This Kiss

You can kiss me in the moonlight
On the rooftop under the sky
You can kiss me with the windows open
While the rain comes pouring inside

-Faith Hill

Ah, our first kiss. Well, back at Baylor, after Adam and I had been dating a while, he took me on a big surprise date. He had my roommates pack a bag for the day and we drove to Fort Worth to go to the rodeo/stockyards and then we went out to eat at P.F. Chang's. It was an amazing day.

That night, we were famished when we arrived at the restaurant and so we ordered appetizers and then each had an entree. We were stuffed but I, of course, had a sweet tooth and so we ordered The Great Wall of Chocolate.

Let me stop here and say that, if you've never seen the Great Wall of Chocolate at P.F. Chang's, it is a fitting name. It is gigantic. A slab of rich chocolate cake that could feed a party of 6. We each had about two bites and we were done. But, alas- an idea occurred in my head.

You see, I had requested that Adam wait to kiss me for a couple of months now. He was patient. But, I issued a challenge. I told him that if he would finish the Great Wall of Chocolate, then we could have our first kiss. Adam's mouth dropped open. After a few, "Seriously?" 's and confirmations and he accepted.

He began methodically working away at the massive slab of cake. Bite after bite after bite. The tables next to us caught wind of the challenge and everyone was cheering him on towards victory. He began perspiring and turning pale. But, onward he journeyed. Finally, a few bites remained and Adam looked like he might pass out but he was determined. When he finally finished, the tables next to us cheered and we literally leaned over the table and had our first kiss in the middle of P.F. Chang's.

And that is one of the many, many reasons that I married Adam Jennings. He has always made me feel like my kisses, my time, my thoughts are precious to him. He's a great man.

Dating

First of all, I'd like to commence this post with a perfectly-timed picture of Powers stepping on Adam's family jewels in the year of our Lord, 2005. I laugh out loud everytime I look at this picture.

Brooke's dating post inspired me to reminisce on my days of dating Adam. I talked about how we met here but to recap...it was December of 2004. We were engaged December of 2005. Married May 13, 2006.

I did not possess a digital camera during most of our dating saga but Adam did and I have stolen a few fond memories from his archives.

spellunking in Austin, TX (in a deep cave)

our first triathlon in Dallas(training for one is GREAT relationship therapy...)

Adam & I creeping out a nice young man.

One time I told Adam, "I hope you're my last boyfriend."

I don't recommend this tactic, it might be a little over the top.

but, hey, it worked out fine.

two mission trips to Juarez, Mexico

Adam got Powers about 7 months before we started dating.

So, I kinda had to adopt Powers, too. He was our fake-baby for many

years before Henry came along.

At Adam's parents shop before our first big date-

Adam surprised me and took me to the Ft. Worth rodeo

and we went to P.F. Changs and had our first kiss

(Have I told that story yet?

If not, it's a good one.)

Lil' Rascal

The first day that we were here, Henry learned how to move his Great-Grandpa's scooter joystick around and gave him a little jerky bit of a ride.




We are a little more careful now and Dr. Art steers.

Bye-Bye Ruston

Well, we had a fantastic visit in Ruston and Henry & I were sad to leave. Perspective hit, though, when I arrived here and received word yesterday that one of my Ruston friends, pregnant with her first child, lost her Mom unexpectedly on Saturday night. Just awful. I am reminded of how blessed Adam, Henry & I are. These visits aren't merited- they are gifts. And now we're enjoying my in-laws.

Henry's favorite place was in the kitchen atop the island:

Although we did our best to spot him, he toppled and I am realizing that bumps and bruises may be inevitable in raising a little boy. He is currently sporting a strawberry on his chin from where he had a crawling-skid-collision.

Crazy kid.

Currently reading: The Scarlett Pimpernel. Loaned to me by my ab-fab mother-in-law, Jule.

Currently resolving: To lose the weight that I gained in Ruston. It's hard to eat well when your Mama is cooking (and taking you out to lunch everyday!)

Currently thinking: Thank you Lord for the sunshine and 60+ degree weather, yeah!

Sick Baby

Well, when Henry woke up (for good) this morning at 6:15, I picked him up and he was warm, quite warm. Poor baby is sick with a 100+ degree temperature. Wants to hang on his Mama and cuddle and canoodle and be carried around. I can't figure out of it's his top tooth (gum is swollen and it's about to burst through) or an ear infection? No other symptoms. Working the Tylenol and enjoying the help of some wonderful grandparents...

Status

Sleepy, so full, watchin' Mamma Mia while Henry is in bed.

Can't complain.

Our Boxes

Scrounging around upstairs, I found tupperware boxes that my Mom had set aside for each of us kids. Mine was filled with progress reports, pictures, birthday cards, letters, and drawings. I slowly went through the Camille box savoring the trip down memory lane.

Then I set my eyes upon my mother's box.

Yes, she has a box, too. And, even though I had permission to look, there is someting about looking at pictures of your pre-children parents that feels intrusive. I slowly sifted through my Mom's pictures: her as a little girl with a sheep that she raised for 4-H...Mom as a teenager with her brown hair set perfectly...Loralu as a young mother. It was incredible. I relished the resemblance- that there were many pictures of her that looked exactly like me. (Well, besides the fact that she is at least 20 pounds skinnier and has legs up to my armpits.)

I found love letters that my Dad had written for her when they were dating. I read cards that she received when I was born. It was a box of treasures. And then I realized that, one day, our kids will look through a box to see the life that Adam and I live right now. That our moments and days will be compounded into a tangible (and invisible, yes) legacy that our ancestors can browse.

And then I got dizzy because it felt like life was going by really quickly.

P.S. I will have to scan some of the aforementioned pictures in for the blog. They are awesome!

Pampered Daughter

The nice thing about being at my folk's house, besides the obvious bonding and love and constant companionship, is the pampering. Thus far, my parents have insisted that I....

1. get my hair done (at Rumo's barber shop...I love it, see above picture)

2. get a manicure (dark brown with sparkles)

3. go out to eat at a fancy restaurant while Adam visits (The Bistro...delicious!)

Growing up as the only girl and the youngest child had it's perks. It's good to be the queen again.

The Brown Van

It's funny- being home brings back a lot of memories. In fact, you're surrounded by reminders of childhood joys and embarassments. In my bathroom here, for example, there is a framed copy of a poem that I wrote on the way to Florida.

Every summer of my entire life, we have gone to Florida for a week with our dear family friends, the Thompson's. This is a beloved tradition and we do it up right- no leaving the house except for the grocery store...& putt-putt trips during my youth.

For a long stretch, we always piled up into an old brown van owned by Mama Thompson's father. This van was special. It had two captain's chairs in the middle row. The back row of seats folded down into a flat bed in which my two older brothers and Greg Thompson would sit on my head and fart for the 7-hour drive (I was the youngest). It was in this loved dookie-brown van that I wrote this poem on the floor (seatbelts were optional) while passing through Mobile, Alabama in the summer of 1991. Without further ado:

Florida, by Camille Conville
(this recitation is by memory, I am currently in the living room)

Florida, the sunshine state
You can get a pole and fish with bait
Or you could be a pretty good captain's mate!

If you don't know what to do
go fishing or putt-putting too!

There's lots of good food to eat
from oranges to seafood meat.

If you have very tired feet,
sand can be fun and make a good seat.
I think you'll find Florida pretty neat!

Oh, I'm so glad that my parents chose to immortalize these words on the wall of the bathroom.

My Mama's House

Henry & I are at my parents' house (which used to be my house, ages 1-18). PERFECT time of year for us to be down here in the warmth (well, relatively warm) and SUNSHINE! Yes, yesterday Henry was crawling across the living room floor here and came across a sunbeam that was streaming in through the window, stretching across the floor. He slowly moved his hand into the sun...out of the sun...into the sun...out of the sun. Like, what could this warm gloriousness be?

It's wonderful.

Mush, Mama, Mush!

Henry, Powers and I were finally able to try out the sleigh that my parents got us for Christmas today. (Sorry Adam, you snooze, you lose. Actually, you go to work, you lose).

Henry laughed so hard because Powers kept nibbling at the bottom of the sleigh and barking at it (he also did this to our skateboards in college). Of course, when I ran to get the camera, he wouldn't crack a smile. It was lots of fun and a good way to get outside during January!

I haven't missed my aunt...

but she came to visit, anyway. For the first time since July of 2008. (That, my friends, is just an added bonus of pregnancy and breastfeeding.)

Too much?

Oi 2010!

My resolution to get out and about daily has come to a screeching halt. I have not left our house since Friday.

In my defense, Adam was home with us and it was WINTER outside.

Like, very winter. Muy winter. Uber-winter.

2010 came in with a bang. Actually, not a bang...a band. Band Hero that we played at a party while Henry miraculously stayed awake and happy until 11 pm (The 7:00 nap might've helped).

2009 was a year of miracles and heartbreaks. Henry came and we rejoiced. A dear friend lost her son and we wept. We gave ourselves to new roles, new seasons. My daily responsibilities shifted from my cubicle to my family. We loved our little home one day, we yearned for heaven the next. We laughed until we cried, we argued and we saw more body fluids than we knew. We were hit with the weight, the heaviness of covering this little guy. We failed on our own, we triumphed as the Lord made a way.

And now that the snow has ceased, the first grocery trip of 2010 must commence. We missed our weekend trip and had Blizzards from Dairy Queen for supper last night (no complaints here).
Happy 2010- peace, joy & love.