So, in honor of today marking 7 years since I MET my husband...I thought I would try to answer some of the Suz-n-Joe questions I have received...
April '06
How did you meet Joe?
I was visiting my best friend, Adriane, in College Station (Texas A&M) one weekend. I met Joe at one of Adriane's friend's house and we totally hit it off. He made me laugh harder than anyone else EVER had (and still does to this day). We just had so much in common and kept talking and talking and talking until it was 6:30am! It really was one of those "you just know" type of moments. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face for 7 years and counting! (awwww) The next day I left to come back to Waco for the summer and we started emailing and calling, and dated long distance. Read here for the rest of the story: The History of Joe and Suz
Do you ever argue--what about?
Of course! Sheesh! I can't think of anything off hand right now...but YES-of course...like any other couple.
How did your relationship progress from trying to conceive to pregnancy to parenting? Do you miss your married life before the quads? How do you make sure you get alone time together? How has four kids changed your relationship? Any advice?
I married my best friend in the whole wide world! When we think back to our life "BQ" (before quads) we had SO much fun--living in right in the middle of Houston with many of our close friends from college, going out to eat, catching like 1-2 movies a week, going to Astros games, spending money on things we didn't need (clothes, house stuff, etc.) We could definitely see why some people choose not to have kids b/c we were having so much fun, just the two of us. We knew that we would never get this time back in our lives, so we made the most of it everyday. Sure we miss it, we look back on it fondly, but wouldn't change one thing about our lives!
I began having problems--severe pelvic pain--that wouldn't go away & was getting worse. After lots of lab work, tests, ultrasounds, surgery- we found out that I had a moderate case of Endometriosis (read here) . The best medical treatment for Endo is conception and pregnancy. So, we immediately bumped up our "estimated time table" to begin having children (much earlier than we had planned)
After my surgery, it should have been relatively easy to get pregnant, but it wasn't happening. We were doing everything by the book and NOTHING. Come to find out, after more testing, I wasn't ovulating. So, my OBGYN decided to start me off on the lowest dose of Clomid (an ovulation stimulating medicine) and nothing else, no IUI, no nothing...just five little 50mg pills that I took once a day for 5 days. FIRST TIME!
Joe was so supportive of me throughout all of this and made sure that I didn't blame myself for not being able to get pregnant. (All of his tests were normal) I think you all remember the post of when we found out we were pregnant with quads! (read here)
It has been a roller coaster, but I have had the most amazing person by my side through all of it. I couldn't do it without Joe. When I was on bedrest, he would get up, make me breakfast and stuff a cooler full of food and drinks for me by the couch. He would come home for lunch to make me lunch and ditto for dinner. He would go to work all day, then go home, change, let Shiloh out, then spend the rest of the night at the hospital with me until about 11pm--then drive home, sleep, get up for work and do it all over again. EVERY. DAY. We had so much fun while I was in the hospital. We would watch movies and TV while Joe would curl in bed beside me and fall asleep. We actually look back on that time with fond memories.
We always try to make the best out of every situation and we laugh...A LOT! Before we brought the quads home from the hospital, we ate out like every single night, b/c we knew it would be a long time before we could do it again! Once they came home, we would have "mini-dates" in our bedroom with the door shut--watching a movie and curling up under the covers! It was the little things! Our friends and family have been amazing--Joe and I have been able to get out of the house and have dinner dates, movie dates, and weekend dates together, pretty much from the very beginning--we are so blessed!
Now, when we go out, we truly get lost in the moment and appreciate doing little things--even grocery shopping together! But we LOVE coming home and seeing those babies--when we come home late, we always go up to the nursery and gaze at our sleeping wonders. We love them so much and miss them when we are away!
Our relationship has grown so much and is stronger than it has ever been. I think largely due to the fact that we KNEW and PRAYED that we didn't want to "lose" each other when our children came home. We would joke and say, "well babe, see you in about 18 years!" But, we have always lived by this motto: We are bringing the babies INTO our well established marriage/family. We are not changing our family to revolve primarily around our children. Does that make sense? It is easy to get lost in making everything be about the kids. Mom and Dad need to have a strong marriage first and foremost so that the kids can have the best life possible. I guess that would be my advice.
What is the best support a husband can give during a pregnancy?
TELL HER AND TREAT HER LIKE SHE IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN! (even when her face and body is breaking out in acne, she looks like a bloated whale, she has crazy mood swings) Get excited about the baby- tell her your dreams for the child/children. Tell her which aspects/traits of her you want the baby to have. Ask her how she is feeling and really listen to her. Pray with her and for her. Pretty much, anything goes when a woman is carrying YOUR child and goes through everything we women go through during pregnancy, delivery, and after! ;)
Are you having any more children?
OH MY GOODNESS...if I could have a dollar for every time someone has asked us this question--we would be millionaires!
NO!
Joe had a vasectomy in December 07 and I resumed oral contraceptives immediately (the next best treatment for Endo)! We are NOT playing around! haha.
Ethan just chillin' in his ride..."this is tha life"
