Happy 32nd Birthday To My Hubs!

Today is a very special day for the most special person in the world to me. Today is my hubs 32nd birthday!

Alex Vance Bailey, Jr. was born to Alex Vance Bailey, Sr. and Katherine Bailey on August 1, 1979 in St. Paul, MN. He was the answer to their prayers. After several miscarriages and many heartaches, Vance was the first and only baby that his mother was able to carry to term. Due to her heart shaped uterus as well as a couple other minor issues, nature would say that there was no way that Alex and Katherine would ever be biological parents. Good thing God had other plans.

Vance, Mom Bailey and Dad Bailey

Dad Bailey holding Vance before his christening. 

Vance with his Mumu and Pops.

Vance won a bulldog contest with those cheekers!

Throughout his life, Vance was raised to love sports (especially golf), interior design, photography, cooking, music, and computers (his father, after all, has a software business.) His grandfather, also known as Pawpaw, instilled his passion for golf into Vance from a very young age.

Vance and his cousin, Christopher, being hardcore.

Isn't he a cutie??

Why yes, that IS a shower cap on his head...

Sailor suit + golf club = EAT YOUR HEART OUT, LADIES!

Vance's family moved around a lot. Before he was born, his parents moved a lot due to his dad's army job. After Vance was born, they moved a lot due to his father's software company. They lived in places such as Alabama, Ohio, Texas, and most recently, North Carolina. During their extended stay in Ohio, they started foster care. While in OH, they adopted Vance's sister, Amanda. Not too long after they adopted Amanda, they moved to good ole NC.

Mom Bailey, Vance, and Amanda

Vance and Amanda

Dad Bailey, Mom Bailey, Vance, and Amanda

Later in life, Vance and his friends had a bit too much...fun. They made some poor decisions including drugs and alcohol. (Poor T, the cat, will never be the same due to the fact that he was in a room of boys smoking pot. The cat was stoned for a week straight. He's a VERY friendly cat these days, though.) Vance ended up getting his GED, moving to Gulf Shores, AL and enrolling in culinary school. The "partying" only escalated in culinary school. It's a little known fact that the culinary arts are a breeding ground for drug abuse. Emeril himself had a severe problem with drugs, even. Upon making the decision to change his life for the better, Vance moved back to NC to try to rid himself of his dangerous and abusive lifestyle. During this time, Vance's parents continued in foster care and adopted a sibling group of three kids, Kristina, Ricky, and Greg as well as two other children, Katie and Madison.

Vance's Graduation from Tarheel Military Academy

Vance at one of his birthday parties.

Vance at another of his birthday parties.

Vance on Christmas morning. He told me once he's pretty sure he was high here. 

Vance with Greg, Ricky, Amanda, Katie, and Kristina.

Vance with Amanda, Ricky, Katie, Kristina, Greg (what a goob) and Madison.

Vance with Kristina, Amanda, Ricky, Greg, Katie, and Madison.

Fast forward a few years and that's when Angela came into the picture. Vance and Angela originally met online, but their families (her uncle, aunt and cousins and his parents and youngest three siblings) knew each other through their church and the academy at their church. Neither Vance, nor Angela was looking for a relationship. Neither of them expected anything but a friendship. Neither of them were prepared for what God had in store. Angela remembers standing at the restaurant (Sushi Thai) and watching Vance walk up. She was seriously blown away. She was NOT expecting the gorgeous man walking toward her. (His profile picture was TERRIBLE.) Apparently, he was blown away as well, though she didn't quite know it at the time. They went inside to eat and conversation flowed like the River Jordan. (I'm assuming the Jordan River flows well...)

After eating dinner, Vance and Angela went to Starbucks (which they were both addicted to at the time) and spent the rest of the evening, til closing time, talking and laughing outside. She ended up freezing her butt off (it was early June and when the sun goes down, it gets chilly) so they went back to get her car and ended up talking for a couple more hours sitting in his car. At that time, they both had to pee like race horses. That's when Angela did something she has NEVER done before. She said he could go back to her apartment which was a few minutes away and use the bathroom. They ended up sitting on the couch...and falling asleep...til around 430 when she woke up and said,"OH MY GOODNESS!!!" (I do NOT recommend doing this. I should not have done this, but thankfully he wasn't an ax murderer or a rapist.) Anyway, their next date was him going with her to church. That afternoon, he asked her to be his girlfriend. A month later, she went with him and his family to Gulf Shores, AL and to his best friend's wedding. A couple of months later, he proposed. :-) 9.5 months later they were married. :-) (Yes, I realize that was all VERY fast, but when you know, you know! His parents were married within 2 months of knowing each other and have been married 38 years.)

Vance and I the first time he met my best friend!

Vance and I at his best friend's wedding.

Vance and I in Gulf Shores, AL.

Vance and I in Gulf Shores, AL after going on the bumper boats with his family.

Vance and I at a restaurant in Gulf Shores, AL. 

On June 19, 2010, Vance Bailey married Angela Theresa Kahl, the love of his life. He and his wife currently live in Winston-Salem, NC with their two dog children, Petey the Pug and Cinnamon the Doxie-Beagle. They attend church at Pinedale Christian Church. He works for his dad's software company, Polaris Systems, Inc. He enjoys playing golf with his best friend Erik, playing cards, and Alabama football. (Roll tide!) He is currently into photography, playing the ukulele, and photo editing (he keeps interrupting the writing of this post to show me different things he's done to some pictures he's taken! Ha!) Vance Bailey is having the time of his life with the love of his life!

Vance seeing Angela for the first time on their wedding day.

Vance and Angela during pictures before their wedding.

Vance and Angela on their 1 year wedding anniversary in the OBX!

Dearest Vance,
   I hope you enjoy the very short recounting of your life done by someone who has only known you for the last 2 years. Haha. I love you so much and I hope I did your life justice. Your life is truly a miracle, but not just because of the fertility issues your parents had. Your life is a miracle because of all you bring into the lives of others especially mine. You are an amazing husband. I could not ask for better. Happy 32nd, Turtle! I love you infinity and 'yond!

Love always,
Your Sweetpea