LIVESTRONG Austin Marathon and Half Marathon

Before I forget any details about a race that is already a blur, I want to write it all down! It's going to be in list form because seriously this mile by mile thing isn't going to happen this time around. The race was hard from the start!!

1. All of my plans prior to the actually race were falling through, I was really tempted to stay home. My very dear friend, my sistah Ang, was unable to come with me. I have taken many trips alone, but for not being prepared to be alone, I was in a bit of a crisis before leaving to Austin. During my drive, I prayed for consolation, for a new friend, to run into someone, for someone to somehow figure out a way to meet me in Austin...
   
   And lo and behold, driving down I-10 to Austin, the Van Zandt's honk and wave! I was SO HAPPY!! VERY HAPPY! My friend David Van Zandt passed away recently and I've known his family for a while, but never had much interaction with them as much as I did with David, except for his mom Patti. Anyway - it was really sweet how it was a divine dinner plan!
   
   The Van Zandt's are LOADS of fun! Their high pitch brother/sister banter and the teasing of their mom had me smiling the rest of the night while I prepared for the race.
   
   
2. I woke up at 3:45. Why? I have no idea. It was way before my alarm went off...okay, only 30 minutes, but still. I was out of the door by 4:30, ready to encounter serious traffic!! I mean, there were only 20,000 people running. Well, there was no traffic...and I was the first at the bag check...and probably one of four runners taking pictures at the Capitol Building at 5:30 in the morning. The good thing about this is that I got the BEST free parking spot EVER!!
   
   
3. There was a woman from Monterrey, Mexico that I ran into while we waited for the race to start. It started at 7. We didn't cross the starting line until 7:20. Conversation with her was awesome - we had a lot in common. That was the last I saw of her.
   
   
4. For the life of me, I cannot remember if we had just crossed or were about to cross the start line...This woman tripped and fell. She was going to get up and start back up, but her knee cap was off to the side. She cried for both the pain and the disappointment of not running this race. I felt so bad for her, and hope her recovery will allow her to run again!
   
   
5. A few minutes into mile one, I heard THE SONG! The song that makes me feel like I'm in a movie with me skipping around and doing twirls. Are you ready? ..........DANCING QUEEN! :o)
   
   
6. From here on out, I have no idea how each mile went. It's really all a blur. The hills are brutal! BRUTAL!!
   
   
7. Mile 9 is the only one I can remember! There were loads of people in the yellow LIVESTRONG shirts and yellow banners with a bold black font with words like: Strength! Courage! Finish! And the roads were written all over using chalk with stuff like: You're Stronger than You think! You can do this! Finish strong!
   
   At this point I thought, I can't believe I'm running another half. I was really close to doing a beauty queen cry!! The kind where you flap your hand and tears start welling up in your eyes.
   
   Races are amazing! (Which reminds me that there are a lot of people out there with amazing stories! This man wore a shirt that said: "One day I will not be able to run, but today I CAN!" He's been diagnosed with a muscle something or other and in a few years he'll be in a wheel chair.)
   
   
8. I ran into another lady from Monterrey! She was running the full marathon! We gave each other pep talks and got to talk a picture together before our courses split. I can't wait to see if they post it on the website!! She was a gem!
   
   
9. At mile 11, I think, there is a NASTY...I mean - NASTY incline! I didn't train very well for hills, so I wasn't going to fool myself into running this. I walked it. An older lady had her husband give her a piggy back ride. It was kinda funny because she was holding her boobs in place the whole time until she got on her husbands back...hahaha! Anyway - on that hill, I prayed for God to please help me get through this. I was ready to sit it out. I started singing Star Smith's Song - I am Strong in the Lord. When I got to the top, I did a little skip and started running! It was AMAZING to conquer that beast!
   
   
10. When I turned the corner and saw the finish line, I think I was in shock. I did a SPRINT for what it was worth! Where that energy comes from I have NO idea! But it's amazing!
    
    
11. Word of advice: If you ever run a race like this, take cash and wait for a massage! HEAVEN! I actually drooled!! HAHAHA!!
    
    
12. My car was only a few steps from the massage tent. PRAISE GOD! If you know me at all, you know very well, I'm directionally challenged! This was seriously the perfect parking spot!! I pulled out all of my food from my trunk to the passengers seat and headed for home.
    
    
13. The official finishing time for me was: 3:08:24. Sure, it was slower than my last half (Jan. 17 - 2.45), but I am seriously not at all upset by it! I am SOOOO very proud and thankful that I was able to finish.
    a. I didn't train as much for this one because I was recovering from my ever aching feet from the last race.
    b. HILLS KILL!
    c. The wind will slow you down.
    d. I FINISHED!
    
    
    AND - I have officially accomplished on of my 2011 goals!! YESSSS! I think I'll do another one in the fall. I'll stick with 5 and 10k's until then. :o)
    
    Running is seriously amazing! I encourage you to do it!
    

A Runner's High

So - I ran my first half-marathon (13.1 miles) ever!! I'm very VERY excited about it. It wasn't necessarily easy but I would do it again with ALL MY HEART AND SOUL!!!!

If you want to see pictures click here!

Here's the break down of the race:

We were told that we had to be parked no later than 5:30 a.m. and that roads were closing at 6. The race was supposed to start at 7:00. My friend Ashley, who went to Guatemala with me, woke up at the crack of dawn to take me to the race only to find out it was postponed until 7:45!! It was RAINY, WINDY and COOOOOOOOLD!!

I had my favorite breakfast: Ice Cold Milk and Bananas. And like 2 bottles of water. And in my fuel belt I had water (Gatorade during runs makes me puke) and M&M's!

Mile 1-3: I run this distance often so this part was the easiest (which I'm proud to say practice has paid off). I had to tell myself to chill and to take it easy because it was just the beginning. At the beginning of races, you're adrenaline is on HIGH you want to take off like Speedy Gonzalez. I stop to take off my long sleeve shirt because it get's really hot when you run! I think I was running at an ~11 minute pace here.

Mile 4-5: I ran most of this but I told myself it was okay to walk. My 3-1 fartleks began. It's my favorite way to run. 12 min pace.

Mile 6: PAINFUL. Like excruciatingly painful. I got the worst stitch of all time! I was talking to a lady about how it's my first half and she asked it if was okay if she ran with me (she is a lot older and has several under her belt). As soon as I agreed, this pain came in directly under the right side of rib cage and I wanted to curl over into a fetal position and cry. She left me saying, "Breath deep...I promise it will pass!" It was seriously like my insides were being split open. (I'm not exaggerating...it was painful.) It lasted a full minute...
12 min pace

Mile 7-9: A complete blur. Except that here the 1-1 fartleks began. I was happy.

Mile 10: I remember celebrating the fact that I had kept a pretty consistent pace. They pace person said: 12.23! I replied back: ARE YOU SERIOUS? Pace person: Yes, keep it up!
I told everyone around me that we should be soooo proud!! They sorta looked at me like I was crazy. I was really HAPPY!!

Mile 11: I prayed aloud: "DEAR GOD - HELP ME! BE WITH ME NOW!"
People asked if I was okay. My response: "My toe really hurts."
My index toe on my left foot usually hurts when I run, but the pain was a bit exaggerated since my feet were cold and wet and I also tend to be slightly dramatic. I started counting to a 100 over and over to get my mind off my hurting toe. That is until I remembered a chant I learned at a VBS 2 years ago. It goes like this:

RUN, RUN, RUN the RACE!
KEEP, KEEP, KEEP the PACE!
RUN THE RACE! KEEP THE PACE!
KEEP YOUR EYES ON JESUS!

I was still at a ~12.23 pace

Mile 12-13: I slowed down to a 12.40 pace. I walked a lot more, but still managed to run most of it. I saw a girl who had been running really well the whole time look like she was throwing in the towel. I ran up to her and said - COME ON! WE CAN DO THIS! WE GOT THIS!! KEEP GOING!! We ran/walked together until the very end. She runs better than I do, so she said see you at the finish line and she took off, but not before giving me a pep talk!

In the middle of all this, I was soooooo incredibly encouraged to see one of my students and her mom under HWY 59. They had a poster that said: YOU CAN DO IT, MS. MARQUEZ! I almost cried, but instead I stopped to give them both a hug. They handed me a bag of snickers!! :o)

The last bit: The finish line was after you turn a corner...I would have loved to have sprinted from the corner...but I waited until I got a little closer. I started yelling - I FINISHED before even crossing the finish line! The clock read 2.47...my watch said 2.45. I'm waiting on the official results to know what my time was. But the bottom line I FINISHED!! AND I DID IT UNDER 3 HOURS!

This is really one of the most incredible feelings I've ever experienced. After saying my whole life that I would never ever in a million years like running, I have developed a love for it! Crossing the finish line was pretty emotional for me. I couldn't do it alone - Christ is my strength and thank you Regina White for crossing the 5k finish line with me in April 2010 and assuring me that if I could run/walk my first 5k, I could run a half!!

2010 - The Year of Conquering Continued

At the end of every year, I like to set goals for the next and LOOOOOVE to pick out a theme scripture, song, and a sorta cheesy picture that all go along with what I hope the year will bring.

I just wanted to come back and say that I've picked a theme song for 2010, practically 4 months into the year. It hasn't been too terribly long ago that I've shared this song with you, but when I sing it...I SING MY HEART OUT!! Because it reminds me of how much grace has been extended to us by the One who loves more than we could ever comprehend. And it's Easter...and there was a great sacrifice that has allowed my soul to feel its worth!

My ultimate goal in life is to share beauty, even in the midst of ashes, that only God Himself brings to such a messy time on earth.

So here again is the song:

HIP HIP HOORAY!!!

(me and the contract!)

I am officially an elementary teacher in the 7th largest district of the United States! My first day is this coming Wednesday! Pray for me because this girl is going to need it!

BUT RIGHT NOW LET'S CELEBRATE BECAUSE THE LORD HAS RESPONDED FAVORABLY TO THE DESIRES OF MY HEART!!!!

I'm feeling a bit like this:

HAHAHA! My cup overflows!

2010 - The Year of Conquering

The year of the Learning Curve (2009) was just that...A lot of learning and starting from ZERO! But it's been amazing nonetheless and 2010 can only get better!! I'm VERY excited about start of this new year. Excitement ABOUNDS!!

Theme verse for 2010:
"...in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."
Romans 8:37

Theme picture for 2010:
(yes...Aslan!!)
Theme song for 2010: I haven't picked one. ;o)
(2009 was Jon Foreman's Your Love is Strong)

Goals for 2010:

1. Continue Reading
   I love it! I remember having a conversation YEARS AGO with someone about books. I told her that I really like them, but never seemed to have time for them. She answered, "Well, we all have 24 hours in a day and I read every night. You make time for it." And I am thankful she said that because back then I didn't think it was that easy. It's true for a lot of things!
   
2. Teach
   I'm really close I can taste it. I have LOVED every minute of the time I've had off. I can't say it enough. You couldn't pay me to go back to where I was. I'm in a much happier, healthier state and I'm more than ready to teach!!
3. Geocache
   Back in August, I saw a group of boy scouts geocaching and I loved it. I said I'd do it but I haven't. So I promised a cousin of mine that I'd go on a bear hunt once a month and keep my geocaching profile updated.
   
4. Go on a Mission Trip
   My dreams have always been to teach and use the summers for mission trips. So, why not start this year. I'll have more information on this soon.
   
5. Lose Weight
   It's on "the list" every year...and I wouldn't have it any other way! I've recently made some progress and hope to continue into the next. I feel GREAT!! Thanks to the Wii Fit Plus, I am tracking the progress daily and it's ADDICTING!!
   

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Imogene had the baby doll but she wasn't carrying it in the way she was supposed to, cradled in her arms. She had it slung up over her shoulder, and before she put it in the manger she thumped it twice on the back.
I heard Alice gasp and she poked me. "I don't think it's very nice to burp the baby Jesus," she whispered, "as if he had colic." Then she poked me again. "Do you supposed he could have had colic?"
I said, "I don't know why not," and I didn't. He could have had colic, or been fussy, or hungry like any other baby. After all, that was the whole point of Jesus - the he didn't come down on a cloud like something out of "Amazing Comics," but that he was born and lived...a real person.

-Barbara Robinson
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

The Talton's part 3

Okay...so, I have to share this video with you cause it's so fun!




Afterwards, all of Tyler's friends came up to Beyer and asked how in the world she got him to shake his groove thing! It was awesome!

My friend's got skills!

Golden TICKET!

I, like Charlie, have a golden ticket. I'm on my way to the Chocolate Factory! Trying not to get swallowed by the chocolate river or an oompa loompa...


:D ha ha ha!

The Talton Wedding

Last weekend, I took my first ever trip to the Carolinas and it was worth it! My friend Jenn W. Beyer got married to a great dude whose name is Tyler Talton. Perfect is the word to describe every detail of the weekend!

So, although her name is now changed, I think I’m going to have a really difficult time not calling her “Beyer.” I hope Tyler doesn’t get upset if I’m honest and say, “I don’t really want to try! Beyer is classic!” (consider this post a practice session for calling her "Jenn")

Okay, so where do I start?

1. Getting to see old friends and meeting new ones was great! Healthy Laughing with Your gut happening all around!

2. Soaking up the Southern Hospitality was one of my favorites! Okay, so there are VERY few guys in Houston who do this and I want to applaud them and make sure they know that I'm not taking them for granted, but EVERY guy that was around when I was near a door made sure to open/hold/close the door for me! I hardly touched a door while I was there! I loved it!

3. Carolina beaches! OMG - Why aren’t they closer to home??? I’d spend every waking hour there, so it’s probably not too terrible a thing. Guess what? I learned how to boogie board! Yeah, that’s right it’s taken me a while….I ended up with scraped knees, but not too bad. It was FUN!!

4. The wedding was absolutely gorgeous. Here’s Jenn and her Dad!


Gorgeous right?
I don’t know how one person can be gorgeous, extremely smart and have an amazing personality. I don’t know that it’s common, but she got it all!

5. And here’s a picture of Jenn & Tyler. All of Tyler’s friends were amazed that Jenn got Tyler to shake his groove thing for their dance! It was great! ;o)



6. Desserts! DELICIOUS! Seriously. I had too much dessert I think! Here’s the cookie cake that was at the rehearsal dinner…the groom’s cake had the same Seven-eleven design! So clever!!

Don't Round Up!

I'm officially 27 today. And NO, that doesn't mean I'm THIRTY. I'm sure I will be just fine when I'm there - thirty, I'll be thirty, flirty and thriving. But seriously I'm not ready to round it up!

Happy Birthday to Jessica Summers and Brian McBride!! We could've been triplets or something. :o)

Yesterday, my mom hosted a small party for me. Here's a picture of the dining area. I think it's so pretty!! I have pictures with people in them...only I haven't uploaded them. I'll share a few when I do.

I was a little bummed that my dad wasn't here. He called this morning to sing me the birthday song....He doesn't miss a birthday EVER! I can't wait for him to get back on Tuesday. SPEAKING OF BIRTHDAY SONGS: I received several calls today with AMAZING versions of birthday songs. One was from Jennifer W. Beyer whose rendition has become a tradition in my life - may Mary and Joseph smile down upon you too, Jenn! And the other was from Jennifer M. Tufts who had a professional sing the Incredible Pizza birthday Song! :o)

So.....I splurged and bought myself something that I've wanted and not necessarily needed for quite some time. I'm convinced it's already changed my life for the better. :o) It's called an iPhone.

And I also got a great children's poetry book. I recommend it to EVERYONE, because it really is that much fun!! I read it cover to cover already. And I'll read it some more this week, I'm sure.

I have to go to bed now...since it's past my bedtime. So I leave you with a poem with LIFE application. It's IMPORTANT!

JELLYBEANS UP YOUR NOSE

from The Butterfly Jar by Jeff Moss

Johnny stuck jellybeans up his nose,
That's a pretty dumb thing to do.
But the other kids said, "Hey, John's real cool.
Let's put beans up our noses, too!"
Well, a kid can't breathe with beans up his nose
'Cause they get all stuck inside.
So John and the kids, well, I hate to say it,
But they coughed and they choked and they died.

That's a pretty grim tale, I must admit,
And it may not all be true,
Still when somebody cool does something dumb
You don't have to do it, too.

So don't be one of those
With jellybeans up your nose.

Excitement Abounds!!

At church tonight, one of the guys that I met at P.E.P. who is now in the free world was baptized tonight. So I love baptisms, BUT this one in particular I just wanted to jump up and down and WHOOP WHOOP all over the place.

I've recently been thinking about God's love for us. Particularly, 1 John 3:1

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

And how His love for us changes us. We are LIGHT. Our entire appearance changes. It's definitely true for this guy! It makes me want to sing at the TOP of my lungs!

I LOVE P.E.P. But more than that I love God. He is faithful to finish the work He begins in us.

On another note, the Anderson cousins (my cousins) have been singing with a local rapper - COLCUTZ. I want for you guys to listen to this song...it's good. Sung by my oh so VERY talented cousin Hannah.

GUESS WHAT TOMORROW IS?

You got it!

It's Pi Day!

Go ahead! Celebrate! Eat a pie!

Valentine's Day

So, I had a REALLY fun Valentine's Day.

1. I spent the mornin' CHILLIN' like a VILLAIN! ;o)
2. And then I went to a friend's wedding. It was BEAUTIFUL! And so fun! The bride and groom had a secret handshake before the kiss - very fun!
3. The quotation tree turned out great! Here's the picture I promised.
4. And to finish off the night I went to a SUPERB dinner hosted by the Mosaic Men. They went all out for us. Walked us in, served us, even had the strawberry syrup drizzled on the dessert plate. They even WROTE A SONG! Yeah...I know. After the dinner, we played some fun games. It was a fun night!
   

And Then...

Update on Mexico:
The trip was sad, yet enjoyable. I spent a lot of time with my family - cried some, laughed more than I cried, and ate more than either of those. :o/ (oops...I should have sat on my hands.)

It wasn't the same going to the market, knowing the purpose of the trip wasn't tourism. I went and bought maybe 3 items. I did go to walmart to pick up disposible cameras and other things the family needed...the lines are more ridic than they are here. One thing that I love about Mexico, other than having the BEST tacos on the planet, is that you can buy 2 kilos of strawberries for less than 2 dollars. I mean SURSLY.

I learned a lot about Mexican tradition. One of the things I learned is that on your birthday they will play "Las Mañanitas" on repeat right before the day break until you leave to go to work (I suppose this depends on the family). I'm not sure that I like it. Especially being the neighbor. :o)

This is the first time EVER (which I've been there endless times) that I could imagine myself living there. I wonder if that means something...

5k:
My training prior to Mexico was on the up and up - had momentum going like nobody's business. However, I ate more than I should have in Mexico and therefore GAINED pounds I had lost and it made it difficult to get back into the swing of things. And add to that a wretched cold. I can't wait to get back into it.

Valentine's Day Wedding Project:
Some of Tim's friends are getting married tomorrow and I volunteered myself to do a center piece for the guest sign in table (is there a name for that?). I started it early, but procrastinated. Ergo, I freaked out last week and it's come together faster than I imagined and also prettier...I think so anyway. I call it a quotation tree. I'll have to get a picture to show you. It has LOVE quotations hanging from the branches. My favorite one is:

Do you love be because I'm beautiful or am I beautiful because you love me?
-Cinderella

Okay, So I guess I've promised a picture...I'll have that for you next week.

A Response of Praise

God is working on my trusting Him. I'm constantly saying, "yeah, but..."
And yet, He continues to provide for me reasons to trust him...TANGIBLE reasons. and all I can say is:

Great is Thy faithfulness,
O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not,
Thy compassions,
they fail not;
As Thou hast been,
Thou forever will be.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

2009 – The year of the Learning Curve

It's a brand new year! Wow the possibilities! There will be change & it will indeed require a learning curve.

Theme verse for 2009:
"Do not call to mind the former things,
Or ponder things of the past.
"Behold, I will do something new,
Now it will spring forth;
Will you not be aware of it?
I will even make a roadway in the wilderness,
Rivers in the desert."
Isaiah 43:18-19

Theme Picture for 2009:

The not so serious but serious Goals for 2009:

1. Read more books!
   a. These are the books I read (cover to cover) in 2008.
   i. Atonement, Ian McEwan
   ii. Treasuring God in Our Traditions, Noel Piper
   iii. The Master Plan of Evangelism, Robert E. Coleman
   iv. East of Eden, John Steinbeck ("HOLY MOTHER" is all I have to say about this one!)
   v. Reedeming Love, Francine Rivers
2. Finish what I started in 2008. :o)
   a. The rag quilt I started midsummer was put away and I pulled it back out Christmas week.
   b. The sewing desk…the part that was just about finished is still just about finished. I WILL FINISH it in 2009.
   c. I got my wisdom teeth pulled so I can get my teeth straightened, among other reasons – so that project continues.
3. Be ticket free
   a. I got TWO tickets in 2008. UGH!
4. Lose weight – OF COURSE IT HAS TO BE ON THE LIST
   a. I have INICIATIVE that goes way into the year! That always helps!
   b. I also have a goal and timeline, but really why would I share that here? That's BORING!
5. Make a quilt (not a rag quilt but a REAL quilt)
   a. I have a pattern picked out. Just got to give it a go (after I finish the sewing desk).

So there you have it folks. Happy New Year!

OLD MAN WINTER!

Just in case you missed the memo:

IT'S SNOWING IN HOUSTON!!!

Thanksgiving!

So here are some of my favorite recipe's!
(of course they are sweets. I leave all the "serious grown up" stuff to others! I'll pick that up when I HAVE to...and I don't HAVE to yet!)

PUMPKIN ICE CREAM!
½ gallon of Blue Bell’s homemade VANILLA icecream
1 30 oz can of pumpkin pie mix
1 big box of ginger snaps
1 stick of butter
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
Whip Cream
25 9oz plastic tumblers

So what you do is let the ice cream soften. In a big bowl mix the icecream and the pumpkin mix. Once you think it's perfectly mixed, pour into serving cups about 1/2 full and then freeze for atleast 4 hours (Or overnight).

While it freezes you can, crumble the ginger snaps. The next morning, melt the butter and brown sugar. Then mix in the ginger snaps. Pour that over already frozen ice cream. And freeze again for about 30 minutes to an hour.

Then you’re ready to serve once you’ve topped it with Whip cream.

*****************************************************

Jello Salad
1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple, undrained
2 pkg. (4 -serving size each) or 1pkg (8- serving size) Jello Rasberry Flavor
1 can (16 oz.) Whole berry cranberry sauce
1 medium apple (I like to use granny smith's for this one), chopped
2/3 cup chopped walnuts

Drain pineapple, reserving liquid in 1-qt. liquid measuring cup. Remove 1 Tbsp. of the crushed pineapple; set aside for garnish. Add enough cold water to reserved liquid to measure 3 cups; pour into large saucepan. Bring to boil; remove from heat. Add gelatin; stir at least 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add cranberry sauce; stir. (Gelatin mixture should be thick). Pour into large bowl. Refrigerate 1 1/2 hours or until slightly thickened (consistency of unbeaten egg whites).

Stir in remaining pineapple, apples and walnuts; stir gently. Pour into medium serving bowl.

Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm. Top with reserved crushed pineapple just before serving. Store leftover gelatin in refrigerator. Makes 14 servings, 1/2 cup each.

*****************************************************

Yum! Seriously - these are really great recipies. If you don't believe me you should try it yourself. And when you write back to say, "You were right" - I'll respond, "I TOLD YOU SO!"

You know what they say: You are what you eat!
That makes us a bunch of TURKEYS!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving week!

P.S. I have to tell you about Prison! I loved it! It takes time to put it into words...I'll have it up by Saturday night...That's plenty of time.

Who Approved This??

My little brother is seventeen today!

Unbelievable...I never said this was okay. But I guess I'll celebrate anyway...

Happy Birthday, Tim!

And I'm just now finding this out?

Last weekend, we got the family together from near and far to celebrate my grandmother's 80^th birthday. We had a little "program" which means one of my aunts put together some history and had people give speeches. The History is what intrigues me most and really I'm SHOCKED that I've been oblivious to my grandparent's story.

My grandparents met when they were really young and very good-looking. (If I had some scanned images I'd share. Perhaps I'll update the post with pictures. ) They sent letters to each other naively through my grandfather's brother, Tio Pepe, rather than using the Post Office. Tio Pepe of course took advantage of the opportunity and read every single one of the letters he got his hands on. I have no doubt he teased them half to death because he would!!

When my grandmother was 19 years old, my grandfather asked her father for her hand in marriage. Her father adamantly said NO! There was no way that his sweet daughter would benefit from this marriage and so the answer was no and would remain NO! They continued dating – I guess that wasn't prohibited. My grandmother has always been "put together" and still will not leave the house until she feels she's reached near perfection. My grampa knowing that about her showed his love for her by spending a LOT of money to give her the most expensive powder and lipstick on the Mexican Market. One day, they were given permission to go to the movie theatre with her sisters as chaperones. They purposefully sat 2 rows behind my grandmother's sisters and guess what they did!? They sneaked out in the middle of it and ELOPED!

Plans were made way before the movie theatre outing and they took their merry little selves to Saltillo and stayed for who knows how long. They eventually came back – married!!! To date, she has no idea what movie they went to see!

I still don't know how growing up I never knew this story. I'm intrigued to know more. If you would like to see pictures of the party click on the picture below.