To Be Honest....

April 2008 Erica's Blessing Day




I have neglected posting this month....I normally try to post each month on the 19th but as you can see I am now just getting around to it. My reason I feel is a good one. On May 16th last Saturday morning we got word that a friend had passed away. She was only 39 and she left behind 5 young children and a husband who would've celebrated 19yrs of marriage together next month. Since then it just has seemed that time has stopped. It was just such a shock. Today was her Funeral...it was one of the most beautiful funerals I've been to.
Rich and I have been doing a lot "what if???"..... talking. We just want to make sure we have things in order if something like this were to happen to one of us!! You just never know.
Rich is my best friend and I love him more then anything in this world. He gets me!! I am not the easiest person to live with me... trust me I know I have to live with myself everyday. He is a wonderful husband and excellant father. He knows how to treat a woman. He's a great provider. He never complains. Always looking out for mine and the kids best intrests. Willing to make sacrifices. example: when we got married Rich drove a nice two door Accura. He sold that to pay off debt I had made before we got married and now drives a little beat up Sentra he said he will continue to drive it until the thing can't be repaired anymore!! He is smart, well read. Great listener. Honest, well trusted. Has a great sense of humor...keeps me laughing. If I were to lose Rich early in this life I would be lost. I told him I wouldn't even know how to pay the bills. I love when we are together!! If I could spend every minute with him I would. I feel safe and secure when I am with him. I know I take him for granted... I will be the first to admit it. I have it so good. This recent experiance once again reminded us how precious life is...how short this life is. There are no guarentees how long we will have eachother in this life. We do however share one common belief... a commitment almost 9yrs ago we made to each other when we became husband and wife. That if we live true and faithful to eachother we would spend the rest of eternity together with our children and this makes us very happy. And who wouldn't want that??

9 years ago this month....

There are many reasons why I love this month but let me share with you my favorite. Hopefully every girl out there remembers the day the got proposed to. If you don't you should!! I remember the night Rich proposed to me very clearly. It was about 9:30pm on April 30Th 2000 in my drive-way(parents) Sounds romantic huh? It was!
Just a little background Rich and I first met in August of 1999 we were taking a Religion class that met once or twice a week in the evenings. We happened to be in the same class. I knew who he was because he also played city league softball on my older brothers team. That was all I knew of him.
One night after institute my friend and I were walking to the parking lot to get in our cars and I hear someone calling my name. He introduced himself and asked me out for later in the week to a Collective Soul concert. We dated on and off for the next 4 months. Things started getting more serious January 2000 and for Valentines Day that year I surprised him and decorated his bedroom (well my parents did) while Rich and I were out on a hot date! I had blown up the night before about 100 balloons one of the little gifts I had given him was a little red book I thought we could write in it whenever we felt like we needed to share are feelings about each other. Fast forward to the month of April. Rich told me he was going to propose sometime in April I think I bugged him everyday that month. When the 30Th rolled around I forgot all about it. It was a Sunday and we would go to his parents for dinner so nothing seemed out of the ordinary. I honestly had no clue that "that night" was going to be "that night" I remember driving home and I reached over to grab his hand it was very cold and sweaty. I asked him several times are you OK? He ensured me he was fine. Still was not picking up on the clues. We pulled into my drive way I went to tell him goodnight and he said wait I have something for you. Oh OK I said he handed me the little red book and said I wrote in it. I told him I would read it before I went to bed. He said no I would like you to read it now. OK! Still not thinking anything. I read what he wrote. He said all these nice things about me and how happy he was and how much he loved being together etc... I remember thinking how nice that was and went to give him a hug and say goodnight again. He said turn the page. Oh there was more.. OK still no clue!! It was like a Ransom note these little cut out pictures to spell out words. I couldn't figure it out at first I think I read it three times. Oh duh "will you marry me???" Then it hit me this is it!! The moment every girl dreams about the man of my dreams is asking me to marry him!!! It was perfect of course I said YES!! Then he pulled the ring from his pocket it fit perfect. I was totally in shock and by this time it was about 11pm. I ran inside woke up my parents called my sisters who lived close by they came over we celebrated it was such a fun night. Rich even got my dads permission on the day before. Way to go Rich!!! Everyone new but me. I guess that is how it is suppose to be. We still have the little red book. It's almost full it is something we will cherish forever and so will our children and grandchildren. I spent .99cents on that little red book and now it's worth so much more!!!



**4 more months**

5 Months Left!!

This is not the pic I wanted to post but it's fitting in the photo I was preggo and had 5 months left!!! (Rich's mission reunion in SLC 8-07)


Can you believe 5 more months and Rich will no longer be in his 30's. He will be old!! J/K Rich. You're like fine wine you age better with time!! Really you look great!! So this is it... my plans for the big day. After thinking about it for some time. I really don't want to upset Rich he really does not want a Big shin dig. So I am bringing it down a couple of nothches. I am kinda bummed about this but I really don't want Rich to hate me I love him to much to do that!! Which means the location I was going with originally is not going to happen. So I was hoping that I could get some help!! I really didn't want to have to do this but I was wondering if anyone new of place I could put approx. 50+ adults. A place large enough and cool (temp it will be Aug.) enough to eat and mingle and a few other things I have planned. For less then $400 like what it was going to cost me to rent the theatre. If you have any ideas or suggestions that would be super fantastic. The party is going to happen for sure!! And it is still going to be fun just trying to make the 40 year old HAPPY and cut my budget cost!!

Brother needs a HUG!!!

Today we went down to Tucson to say goodbye to Rich's brother Ryan. He is moving from Tucson to Denver CO. to run one of the Pei Wei's there. Rich's mom Ty flew in from Michigan on Tuesday so we could spend some great time with her before driving her down to Tucson so she could help Ryan move. If you know Rich well you would know that Tucson was a big part of Rich's life. He lived there for almost 15yrs. graduated from Amphi H.S. and of course a huge Wildcat fan!! It seems like every time we go down there we always have to drive by his old Preschool, Elementary, Jr High, and H.S.. Even some of the homes he grew up in.
When I went with Rich for the first time to Tucson while we were dating the first thing he took me to was eegee's a great sandwich shop that are known for their icee drinks called eegee's. Awesome!!! Our trip today wouldn't have been complete with out stopping by EEGEE'S.

And the award goes to...

I am talking about the worlds best dad. Drew, Paige, and Erica's DAD!!! We had a fun weekend just all being together the weather was beautiful a tad to warm for this time of year but it was perfect for riding bikes, playing at the park, rolling in the grass, and just basking in the sunshine (or shade as Rich did he says he is going to become a vampire skin cancer runs in the family)As I layed there watching him play w/ the kids and how each of them would take their own turn being with him. My heart grew fonder for this man. We became parents a little over six years ago and altough it seems crazy to think it took that long to have the feelings I did for him it was just
a different feeling
a good feeling.
That is why the award goes to my husband my best friend the father of our three children. You deserve it!!!

More to come about the party and the direction it will be taking. Stay tuned...

This is Serious!!

(not me just how I feel right now)


OK I am having my doubts about this party only because when Rich hears me talk about it to someone he gets mad because he says he doesn't want a party he is fearing the 40's it really freaks him out. Remember he knows I am doing something he just doesn't know any details. People tell me, "why would you do it if he doesn't want it." "It's going to cost you so much money." I guess I don't see it like that. Why can't someone who is amazing to me and amazing to many others be honored while they are alive to hear about it. People always do nice things for people after they are gone. I really want this to work I want to do this for him. I know when it's all said and done Rich will say, "Thank you for doing this that wasn't so bad." So my next delima is to see how many of you are serious about coming, if I should just not do it. If you could please leave your comments,e-mails,voice mails I don't care which just let me know where you stand! Oh I guess I should tell you when it will be. I need your feedback on that too. Which of the following Fridays work better for people. The majority Friday wins. I know it seems so far from now but with peoples vacation plans and school resuming in August I thought this would help people out. Rich's birthday is Wednesday August 19Th.

The dates to consider:
Friday July 31st
Friday August 7Th
Friday August 21st

Keep in mind if a whole lot of people are not even going to be there I may have to scratch the theatre idea and go with something on a smaller scale. Don't be afraid to just tell me that you won't be able to come at all.

rbdalton@yahoo.com
480-242-2945 my cell

Merry Christmas

We wanted to wish everyone near and far a very Merry Christmas. Rich and I were just reflecting about the last year and how many wonderful things have gone on for Our family. Here are just a few. First and foremost the birth of our 3rd child. A beautiful girl Erica Catherine. Second Drew starting Kindergarten and loving it and Paige starting Preschool and wishing she could go everyday like Drew. Third Rich's website up and running check it out at hansendalton.com. No major accidents to report everyone has been healthy. We still all love eachother and we can't wait to see what is in store for us in 2009. (photos taken at Rich's parents last Sunday)

**8 More Months**