anniversary | Through Heather's Looking Glass

10 Years

January 6, 2017 by Heather

Today marks a day that always seemed “so far away” when I first got married. Yup, Bobby and I have been married for ten years today.

Back then when I thought about being married for ten years, I tried to think about what my life would look like at that point. It’s quite comical, because nothing looks as if I thought it would! Never did I think we would both be in the careers we are in, or that I would be living in Tampa. I also always thought I would have a ten year anniversary vow renewal. Maybe for 15? (Bobby is going to kill me).

While many things look different and have changed, one thing remains the same. There is no one else I would rather share my years with than the guy I said “I do” too in New Orleans ten years ago tonight. Cheers to ten more years!

For a full wedding recap with lots of pictures, check out this post.

QOTD: Are you where you thought you would be ten years ago? Favorite wedding cake flavor?

Filed Under: family Tagged: anniversary, family, Love, marriage

6 Year Blogiversary

November 17, 2015 by Heather

Oh friends. I did it again. Every year it seems that this sneaks up on me. As of Sunday, I have been blogging for SIX year! Every year I go back and read that first post. I want to edit it SO badly but I leave it alone on purpose just to show how far I have come.

If you have been reading for awhile, you know that originally this blog started as an accountability journal as I prepared for my very first half marathon. Back then I knew nothing about the blogging world, particularly because there just weren’t that many health and fitness blogs back then to go off of. Things have changed a lot in that department for sure!

As I think back on my blogging journey, I am reminded of all the wonderful opportunities I have had, the amazing people I have met, and friends I have made. (Yes I say that every year I think, but it’s so true!) Blogging has had a lot to do with how I have been shaped as a person over the past few years. I have learned about about the world, about myself, and about being true to myself.

I have changed names, changed headers, changed focus. There have been ebbs and flows, highs and lows, and lessons learned. Putting yourself out there on a daily basis can be tough at times, but it has also been very rewarding. Other than sharing my heart with whoever is willing to listen, my other goal has always been to encourage and inspire others. I hope over the years I have encouraged you all in one way or another, because that is truly what makes me happy. There are SO many more things that I want to do and accomplish, and I am sure my blog will continue to evolve and change as I do the same. It’s a scary but exciting prospect, and I hope you will stick with me and follow along!

As always, a huge thanks to my wonderful readers. You guys make it all worth it! You emails, comments, shares, questions, advice, and inspiration keep me going. I love the conversations we have had, and laughs we have shared (mostly at my expense!) Thank you for giving me grace, and remembering that I make mistakes and am always learning, too. God has blessed me with some amazing encouraging folks through this blog, and I am so grateful.

I hope to have the opportunity to meet more of you this year, laugh with you, learn with you, and grow with you. THANK YOU for making THLG a great place, and for hanging out with me over the years, you rock. Let’s keep going, I have so much left I want to do!

<3 Heather

Filed Under: blogging, Faith, family, running Tagged: 6 years, anniversary, blogging, blogiversary, family, fitness, running

5 Years of Blogging

November 28, 2014 by Heather

Well, my 5 year blogiversary snuck up on me! That’s right, I have been doing this gig since November of 2009. What makes me laugh, is in that first post I mention at the top that I am not very good at this blogging thing and that I didn’t think anyone was reading it. Oh my, if only I had known!

The half marathon that started it all.

Remember, this blog started out in 2009 as Running With Sass. I knew nothing about WordPress, blogging etiquette, or even photo editing. I learn new tricks every day, and it is fun to look back and see how far I have come.

Once I really started blogging regularly in 2010, I blogged seven days a week for many years. Once I got pregnant, I cut down to five days a week and stopped blogging on the weekends. Those were my lowest stat days anyway, and I wanted to spend more time with Bobby before the baby came. Well, then the baby came…and I dropped down to three days a week. I have every intention of going back to blogging at least four if not five days a week (hopefully soon), but until I get little miss thing on a schedule, I just do what I can. I would rather have quality posts than a post every day.

I’m sure I have said this before, but if you would have told be five years ago that not only would I have run three full marathons and over twenty half marathons, including Goofy and Dopey challenges, but that my blog would still be going strong and I would be getting paid to write it, I don’t think I would have believed you. Some days I have to remind myself that this started as a hobby, a journal as I trained for my first half marathon. It still really blows my mind.

I have been given so many amazing opportunities through blogging, and I have met some wonderful people and made lifelong friends. I love how the internet/social media has the power to bring people together, no matter how far apart you live from your friends. I am so blessed to be able to stay home and work and take care of my baby girl. This was my goal five years ago when I quit teaching to work from home, and there have been some definite bumps in the road, but we are figuring things out as we go.

To my amazing readers, thank you so much. Without you, THLG wouldn’t even exist. I think of you when I am coming up with story ideas, planning my race calendar, and accepting and declining job offers. I have been touched by your sweet encouraging emails, and made a better person and write thanks to your ideas and advice.

My one hope is that through this blog you will find encouragement, hope, and learn a thing or two from my blog. I share my personal experiences- the ups and the downs, so that others can feel like they aren’t alone, and see that there are people, real people out there that struggle just like you. I don’t live a glamorous life, and there are a lot of days I don’t feel like writing, and a lot of things I would rather not share. But, if my sharing helps just one person, in a big or small way, then it’s worth it.

Team runDisney, some of my many friends I have made!

I pray that the next half decade will be just as much fun on the interwebs as the last one, and I hope that you will follow along with me on this journey. Thanks for sticking with me through thick and thin, changes and trends, heartache and loss, love and laughter. I hope to meet more of you in the coming years, and form even more connections and friendships. So, cheers to you, and cheers to another year of blogging, living, and sharing.

<3 Heather

Filed Under: blogging, family, fitness, running Tagged: 5 years blogging, anniversary, blogging, blogiversary

7 Years

January 7, 2014 by Heather

Seven years ago last night, at 6:30 in the evening at First Baptist Church New Orleans, I walked down the aisle and married my prince charming. Life hasn’t exactly been a fairytale all the time since, but I would never change the person standing beside me.

You can check out a recap of our wedding here, on my four year anniversary post. I love that to this day, many people tell us it was the best wedding they have ever been to. I am a little bias if I do say so myself, but it was pretty amazing.

I cannot believe it was seven years ago, I still remember all the details so clearly.

We danced, we laughed, we celebrated the beginning of a new stage of life with our best friends.

I am so thankful that I was able to have such a beautiful wedding, and an even more amazing marriage.

Here’s to many more years of wedded bliss.

QOTD: What is your favorite part of a wedding?

Filed Under: family Tagged: anniversary, family, wedding

Six Years

January 6, 2013 by Heather

Six years ago yesterday, I married my best friend.

Check out my four year anniversary post for a recap of sorts from the big day.

I say this every year but wow time keeps passing so quickly. It’s funny to think back to that day, how you plan and plan for this day and when it was all said and done I just wanted to have a great time celebrating with my friends and family, and I don’t even remember what our centerpieces looked like or what kind of flowers were in the bridesmaids bouquets. My wedding was a fairytale, and I am so lucky I got to have such a great one with my prince charming. I have already started bugging Bobby about a ten year vow renewal in Disney World. Oh yes, it’s on my friends.

I may not have had a Disney wedding but we did have fireworks!

Bobby and I had a lazy day yesterday watching football then we stopped by a neighbors after the holiday, holiday party before going out to a nice dinner at our favorite spot on the gulf coast right across from the water, Half Shell Oyster House.

Heading to the party then dinner

Waiting for our delicious dinner

Best chocolate martini ever!

A low key day and weekend was just what we needed to recharge to get us through the next few crazy days before we leave for marathon weekend in Disney. Great way to celebrate!

QOTD: Do you go all out on your anniversary or is it not a big thing? What about birthdays?

Filed Under: Disney, family Tagged: anniversary, honeymoon, wedding

Weekly Recap: May Week 4

May 27, 2012 by Heather

Happy three day weekend! It is a scorcher here. It was 97 and VERY humid and sunny here yesterday. You step outside and it just hits you. You can’t breathe and instantly are drenched. So much fun! Despite the heat we had a good day. We workout out, did some cleaning and went to see What to Expect When You’re Expecting. I LOVED it, but then again i love cheesy romantic comedy movies. Bobby informed me we are definitely not having kids after seeing that. Good try buddy. We hit up Target and then stopped by our neighborhood pool party before settling in for the night. A great Saturday indeed, AND, a decent week of workouts (finally!!!) for Heather.

Sunday: rest

Monday: ran 2.5 miles and lifted weights

Tuesday: 10 minutes stationary bike, weights

Wednesday: rest

Thursday: ran 2 miles, weights

Friday: weights, yoga on my own about ten minutes

Saturday: ran 4 miles, weights

Gym bathroom photo. Clearly entertaining. Oh, and I wore my red white and blue stars skirt for my Memorial Day weekend run.

I know my runs were short, but MAN it was hot this week. I either need to get up earlier to run or become BBF’s with the treadmill. Here are my totals:

Running: 8.5 miles. eh.

weights: 5 x’s, right on target!

cross training: 10 minutes stationary bike. This could use work.

yoga: 10 minutes on my own. Missed class this week because it was the day Bobby got Lasik.

I’m getting back on track after my food poisoning and vacation. I have come to grips with the fact that my running numbers are just going to have to be lower until it gets cooler. Sadly, I will have to do some long running in the heat since I am running a half on September 2, but it’s more of a fun race so I’m not too worries about it. I am home all week this week so hopefully it will be a good workout week!

I also wanted to mention today is my parent’s 35th wedding anniversary! Mom and dad we love you so much, thank you for setting a great example of what a loving home looks like and for always being there for us.

QOTD: What are you doing on this long weekend?

Are you following me on Twitter? Lot’s of fun going on over there!

Filed Under: family, fitness, motivation, running, Uncategorized Tagged: anniversary, Recap, running, training

Five Years and Counting

January 6, 2012 by Heather

I cannot believe it’s January 6 2012! On this day, five years ago, I walked down the aisle and said “I do.” I remember being so proud that we made it to one year, and we were no longer “newlyweds,” but it seems like just yesterday we were dancing the second line dance with boas and umbrellas in New Orleans.

For those of you who have been long time loyal blog readers, I apologize if you have to see some of the same pictures again, but I can’t help it, I loved my wedding and want to share it with you. Smile I did a whole recap last year, so you can find it on our four year anniversary post. It was quite the crazy wedding day so I suggest reading it if you like wedding recaps! I also wrote a post during the royal wedding which includes some pictures from my big day.

It was a fun day to say the least. I love looking back on pictures over the last five years, it’s so funny to see how much we have grown and changed. I’m sure we will be saying the same thing on our 10, 15, 20, 25 and so on anniversaries. Bobby and I are so blessed to have found each other, and I thank God for making us specifically for each other. I leave you with the lyrics to a song I love, one that was beautifully sung at our wedding.

When God Made You

its always been a mystery to me,
How two hearts can come together,
And love can last forever.
But now that I have found you I believe,
That a miracle has come when God sends the perfect one.
So gone are all my questions about why,
And i’ve never been so sure of anything in my life

~chorus~

Oh I wonder what God was thinking,when he created you.
I wonder if He knew everything I would need,
Because he made all my dreams come true.
When God made you, He must have been thinking about me.

(Girls)

Ooo ooo,I promise that wherever you may go, wherever life may lead you,
With all my heart I’ll be there too.
And from this moment on I want you to know,
I’ll let nothing come between us, and I will love the ones you love.
(guy):So gone are all my questions about why (girl echoes):about why and I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life

Duet:Oh I wonder what God was thinking when he created you,
I wonder if He knew everything I would need,
Because He made all my dreams come true.
When God made you He must’ve been thinking about me.

Bridge

He made the sun He made the moon,
To harmonize a perfect tune,
One can’t do without the other they just have to be together.
And that is how I know its true,
Your for me and I’m for you and my world
Just cant be right without you in my life

Chorus

(guy) He must have heard every prayer I’ve been praying (girl echo)
I’ve been praying (both)He must’ve knew everything I would need

When God made you, He must’ve been thinking about me.

QOTD: What was sung at your wedding? If you aren’t married, what do you want sung at your wedding?

Filed Under: family, Uncategorized Tagged: 5 years, anniversary, Bobby, married, wedding

Happy Together

September 10, 2011 by Heather

So happy for the Weekend! I know you are, too! (I would think so?) This weekend is extra special to me, because today, September 10, marks the seven year anniversary of me and Bobby’s first DATE! I cannot believe we have been together for 7 years. That makes me feel old!

Look how young we look in this engagement photo! I was newly 21, Bobby was newly 23.

Bobby and I met in college, playing intramural volleyball the first weekend of my sophomore year, Bobby’s first senior year….or second junior year, however you want to look at it. hehe. He was the hot, cool older guy who drove a red corvette and I was the nobody sophomore who almost didn’t go back to school where I did due to a bad breakup the spring before. (Imagine if I hadn’t gone back?!?)

His team crushed mine in the tournament, but he SPOKE TO ME and I thought I was going to die. I couldn’t believe it! He asked me in the cafeteria what time my next game was, I was like “who, me?” It was embarrassing. I was a total geek. He got my number so he could “invite me to play sand vball next time” (haha) and we started hanging out, and then he finally asked me out a couple weeks later. (Well, basically told me I had to go out with him. Not gonna fight ya, buddy.)

On our honeymoon January 2007. Recreating his proposal. Ha.

I remember being SO NERVOUS waiting to be picked up for the date. I must have changed clothes 20 times. We double dated with a friend of his, and went to a nice restaurant and had a good time. It wasn’t like we were friends first, so it was kind of awkward not really knowing him very well. You know the whole what should I order to eat, do I try and be funny, try not to talk to much…too many decisions! What was supposed to be a fun evening ended on a very very bad note when we kept getting calls from his housemates and finally answered one, only to very unfortunately find out Bobby’s roommate (he had a dorm room and lived in a house, this was his dorm roommate) had been killed in a car accident along with two other students. There were 5 students total in the car.

It was a very very sad night and next few weeks that followed. I will admit is was very strange and awkward to start off your relationship with someone in this way, but we look at is as God put me in his path at just the right time to help him get through that miserable time. We became close more quickly than most newly dating couples due to this tragic accident.

We are of course very very happy together, but it is also sad to celebrate our dating anniversary knowing what also happened on that September 10th night. So today, while oh so happy to be with the love of my life for 7 years, I also pray for the families of the lives lost, and how this is not a day of joy for them.

BUT, we can’t dwell on the past, it is very sad, but it is also done and cannot be changed. Who would have thought I would be where I am 7 years ago. I for one can tell you “not me!” I didn’t deem myself cool enough or pretty enough to be Bobby’s girlfriend. (He dated all the pretty cheerleaders. Ok, he WAS a cheerleader so I guess that doesn’t count?) I look back all the time and laugh about serious and mature I thought Bobby was in college (he is a total goofball, so don’t let him fool you!)

—————————————–

Today we are running 8 miles with TNT then hopefully going to do some yard work and fence painting since it will only be a high of 88! woo hoo!

QOTD: Can you remember your first date with anyone? Were you nervous? Anything interesting happen? (keep it clean folks, I don’t mean THAT. Hopefully that won’t be any of your first date stories. yikes!)

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged: 7 years, anniversary, engagement, running, TNT

Aloha part 2

June 14, 2011 by Heather

Yesterday I ran three miles, then Bobby and I went to the gym and did tri’s, legs, and chest, then did 20 minutes on the bike. I am feeling it today!

Ok so we left off after our first day in Disney. The next morning we woke up with a mission. It was Star Wars weekend, and we HAD to ride the new Star Tours ride! Our plan, was for me, Bobby and my dad to run to the new ride when DHS opened, and my mom took our passes and went to Toy Story mania to get us fastpasses. It was a good plan, we only waited for Star tours about 25 minutes, and our fastpasses were for around 12:45. But first….we woke up early (all except Bobby) got coffee, and sat outside on the swings at the beach, outside our room, and chatted as Disney woke up. I LOVE Disney early in the morning, it’s one of my favorite things ever.

We had some friends.

my mom took this of me and my dad hanging out, enjoying the view.

so peaceful! Ok, so back to the MADNESS that was the Star Tours line!

line behind us

after Star Tours, we did the Great Movie ride, the American Idol Experience, and then ate lunch at a counter service location before riding Toy Story Mania, and then heading out of the park.

heading out already? Why yes actually. We only had two park days, really, so we were hitting up EPCOT as well as DHS. But not before taking a few fun pictures.

We made it to EPCOT (so nice having your own car) and took more pictures…

and headed to Mexico for a snack

Bobby, dad and I hopped in the single rider line for test Track, and we were getting pretty tired so after walking around a bit decided to head back to the hotel.

Oh, I forgot to mention, this day was my parents 34th wedding anniversary!!! Fun times! We also were in Disney on their 32nd anniversary, and we ate at Narcoossees that night as well.

flashback fun….

2009 2011

Isn’t that fun?!? and yes, my mom and I wore the same dresses on purpose so we could retake pictures in the (relatively) same spot. Love it! Do we look different?

Dinner was fabulous, we got our favorite waitress

and she gave us two free desserts since we were celebrating, yum!

if you know me at ALL you know I LOVE Narcoossees almond crusted cheesecake!

While we were eating, a freakishly dark storm settled over the Magic Kingdom, and we watched it rain from our table.

that’s not night sky, it’s dark clouds! ssspppooookkkyy!

After a lovely dinner we decided to walk the path back to the Polynesian from the Grand, it was so nice out, a great end to a great night!

tomorrow’s post will be more California fun!

QOTD: Would you rather be at the parks in Disney when it is raining or really really hot?

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged: anniversary, Disney, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disneyworld, Grand Floridian, narcoossees, Polynesian, Star Tours, Star Wars Weekends

5 Years ago today….

December 14, 2010 by Heather

5 Years ago today, my husband got down on one knee (the night I had finished my last final exam for the semester!)

He asked me to be his wife

After we had eaten mac and cheese and hot dogs

and watched an episode of Friends (which we did every time we ate, we went through all 10 seasons more than once!)

In my college apartment (which I loved and miss by the way!)

I haven’t looked at our engagement pictures in years (except for the one or two in frames around the house.) It’s really fun to look back! My how we have changed. Bobby looks like a little boy to me in these pictures!

Here are a few from our engagement party at my parents house:

This is the day after we got engaged:

I was trying to figure out how I was thinner than I am now because I only worked out once a week or so…then I remembered, I HATED our college cafeteria food so I didn’t eat a lot those days. HA! Totally unhealthy, I know, but it’s what happened!

I cannot believe it has been five years that I have been “spoken for” I guess you could say. Most days I still feel like a college kid. (I get in trouble when I call people mam or sir….I forget I am not 15 anymore! Southern habit!) I can say that I am so happy to be married to the man of my dreams. He is an amazing man and I am so blessed to be married to him! Our anniversary is Jan 6 so more sappiness to come! Smile

QOTD: Do you still feel 14? Are you 14? haha!

Filed Under: family, Uncategorized Tagged: anniversary, Bobby, engaged, engagement, Love, wedding