10 Years

(On the set of Austin City Limits about 3 weeks ago)

Not that you're keeping track but today happens to be our 10th wedding anniversary. Truthfully it is a little anti-climatic. I mean it just kind of sneaks up on you and boom it is here. Don't get me wrong, you have to work incredibly hard to get here but once it arrives 10 years really isn't that different than 9 years 364 days. A saying comes to mind, "A day feels like a week but a week feels like a day." But it's still an accomplishment of sorts and definitely an achievement.

Heidi and I have been trying to honestly reflect back to when we first married and where we really thought we might be in 10 years. Here are a few observations:

• We both thought we'd have more than 1 child.

• Heidi thought we'd probably be in Utah and since my sister lived in Texas at the time I thought living here might be a possibility. Neither of us thought Las Vegas would become so important to us.

• There has been a lot more hair than I thought (2 dogs, 1 cat) but we both thought animals would play an important part of our lives although the turtles, lizard and frog were not anticipated.
  

• Neither of us seriously thought we'd become vegetarians but that decision has been one of the best choices of our lives and any vegetarians reading this will probably agree.

• We are both far more educated than we considered and I'm not necessarily sure if that is a good one.

• Travel has played a much bigger part of our marriage than I thought, we have been all over the place and I love it but I thought we would go camping more (embarrassed to admit we have only been once).

Despite what we thought we are here and definitely have a new definition of love. Love 10 years in is completely different than love 10 days in that is for sure. But love at 10 years is far more sincere, thoughtful and meaningful. Unfortunately that crazy insane passion is not as prevalent but what can I say, that isn't real love. Blah blah blah - maybe when we hit 20 years I'll be in a better position to dish out thoughts on love.

At any rate, I love you Heidi and Happy 10th Anniversary, the trip has not been what either of us expected but it has definitely not been dull.

No Excuses

Well, I got back from South Carolina and jumped right back into being a husband, father, social worker, etc. and I guess I just forgot to blog (I don't know why Heidi hasn't written). Weird. Because I got a lot on my mind - too much if you ask Heidi - and we have been busy. We have done a lot of fun things and gone to a lot of cool places. So here is a brief list of some of our exciting times over the past six months. SIX MONTHS?! Geez.

• Began potty training Henry - he's doing pretty good but still holding #2, any suggestions?

• Took Henry to his first baseball game - Astros lost.

• Enjoyed a brief stay hiking around the Big Thicket Natural Preserve, Henry found both the trees and leaves surprisingly fascinating.

• Was assigned to a US Army Reserve unit as a Chaplain and First Lieutenant and spent a few days in Louisiana watching soldiers shoot (chaplains are not allowed to touch weapons).

• Went on a family vacation to San Antonio where we did the following:
• Enjoyed a drive-thru Safari where Henry was traumatized by an ostrich that stuck its head in our car.
• Wandered the Riverwalk and the Alamo.
• Checked out the San Antonio Temple.
• Went to several dog parks.
• Toured Sunnyday Farms Animal Sanctuary
  
• Ate at Green, our favorite vegetarian restaurant in SA.

• Helped a lot of men and women conclude their time on this earth as well as comforted those they left behind.

• Took family photos at Rice University.

• Went to my first ever Army Chaplain Conference held in Phoenix, AZ.

• Went to an actual country wedding (you'd know if you went to one of these).

• Heidi's sister Rachel and two of her children visited us for a week and we showed her around the Bayou City. Henry loves having cousins.
  

• Heidi began her last year in her 20s.

• Celebrated the 4th of July with Henry's first parade. Also, it was the first year he really watched the fireworks and they really scared the poor little guy.

• Spent a few days in Austin and did the following:
• Toured the Austin City Limits studio. Pretty cool being on a stage where so many famous musicians played.
• Ate at several vegetarian restaurants.
• Explored a Mediterranean style villa built in the early 1900s.
• Went to one of our favorite dog parks in the world.
• Attended a Roller Derby (words cannot explain that one but if you ever get a chance...).
• Watched over a million bats fly out from under a bridge in search of dinner.

• Henry participated in his first organized sports program called Soccer Tots. It started bumpy but in the end he loved it.

• Heidi was supposed to go to a Kings of Leon concert with her girlfriends but the band canceled the day before the gig. She was angry.
  

• We all went to Space Center Houston during the final Space Shuttle flight.

• Made several trips to the Houston Zoo where Henry fed lettuce to a giraffe and was traumatized by yet another African animal.
  

• Finally Heidi is about to begin her last trimester as a student intern and then off to the real world with her.

And that is about it. Don't get me wrong, plenty of other things took place but here is a sample of what the Texas Sheltons have been doing. Not that anyone out there really cares or took the time to read this but if you did thanks for humoring us! Maybe well start sharing our opinions once again because we have a lot of them.