Happy Birthday, Grandma Parks

Since TJ and Olivia were unable to spend today with their Grandma on her birthday, I figured we'd do the next best thing.  Happy Birthday, Grandma!  We hope you enjoy the video!  We love you!

Bench

The kids and I traveled to DeBary on Friday to spend some time with G-ma and G-pa because Terry's team had an away game in Miami.  As always the kids and grandparents enjoyed themselves.  It also allowed me to get together with two of my favorite girlfriends from high school so that was really nice.  Thanks G-ma and G-pa!

Today, however, the entire Parks family traveled north to Jacksonville to attend a UNF basketball game.  This is where the title comes in.  Where do I begin?

Let's start in 2002.  Auburn University.  Senior year.  So many aspects of my senior year were challenging and dramatic that I really don't care to relive it, however, I had already decided to come back to Auburn for graduate school.  I decided to come home to DeBary and spend the summer with my family to regroup.  (I did take one outreach graduate class, because when I was in school I never quite caught onto the concept of taking a break).  My dad, at the time, was coaching a traveling AAU boys basketball team and I was so excited to travel with him and his team that summer!   One of their tournaments was held in Jacksonville at the University of North Florida.  It was at this tournament where I met Terry.  I had seen Terry talking to my dad (who was a former college coach himself) and walking around the gym.  Between one of the games I came out to the lobby and sat on this BENCH to "thaw out" and this is when Terry approached me.  I had seen him across the lobby earlier and thought he was really cute and was  especially excited that he had braces.  (I love a boy with braces and/or glasses...weird, I know.)  I was thinking in my head how he needed to come talk to me and he finally did :)  We made small talk, he gave me his business card and we started dating.  From that day on, I made a point to sit on that bench at every UNF game that I attended.  What can I say, it's a special BENCH!

Fast forward to 2003...I had finished my graduate degree and moved to St. Augustine (30 minutes south of Jacksonville) and started working.  Terry and I had a dinner date and he asked me to meet him at his office because he was working late, which was not abnormal.   I was sick with a horrible cold so I was not happy that he wanted me to drive to Jacksonville to go to dinner...I felt like he should have come to St. Augustine!  Against my better judgement, I got in my car and drove to his office.  When I got there I waited in the lobby on 'my BENCH', as I always did, while he finished up in his office.  He finally came out of his office apologizing (because he saw the look on my face...I was not happy to be sick AND waiting for him), proceeded to sit down on the BENCH and after saying something wonderful about me and us (I can't really remember much of the conversation because I was sick and it was over 5 years ago), he proposed!!! 

Fast forward one more time to 2009 (can you believe it's 2009!!!!).  The Parks family went to a UNF game today and saw a lot of Terry's old friends and coworkers from his UNF days.  I was especially excited that I was going to have the opportunity to sit on my BENCH.  (It had been 4 years, at least, since I had been in the gym because shortly after we got married Terry took a coaching job in Charleston and we moved.)   We entered the gym from the back, but we both made a point to go to the front lobby of the gym to sit on our BENCH.   I, of course, came prepared with my camera to capture this moment. 

It was so surreal to sit on our BENCH with TJ and Olivia and realize how we had come full circle.  It felt like that tv show "Cold Case".  When we looked up it was as if it was 2002/2003 again...but, then we would look down at our beautiful children and realize that we were in 2009.  It was a crazy feeling.   They say that everything happens for a reason and I am a believer!  If it hadn't been for my dramatic senior year, I would have never had the urge to come home for the summer...would have never met my Terry...and would have never had TJ and Olivia.  What a wonderful day!

3:2

Happy New Year!  The Parks ended the 2 year birthday celebration (first 2 parts: zoo and party w/ cupcakes) with a trip to Disney World on New Year's Day!  We had a blast!  I have entitled this blog "3:2" because this is the ratio that I require when the Parks Family goes on any dramatic outing.  Three adults.  2 children.   Period. It is a must if you want to retain your sanity.  My dear friend (and soror) Anitra was kind enough to treat the Parks Family to a day at Disney.  Anitra and I met while I was doing my Disney co-op and she was doing an internship at Disney in 2000 and have been friends ever since.  She returned to work for Disney and has been waiting for me to say that I was ready to bring the kids to the parks.  So much so that she spent the day with us in the parks.  Since Star and Travis wanted to be grown and go off by themselves (ahhhh, new love), the presence of Anitra was essential in me agreeing that a day at Disney was doable for the Parks Family, as she was the 3rd adult.  We shall call her "3:2".  She was absolutely amazing.  Since she works at Disney and didn't need 'the experience', she was all about doing whatever she could to make life easier for us (e.g., holding the stroller on the tram while Terry and I held the kids, staying off the rides so she could take pictures of us riding the rides, parking the stroller while we jumped in line)...just quality assistance.  Terry and I couldn't thank her enough for making the kids' first visit a special one.    

Since it was New Year's Day the park was extra crowded, so we decided to spend the entire day in Magic Kingdom.  They say pictures are worth a thousand words so here we go...Enjoy!

The kids were awesome, by the way. They slept in the car on the way to Orlando and didn't fall asleep again until we went on our last 'ride' (when we saw Mickey and Minnie). They enjoyed all the rides...when TJ and I were Dumbo, one my best memories was him saying with a big smile on his face - "TJ flying!!!! TJ flying, Mommy!" They weren't scared of anything...except Mickey and Minnie. Olivia, despite being a little hesitant, walked up to Minnie to shake her hand. I am so proud of them! I am glad that we got their "first trip" out of the way! What a great start to the new year!