harold the baller

Last night Harold had an intramural tournament basketball game.

 He's been at BYU for about 7 years now and has competed and played many intramural tennis matches and basketball games, and even played on some inner tube water polo, soccer and flag football teams as well.  The guy has played a lot of intramural sports to say the least.  In fact I have lost track of how many intramural championship tennis shirts he has won, which I have been a grateful recipient of such shirt from him. After all the games and tournaments he has played in, the guy has managed to not get too seriously injured in these intramural sports... 

until now.

That's right. Harold has broken (fractured) his ankle on his last BYU intramural basketball game (in fact, last intramural sports game at all, since he is graduating and we are moving away from cougar town). 

the wounded baller

Well the story goes that he was going up for a three-pointer and when he came down his foot landed on the other player and his ankle rolled. ouch.  (for the record he made the three-pointer- at least he went out with style!).  I was not actually at the game since I was helping a friend with a special something (wink wink) and was actually up in salt lake when I got the call that Harold was in the hospital and had hurt his ankle. I felt so bad not being there to help him or be there for him at the hospital but luckily he has great friends that were there and took great care of him.  I sped down the freeway as fast as I could and took over as soon as I got there. He was in good spirits and has been so tough about it and luckily not too much pain. He has an appointment with an orthopedic doctor on Monday to see what the official diagnosis is, what treatment he'll get and how long recovery will be...

Until then, we've got our engagement pictures to be taken this weekend so things might get real interesting.  Don't be surprised if there's a pic of me giving him a piggy back...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Come, let's be a comfortable couple and take care of each other! How glad we shall be, that we have somebody that we are fond of always, to talk to and sit with."
-Charles Dickens

for he's a jolly good fellow

Today Harold officially finished his 160-page thesis. That's right, ONE-HUNDRED AND SIXTY pages. Can you believe that? I tell you what, I probably would have given up after about page 26 and thrown in the towel. But not this guy, he persevered until the bitter end and I couldn't be more proud.  As we were talking about his great accomplishment we realized that ever since we have been dating he has been working on the thesis. There has always been talk of this day in the future when a time would come that he wouldn't have to work or even think about his thesis.. and at the time those days seemed so far away, and yet now they are here! The thesis has been defended, passed, revised, checked, revised again, checked again, bound, printed, submitted and finally in all it's glory been turned in today.  It's been a long road coming but I am so proud he has finished and can enjoy the last few weeks of his masters program without the weight of the thesis riding on his back.

This picture captured a look of victory and accomplishment from Harold.. the exact feelings he is feeling right now

CONGRATS to the smartest (and most handsome) engineer I know! Now time to go out and paint the town red and bask in all his thesis-completion glory.

two months

exactly 2 months until this guy and I tie the knot.

HOORAY!

..still lots left to plan though! 

agassi v. sampras

If there is one thing that Harold and his family loves it is Tennis. Which is why it came to no surprise that Harold and his buddy Kent bought tickets half a year ago to the Agassi v. Sampras exhibition match in New York City, and lucky for me I got a ticket too.  So last week Harold and I headed to New York to see some of the tennis greats (for the record, Agassi is Harold's favorite player) and hang out with Harold's best friend Kent.  I didn't take a lot of pics of us around the city because I did a lot of that last summer, but I did manage to get some pics of us at the tennis match.

Agassi and Sampras on the court @ Madison Square Gardens

Mcenroe and Lendl played first.. more tennis greats

Andre Agassi. Harold's all-time favorite sport's player

Agassi v.

Sampras

I like this picture because you see Agassi looking up with the rest of the crowd watching the video that they played of clips from the past games they had. Quite a history these two share.

die hard fans. harold and kent- best friends

thumbs up is always cool.. and Kent is that some sort of gang sign?

PASSION.

Agassi and Sampras after the match. unfortunately Sampras won..

cute.

It was a great game and so cool to see the retired pros play. I especially loved watching Harold get so excited about it all- like a kid in a candy store. Since dating Harold I have been to a lot of his matches and have started to understand and appreciate the sport.  It's so exciting to watch and when there is a long rally I feel like I am holding my breath until the point is won. And then there is the whole mental game that is such a huge factor in this sport- which has been something that has really interested me.  It all makes me eager to become a better tennis player and keep getting taught by my man.  

We had a great time in New York and this was definitely the highlight. 

Introducing:

Mr. Beckam Hall Cook

is that a smile I see..

My new nephew!! He is precious in every way. 

he doesn't like the bright light of my camera. 

Dad (my brother) with his two other kids- brother on the right (Preston) has no idea what's going on our how this new little baby is going to rock his world. and take all the attention away from him. clueless.

the happy family. yep, 3 little boys. bless mom's soul.

his favorite aunt! we love eachother.

I love Baby Beckam and wish I could hang out with him everyday.

moving.

Harold and I have finally found out where we will be moving (for Harold's job) after we get married!! Want to know where..??

....

I'll give you a hint:

It borders a very large body of water (an ocean, a lake, what could it be???) 

...

It's in the south (getting warmer, literally)

...

It's know for these:

(photo from the actual place)

....

figure it out yet?

....

well if you guessed:

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA

then you are correct!!!

That's right folks, come this june we are headed to Pensacola, Florida.  We were not expecting this at all (we were told we would most likely be sent to one of three places and this wasn't on the list), but we are very excited to head south and enjoy the beach! sounds more like an extended honeymoon to me.

Well after hearing about this great news, I have been doing some research on this place, where it is, and what it is close to. Here is a map to give you some reference:

(the red dot)

We will be right along the Gulf of Mexico, and it looks like Alabama will be our next door neighbor with Georgia, Mississippi and Louisiana all close by.

Sounds like home to my Southern Man.

We will be 3 hours from New Orleans.

6 hours from Harold's home town in Monroe, Louisiana.

8 hours to Savannah, Georgia- which I hear is quite a beautiful place.

and less than an hour to Alabama and just a couple more to get to Mississippi.

but most importantly, we are a mere 7 hours away from THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER (harry potter theme park). That is quicker than a trip to Cali. You better believe I will be making the trek to go here. can. not. wait. (hp fans, invited to join me in my travels).

Basically I am stoked to be moving here and excited for our adventures to start! And remember visitors are most definitely welcome, so if any of you friends out there need a little beach time and some rays, come join the fun in Pensacola, Florida (wow, sounds like I should be a tour guide there or something, wonder if they're hiring.?.)

I think this news of living in warm weather and close to a beach is making this dreary winter day much more bearable. cheers to the sun!