3
Pain in the lower abdomen and pelvis (chronic pelvic pain).

I also have an overactive pancreas, which in return is producing too much insulin which then triggers the PCOS in my ovaries to deliver to much Testosterone and voila my hair falls out! So the treatment to all of this madness goes something like this...A VERY CRAZY DOSAGE OF GLUCOPHAGE...TWO THOUSAND milligrams a day to be exact. Lets just say so far I am not a happy camper. The medicine tears your GI Tract apart, as if I didn't already have "Tracy gut syndrome" until your body starts using it. This can be anywhere from 2-6 weeks. RAWR!

So here's the breakdown: PCOS, Too much testosterone,overactive pancreas, and a lot of meds. Google anything you don't understand! and...remember I am ONLY 28! MUAH

Continued From Previous Post

Years ago I diagnosed myself with reverse anorexia. What is that? That is where in the image from 2008 I felt skinnier than the image in 2010. WOW, I know right, I totally wasn't but ya see I have this amazing group of friends, a phenomenal husband who cant and wont keep his hands off me and I am mostly always happy. So why wouldn't I feel good, pretty,sexy inside? It wasn't until people took pictures and I saw them (gasp) that I was like Holy Shit Batman!!!! Then time would pass and I would be fine again, fat but fine,content,not worried.

Well here we are 40lbs different and I feel just the opposite...I NOW feel like the 2008 photo and I am totally not. However nothing inside me or around me changed, so my eyes are locked on this old image. Worst part is I feel and see it everyday.

So you heard it here first......My new goal....how to FEEL and SEE the healthy woman that I am and will continue to try and be!!!

The Lies We Tell Ourself

Yep, we all lie to ourselves! I am prime example of the best "lying to self" person of all. Whether you are old/young, fat/skinny, you are your worst critic.

Ever since I have been on this bumpy, hilly ride of getting to "healthy" I have struggled. Struggled, you ask? Yes, at the gym, in my clothes, without my clothes, in my own skin and without a doubt I have struggled looking back at myself in the mirror. Are our eyes burned into this vision of what our top weight once was or how ugly we felt in the 7th grade going through puberty? At what point do you start to accept who you are on the "inside" and know that is OK? I was 40lbs down and ever since coming off of some meds and getting hormone craziness I have gained 8, yes 8 disgusting, shaming pounds back. I weigh 198 at this moment. My husband and I recently jumped back on the gym train (thank goodness right?) but to be honest something has triggered in my right leg and knee that wasn't there a year ago. A set back? I sure hope not. Maybe I am just not supposed to be running on the treadmill at 198lbs or climbing stairs and biking...maybe I should check into lipo, then again who has that money? My friends can say WOW all they want to my changes and I am aware that I have come a very long way. Candie refreshed my memory with an old picture from only about a year and a half ago. So yes I am aware that I have lost weight and I do feel better..but I am simply not satisfied with ME! So when you look in the mirror, what or who do you see and are you okay with that person looking back at you?

To be continued....

Dalton 3.5 pics

Iowa

Iowa Family Time

As we drove away from the hotel...I felt I was in fact leaving family behind. I have always had this wierd attachment to my Atcheson side. Maybe it's because I was meant to live on a farm and my two favorite 2nd cousins do just that.
It was hard for me not seeing my great uncle Ed this time. However, I felt he was always around the corner joking with someone just like old times. I can still hear and see his ornery smirk. He was my moms favorite uncle and by far my favorite great uncle. I just am certain he and my grandpa Atcheson were up in heaven being incredibly rotten. I told my husband I wished he could have met them both. He definitely missed out :)
So the drive to Des Moines wasn't too bad. Dalton has to pee every mile so we made like 3 stops on the way there however, on the way back Russ taught him to pee on his truck tire on the side of the road. Yay for boys right?
So (stay on track Tracy, geeeezzz) we arrive at my Great Aunt Donna and Great Uncle Ricks house. Standing in the driveway was a man in a purple shirt. I knew I had met him but neither of us knew each others name. :) He says "you have to tell me who you belong too." I said " I am Debbie and Steve's daughter" it was my great uncle Kenny, ONE of my grandpas brothers. I knew many faces but some were totally "who are you and who do you belong too?" LOL
One of my second cousins hadn't been around the family since 1974 and we all knew I wasn't even part of life's plan yet. :) His name is Kenny Bill....purple shirt in the driveway's son, follow?. He ended up being the talk of the reunion breakfast the next day. He lives in Maine and let's just say he may have went home a little damaged. We believe he was pretty sheltered prior to this reunion. LOL! Poor fella. However I believe he is also counting down until the next one. I know we all kind of are.
Dalton biked and ran his little legs off at the BBQ. We ate, drank (I drank soda) and laughed! It was muggy but the sun was not scorching us by any means. The lawn chairs eventually segregated into two circles of ONLY women and ONLY men...except for my father who sat with the women, go figure right?! :)
Russ and I headed to Target for a swimsuit....I got a swimming suit ...but bottom line I was looking for a Starbucks. :) Thank goodness they had one and I totally got one. While at Target Dalton's leg aches were setting in and we knew that the sanity level for Russ and I was running low. We headed back to Rick and Donna's for a bit. We saw that everyone was winding down and were gonna head to the hotel for some pool time. Bubba was so excited...which made me so happy. If you recall last summer the kid despised the water. He still doesn't care for splashing, but he was jumping off the side into Russ's arms and even told Russ to let him go....he of course went under water but came up smiling. Yay!
We all dried off and headed up to our rooms. Only to meet up at the hotel bar in a bit. I got Bubba all snuggled in his jammies and he jumped into his bed. The beds were AWESOME. We turned on Disney TV and within minutes Dalton was out. Luckily they booked our room literally right around the corner from the bar. So Russ and I were able to join the family, even though the bed was real tempting. I knew our time together was limited, so we made the best of every minute. Our family packed every seat in the bar, they of course were closed because it's 10:30pm now so without second though our family brought in beer and crown and even ordered pizza. YUM! There was laughter until 1am. Not for us though Russ and I hit the hay about midnight.
We woke about 730 Sunday morning and joined the hotel crew(family that stayed there) in the kitchen area for a fabulous continental. It was no Holiday Inn people. This hotel was so cool. :) Made for a great vacay! We had many more laughs at breakfast as well. It really is a very unique bunch of people. I love them all.
On another great note I learned this weekend that I have many new vacation spots. I have family in Maine(Russ and I's dream place) , Iowa (all over, farms and non-farms), and Huntington Beach, CA. (Mark and Brad please book us a weekend or hell how about a week stay) :)
I am sure I have forgot something regarding this trip and please be patient there will be pictures soon. I think I took 50.
Good times for sure! Until next trip. MUAH!

Smiles All Around

Thursday at work we hired a professional photographer to come and photograph us for our up and coming website! It was oodles of fun dressing up like a princess! Which I never do!!! I had Julisa snap a picture just to show my friends what I DO look like dressed up...These are the most random shots of Dalton. He and I sat at home tonight, Russ had ball. I colored my hair because it is in fact growing in and it is growing in GRAY! So I used non-permanent hair color because I'M ONLY 28! Good grief! So as we sat here killing time we played with the camera!
MY 3...and a half year old :) WOW how time flies!

Hook Em horns Baby!!

He was cracking himself up...

These next pictures are to show you my NEW baby hairs. Maybe you don't find this to be a big deal but I sure do...problem is my hair is still profusely coming out. I would show you the pictures of my hair in the shower drain after only ONE shower but its just down right gross and looks like a dead animal. Not for blogger!

Thank Goodness, my hair was THICK to begin with. I find myself wrapping a pony holder 3 times now and two used to be totally tight enough. To your right you can even see my hairline and how short those little hairs are. I never had wispy hair before! RAWR! It's so frustrating and highly annoying! Some people tend to lose their eyelashes to, thank you lord I got to keep those!

June 8th= National Best Friends Day

Found this out at CLICK HERE

So in honor of BFF day I say THANK YOU! Thank you, to my friends who have never walked out. Even when I turned all crazy and overbearing at times. Thanks to those who live way out of range, I still know I can call and run to you with any situation. Do something special today. Even if its a simple...I Love You!

“Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints on your heart.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

Boys will be Boys...

Boys will be boys! They are different than girls that is for sure. They are dirt and worms not sugar and spice. I love summer when Dalton stinks like a wet dog, the dirt is covering his face like he ate it and his feet/toes have dried gooey mud clumps in between them..oh and the dirt under his fingernails ..shower time will be a nightly thing during these dog days of summer. His desire to be outside for any given reason...I LoVe the fact that my little man is 100% boy. I found these quotes and poems about boys so I thought I would share.

“If Huck Finn or Tom Sawyer were alive today, we’d say they had ADD or a conduct disorder. They [boys] are who they are, and we need to love them for who they are. Let’s not try to rewire them.”

“A little boy is the only thing God can use to make a man.”

My goal as Bubbas mommy is to raise him to LoVe and a treat everyone the same. The bigger girls have bigger hearts and those with imperfections on the outside are more perfect on the inside. I promise to teach him that everyone has at least one thing great about them, so learn or find out about their great thing before ever passing judgement on someone.

Raising Boys
Author: Roberta I. Teague

I scrub the wall of fingerprints,
Pick up the mounds of clothes.
I sweep the dirt that shoes track in-
Wish I could use a hose!
Meals are served from dawn to dark,
Dirty dishes crowd the sink.
Just when they’re washed and put away-
Everyone wants a drink!
The washer pulls the dirty grime
From pants worn thin and patched.
They look so very neat and clean-
Yuck, look what the pockets hatched!
Broken bones and bloody knees,
I should have been a nurse.
I take it all in shaky stride-
Just grateful it’s not worse!
Screams and shouts and arguments
Test the keeping of my cool.
They left the neighbor’s faucet on-
See their new front yard pool!
A soothing bath is ecstasy,
A reward at the end of my rope.
Raising boys isn’t really bad-
But first I must wash the soap!
A rose can say I Love You,
Orchids can enthrall;
But a weed bouquet in a chubby fist,
Oh my, that says it all!

The Random Act of Being 3

I try to tell short stories regarding funny, random things that come out of Dalton's mouth. For example I was mimicking Dalton's whiny behavior the other day using a whiny baby voice and he really told me I was special. Really? Special?? I cracked up! How about when I ask him or actually "tell" him to pick up his hot wheels (mind you those things flippin hurt when you step on them. I'd rather step on Barbie clothes...sigh) and he really replies with "your joking me mom, or your kidding me mom?" in question form. "No, really pick up your toys!" then he will say "I just kidding you" Its complete circles of conversation the entire time and he mostly has me pulled in and being ornery right back.

He has started this new thing of showering by himself. I start the water, he steps in, he loofahs up with his baby wash, scrubs his hair and tally whacker, and then rinses off, I turn the water off HE opens the door, steps out and I have the towel ready. NOT KIDDING! So I took a picture of him in the shower last night, of course I asked him to cover his goods and he did. However I am not comfy with posting the pic. He is just to big!

Then last night he came out of his room and stated he was and I quote "sporting new glasses" which are the stickers on his eyes...Seriously, where does he get this stuff? His parents are really normal I swear ;)

I also caught him yesterday in his room rocking out, his hips movin and groovin and his arms swinging and I asked him what he was doing..he replied "Rockin my dance moves" He is so darn goofy! Oh and he macks on little and older girls. He actually wooed one lookin like scuba steve, in his spiderman swim trunks and a non-matching green and yellow striped shirt. It must be the eyes. LOL

Living Through Others

So Dalton got to meet little miss Kenley this am. I helped Candie to a Drs. appt. It was her first day ALL by herself. She will rock regardless! I swear she was born with more patience for children then I was. Big hoorah to all those mother's of two, three, four, ten!! Dalton was in total awe over how little she was. He kept petting her like a fluffy little kitten or something really fragile. It was so cute. Then Russ really asked him if he wanted one and he said yes...really? Good luck with that! However my heart melted just thinking of the what if and how good he would have been just by watching how sweet he was with her. So Russ and Dalton got to meet Kenley aka Goose for the first time, on Russ's birthday, her original due date. It was precious. Then Candie was off to the home front cause it was feeding time and Dalton really offered the chocolate milk that we have in our fridge! :)

Happy 33rd Birthday Baby

Russ and I when we were dating 7 years ago...the ONLY thing different is our bodies.

1. He came into my world approximately 2555 days ago


2. He has been my best friend since the night we met


3. He is so predictable


4. He is so unpredictable :)


5. He loves me on my worst days


6. He should have gone pro in baseball


7. He loves his boys


8. He is an avid trader when it comes to lawnmowers


9. He has at least one obsession a month


10. He is a professional nap taker ;)


11. He can't keep his hands off of me...Ugh ;)


12. He is a Mamas boy


13. He is a Texan


14. He is a hard, dedicated employee


15. He loves Walmart and Walmart loves him


16. He "donated" enough money back in the day to renovate the Argosy Casino (LMAO)


17. He has always wanted a doberman like his sisters


18. He is a country boy at heart


19. He is a materialized city boy (meaning been in the city too long)


20. He has an amazing voice (from Garth Brooks to Michael Jackson songs)


21. He shaves his head every year just to prove to himself it WILL grow back. (lets just say we are still hoping for growth this time around)


22. He worries about me, when I might be sick


23. He writes love notes...be jealous, it's OK ;)


24. He won't give up Dr. Pepper no matter how many times he says he will


25. He doesn't handle poop or vomit well at all :)


26. When he cleans his ears with a Q-tip...he gags! Does anyone else see something wrong with that? Uggghhh stop! The ear canal is clean..you have now reached your tonsils! LMAO


27. He is quite comical when it comes to ball uniforms and matching EVERYTHING all the way down to a monogrammed sweat towel


28. He treasures me..I just know it


29. He is the Ultimate Cowboys Fan


30. He has had like 5 BLUE vehicles...not kidding


31. His favorite movies are Bad Boys, Rad, Six Pack and so on....


32. He would never walk away.....again


33. He is mine, my best friend, my husband

Happy 33rd Birthday Baby!!!

Tribute to Four Years of Marriage

Tomorrow June 2nd Russ and I will celebrate 4 years being married. A total of 7 years being together. We don't have a lot of money this go around nor do we really ever, so I told him today to do NOTHING. Not even a card (gasp!) You know I love a card. But things are tight right now. One of the best things about us is the fact that you could offer us a cardboard box and a sidewalk to put it on and as long as we were together there would be laughter for sure :)
So----in honor of my FOUR year anniversary tomorrow I will state FOUR things I have NOT yet said during our worst times nor do I ever plan on saying.

1. The sex...it just isn't good anymore
2. Please don't touch me
3. I hate you
4. I want a divorce (I told him someone was going out this marriage as a widow, and well I got people that can hide a body, I'm just sayin :)

Now I will state the FOUR things I DO say on a daily basis to Russ.

1. I love you to the moon (always the 1st thing in the morning)
2. Honey, you are retarded (trust me this is daily)
3. Please (this can be used when rolling your eyes, laughing, asking a question or begging for booty--Ha! Like I gotta say please for that! LOL)
4. (kiss,kiss,kiss) I love you and Goodnight

FOUR things I suggest couples do.

1. Keep a daily journal, both of you can write in it. It can range from "Honey don't forget to take out the trash?" or "I love you have a great day" or "I'm sorry about last nights argument, I should have let it go!" MEN are better readers than listeners when it comes to their wives. Its huge for communication and really great when kids are always in the way of romance
2. Date Nights
3. Passion-somehow keep the fire lit. It doesn't have to be heavy make out or sex sessions, but getting that book or CD they randomly spoke of...bringing home a Sonic drink because you "thought" they may want one.
4. Always say "I LOVE YOU" it's only overused when you don't mean it or don't feel it anymore.

So yes, tomorrow I celebrate marrying my best friend. He was and is still my night in shinning armor and indeed did rescue me from a tower.

To the moon Russ...to the moon :)