2008-2009 Year in Pictures

Ski Trip 2009

Before we had kids, when we had time and money to do cool stuff,  we took a ski trip.  The whole idea of skiing is very romantic.  Cozy cabins, fireplaces, walking hand in hand with the snow falling all around you...  WRONG!  We had never felt so old (at the ripe age of 30) in our lives.  In the picture below, we look like we are having fun, but by the end of the trip we felt like someone had beat us with a baseball bat!  

While it was hard on our bodies, we did have a great time.  We made up songs and belted out Michael Jackson tunes on the trip out there.  My favorite part was when Richard had a pretty serious wipe out on the slopes and one of the ski medics came by asking if he needed assistance.  I could not quit laughing, which wasn't a good combination when I wasn't very steady on my skis anyway.  

Engagement/Wedding pictures

Since we didn't have photographer at our wedding, my friend Nellie took some pictures of us.  See how cool, rested and relaxed we look before having kids?

Our Wedding - June 13, 2009

Richard and I had both been through the big, crazy, over the top wedding thing.  Our love wasn't about fancy flowers, dresses or hosting a great party for friends and family.  Our wedding was simple, and pure (except for those killer bloody mary's my dad, Jack Gillispie, was serving up).  The only people in attendance at our wedding was us, my mom and dad (Jack and Donna Gillispie), my sister and brother in law and their one month old baby (Jill, Jack and Jack IV Halsey), my grandmother (Edna Canote), Richard's dad (John Moss), mom and stepdad (Val and Jimmy Snyder), and Richard's brother (Brad) who officiated the wedding.  It was small, and took place in Kimberling City, MO on my mom and dad's deck, which overlooks Tablerock lake.  What an amazing day!

How it all began...

Ever wonder how your family began?  I remember being in high school and looking through my mom's old Branson High School year books and seeing a note that my dad wrote to her...  The note said something to the effect of, "Donna, you are an angel in human form." Thinking about that still brings tears to my eyes.

Donna Gillispie, circa 1969

So, in an effort to share that kind of experience to my children, I want to share with you how the Moss family began.  

It all started June 18th, 2008 when late at night I received a text from Richard saying "U awake?"  Richard and I had known each other since we were 18 and had even been on several double dates together (each of us with our respective partners at the time).  We had been through some similar circumstances and ran in a similar circle for some time (more on that in another post), but had really not had much contact for a couple of years.  As soon as I got the text, I called Richard thinking that a mutual friend of ours was in trouble or something.  Turns out Richard just couldn't sleep and was sending texts to old friends he hadn't seen or heard from in awhile.  Little did we know that text would change our lives forever!

Richard and I started dating, and since we knew each other for 10 years prior, hit it off right away.  There were no games, just a genuine, instant friendship.  On our second date, Richard had come over to my house on 810 Bittersweet Lane in Joplin and we were having some beers on the back porch listening to music.  I clearly remember sitting on his lap on that warm June evening, looking at the stars and feeling something magical.  We were listening to David Gray's song This Years Love.  I got shivers up my spine, thinking this could be IT!  But, having been burned in the past, that feeling scared me (him too, I suspect) and I could feel my head fighting my heart.  My heart knew it felt something, but my head thought I was crazy!  If someone would have told me that I would find myself falling in love with Richard Moss a few months ago, I would have thought they had lost it.  Richard Moss?  No way!  More on our history in another post.  

Anyway, our love quickly grew...  Our dating consisted of lots of late night Jeep rides.  I remember that fall, we would bundle up in our hoodies, stop and get a Starbucks coffee and hit the road.  Even though it was never where I thought I would be, I felt that it was exactly where I was supposed to be.  

I remember anxiously calling my mom after a few weeks once I knew that this guy actually had potential.  She was excited, but also a bit hesitant after I told her that she had met him before... At my first wedding.  He was one of the groomsmen who stood up with Brian.  Our love story didn't take the traditional love storyline, but it was unique, AND IT IS MY FAVORITE LOVE STORY EVER!

After a quick what felt like forever 6 months, Richard proposed to me on Christmas Eve.  After a couple of really hard years, I couldn't believe it was happening.  I had given up on having that picture perfect marriage and family, and yet, it was happening!  We were thrilled and, honestly, still in a bit of disbelief that we had found love - in each other.  Weird... But in an AMAZING way.  

We continued to date in the Spring of 2009.  Richard was a big Yankee's fan, so for Christmas I bought us a pair of tickets to see the Yankees play in Kansas City.  Come to find out that baseball tickets aren't typically $150 a piece (the amount I paid), but around $30 each.  We had a good laugh about me getting hosed by the ticket seller, and we also had a great time at the game.