Today, on Whitney’s — let’s call it — recommendation, we cleaned up. Bathrooms, bedrooms, stuff. Felt good to get some cleaning done.
If I didn’t have Whit, I’m sure I’d be living the same way I imagine Oscar the Grouch lives.
Reminding me that my living conditions are unacceptable, just one of the reasons I love Whit (.com).
So where are we at since last we spoke?
Kjirie is now a post-toddler. She’s in preschool and has had two krav maga lessons and loves it. She’s smart. She’s funny and silly. She’s kind and she’s good. I can’t imagine loving anybody more than I love her.
Speaking of…
We’re going to have (I mean, it’ll be OURS, but Whit will be HAVING) another baby girl in August. I can’t wait to meet her. So far, the pregnancy has gone perfectly, from a medical perspective. Whit is about ready to be finished being pregnant. I can’t imagine what it’s like, but I’m sure I don’t blame her!
Whit is in her third year at Great Oak High School. She’s crushing it. They love her. She loves them. We can both imagine her retiring there. Her fellow science teachers make a great team. I couldn’t be happier for her.
I’m now a full time pastor at creation’s best church, The Orchard. Been a year since I started and it’s amazing beyond words.
Now that you’re updated…you should know…
I’m embarrassed and ashamed that I’ve not maintained this blog. Maybe it was short-sighted of past-Cam to think he could/would do it, but present Cam still wants the world to know how much I love Whit (.com)! And the rest of the ladies in my home: Kjirie, Aanestad baby 2, Libby…
I love you, darlin’. More than words or a website could say.
Things!!!!
Thing one — It’s our 4th anniversary today. WOO HOO! There’s so much to say, but i never know how to say it, so I won’t try. I’ll just say that I took my dad’s advice. I found the one I don’t want to live another day without, and I married her. And I still don’t want to live another day with out her! I LOVE WHIT!!!
Thing two — Kjirie is almost a year old. Seriously. She’s funny and silly and joyous. She’s growing fast and figuring things out. I’m certain she’ll be walking by her birthday.
Thing three — we bought a house. And it’s almost NOT a construction zone anymore! YAY!
The love of my life gave birth to the other love of my life, Kjirsten Evangeline Aanestad. Enough could never be said about how amazing and wonderful and deeply satisfying this is. I get to live with my two favorite people in the whole world! And one of them MADE the other one! I can’t begin to express how incredible it is. I’m a happy dude.
Whitney and I celebrated our THIRD wedding anniversary. That’s something to be stoked about in its own right, to be sure! That she’s stuck around for THREE years! But we were together for FIVE years before we got married. So she’s stuck around for EIGHT years! YIKES! I don’t know how I could possibly be responsible for it, so I’m sure I’m not. Rather, I’m a lucky, dude.
So now I have a family. A wife, a daughter, and a fur baby. Me and my three girls. Life is gooooood!
Also, Whit and I are going to buy a house (supposing somebody will sell us one…). I can’t wait to start that chapter of our life together!
Happy anniversary, Darlin’!
So, Whit and I have been married for three years today, and I’m darn proud of us. We, just like any pair, have areas to work on — to be sure. But we’ve done our best to put our life in the right order and according to wise timing. We’re about to bring our first child into a home of love and commitment, we have managed to keep a pet alive and cared for for over a year, we have a new car that’s prudent and we can afford, we have a couple of shekels in the bank, we both have master’s degrees, and love the Lord.
I’m thankful that when we learned Whit was pregnant, there was never a “HOLY CRAP WHATAREWEGONNADO?!??!?!?!!?” moment. It’s a little (okay, a lot) frightening, but not on account of being broke or unwed or jobless or in debt, etc. We just have the regular stuff to be terrified about — how will we know if s/he’s hungry, how will we calm him/her, how do we keep the dog from thinking s/he’s a meal, etc.
And this is very rewarding. I’m so thankful that I have such an incredible partner in life. A woman who loves me and whose eyes never stray; who is prudent and disciplined; who loves her work and pours herself into it; and on and on and on.
I love you, Whit. I couldn’t and wouldn’t ask for anyone else to walk through life with. I know you want to murder me sometimes, but I’m glad you’ve decided to let me live thus far 😉
– A proposal (and acceptance) from the world’s tallest peak
– An Old Testament course
– The adoption of a puppy
– A new car purchase
– A robbery
– A 4a.m. solicitation of barbiturates by a crazy dude in Manhattan
– Witnessing two cabbies threatening to murder one another
– (Almost) A pregnancy
– Renting our first apartment
– A legal dispute with a terrible property management company
– Pre-marital counseling
– A cold weekend with two small children
– A flat tire and a busted radiator
– A high school prom
– A minor fender bender (other guy’s stupid fault!)
– Buying produce at a Mexican supermarket
– Wisdom teeth extraction and recovery
– Purchase of a refrigerator
– Several dorm move-ins
– Three apartment move-ins
– A walk across the Brooklyn Bridge
– A walk BACK across the Brooklyn Bridge
– A visit to Alcatraz
– McGuyvering open a bottle of sparkling cider for New Year’s…
– …And falling asleep before the clock struck midnight
And SOOOOO much more! The next big thing is a birth and the welcoming of God’s newest Aanestad into the world. I CAN’T WAIT!!! Neither can Whit. I really want to meet the little guy/girl! I also can’t wait to see what else life will bring us.
Eight years ago, today, I met the woman who would become my wife, my baby’s mama, and my partner forever.
I had just started my 20’s. This year, I leave them. I’m so glad I got to spend them with Whit, and I look forward to the rest of my life with her and our little one(s).
I love you, darlin’!
“I feel like I am going to beat you to death with the paper towel holder if you ever again use the last paper towel and don’t replace the roll. Notice how I’m using ‘I language’ in order to sound less threatening?”
–Whit
So! As I’ve said before (over and again), Whit is the hardest working person I know. She gives EVERYTHING to teaching those whippersnappers — all of herself. Her time, energy, everything. As you might suspect, the result is rapid burnout.
So, it’s been REALLY nice to see her take some time to relax. She got nearly a MONTH off for Christmas, and she’s been using it well! If anyone deserves the rest, it’s Whit. She works hard and is building us a baby in her belly. I know how burned out she is, so it brings joy to my heart to see her just chilling with our dog and a bag of puffy Cheetos.
Also — her baby excitement. Not only is she taking motherhood seriously and not slacking or cheating, she’s SO excited to be a mom! So much so that she bought our baby outfits for NEXT Thanksgiving and Christmas. Because they were on sale. That rules.
Too much more to mention. This is mostly just to remind the love of my life that I’ve not forgotten about her — that I think about her constantly — and that I love her more than anything.
So Whitney had her midway preggo checkup recently. Baby appears happy and healthy and right on track!
Whit (especially) and I want to be ‘surprised’ and not know the baby’s sex before s/he’s born. Baby Aanestad obliged by crossing his/her legs (AGAIN) during the ultrasound. This leads me to believe that it’s a girl, as this kind of behavior is textbook Whit. 😉
Anyhow. The mother of my baby — the love of my life — my whole entire world — she’s the best. I love seeing her excitement when she can feel (and even SEE) the baby move/punch/roundhouse. I know I probably don’t seem as outwardly excited, but I’m a big ol’ ball of stoked.
I can’t wait to meet the little tyke Whit’s been baking. I know what kinds of changes and sacrifices (and freaking pain) she’s made and continues to make for the benefit of our nearly-born baby, and I can’t put into words how much I appreciate her for doing so. I so adore and admire her love for baby Aanestad 🙂