Getting to Know You

    As I sit here and eat a cupcake, I will welcome you to my blog. This blog is mostly for my own benefit. Writing is healing and who's not in the need of healing in one way or another. I believe in full disclosure and am often too honest. This may be a bit much at first, but I think we will start with how I became who I am today and my journey into motherhood...

   Eighth grade was the year of grunge, Nirvana, bodysuits and my first true love. He was too skinny, a dork and I wasn't into his thick horse-like hair. It was in no means love at first sight in this lukewarm Southern December. Something about his carefree nature and natural charm grew on me fast. By February I had decided that I must make him mine. I was the one to ask him out in the form of a talking Valentine. I practiced my recorded snippet over and over again until it was perfect, "John, this is Autumn and I really really like you and was wondering if you'd go out with me." Seeing as I was the one handing it to him, who else would it be! It all seemed so perfect and serious then. This was the very beginning of the most intense, fulfilling, happiest relationship I've had to this day.


  As with most young couples we became inseparable. We talked daily for what seemed like hours. We wrote letters back and forth and saw each other every chance we got. My friends loved him and he got along with my sister. We had one minor break-up in high-school. While apart we had the same dream about being side by side on a porch swing overlooking the mountains. We weren't a silly on again off again high-school relationship. We were very serious and committed. We quickly became one. Nothing extraordinary went on in these years, just normal boyfriend girlfriend stuff. Our first kiss was on a youth trip Sophomore year. We always knew we'd be together and that's probably around the time we began discussing marriage as well. Yes, I know we were still very young, but we were so very much in love. Every touch from him was like new for me and even 3-4 years into dating I got butterflies every time I saw him. I never pictured my life without him.

   After high school was our first major change and the next chapter of our life...