Editor's Note: I must apologize to Amber and Tony for the massive delay in getting this interview up on the website. It seems I misplaced Amber's original answers from back in February, and just this month realized I had goofed. On the positive side, I'm certain you'll be touched by the story of little “Emmy” and the Anderson's life-changing events from the last few months. — Tim M.
So what are you up to these days? Where do you work? Do you enjoy it?
I am still living in the Colcord area with my husband, Tony. We live on 180 acres on Flint Creek (bordering New Life Ranch to the west) where we raise Black Angus cattle. I have been working as a Chiropractic Assistant/Office Administrator for Dr. Denise Chandler in Siloam Springs for almost 5 years now. I absolutely LOVE my job and can’t imagine doing anything else.
Who did you marry and how/where did you meet them? Any special stories together?
I am married to Tony Anderson (Colcord class of 1998). When people who knew both Tony and I in high school find out that we’re married now, they always ask, “How did that happen?” Tony and I ran in very different circles in high school and while I was Little Miss Goody Two-Shoes, he was a bad boy: to put it mildly. I knew who Tony was but that was about it. I don’t think we ever even spoke one word to each other when we were in school, but being the Chevy girl that I am, I always admired his ’69 Nova from afar and was quite fond of his long hair.
Shortly after I began working for Dr. Chandler back in 2004, he walked through the door for an appointment and the moment I saw him, I thought to myself, “I know that guy”. He was apparently thinking the same thing because as he was leaving the office, he asked me if I went to Colcord. When I said yes we were finally able to place one another. We were always friendly to each other when he would come in for appointments but it never really went any further (partly because I could lose my job for dating a patient). But then one day I was on my way home and I saw someone riding a four-wheeler on the dirt road near my house and when I got closer I saw that it was Tony so I stopped to say hello. He asked me what I was doing in his neck of the woods and I said that I just lived about a mile down the road. He informed me that he just lived about a mile down the road in the opposite direction. We were neighbors and we didn’t even know it!
From then on, when he would come in the office, he would always tease me when he left saying things like, “Come see me, neighbor!” but he would never ask me out. I was getting increasingly frustrated (but being the southern lady that I am, I don’t ask guys out, I wait for them) and one night as I was closing the office, the phone rang. As a rule, when the clock strikes 6 o’clock, I DO NOT, under any circumstances, answer the office phone. I figure if they’re calling after 6, they can wait until tomorrow! But for some strange reason, I picked up the phone and guess who was on the other line? Tony! He had finally gotten up the courage to ask me out and we hung out that night at his house, riding his four-wheeler, checking his cows, shooting pistols, looking at fish in the creek. I came home completely covered in cow crap but I could’ve cared less. I knew that at the very least, I had found an awesome new friend.
Little did I know then, he was the person I believe God put on this earth especially for me and before we knew it, we were inseparable. We were married on July 7, 2007 with several Class of ’99 alumni in attendance. There’s not a day that goes by that I’m not thankful to God for letting me answer that phone! And the best part is: I didn’t get fired after all!
Any kids?
Tony and I welcomed our precious baby girl, Emmaline Elizabeth (aka Emmy) on June 18, 2009. She was born 11 weeks premature and as I write this, she is 10 weeks old and currently still in the hospital. I had several hurdles to jump during my pregnancy due to my diabetes, hypertension and thyroid issues, so we knew going into it that I would have a high-risk pregnancy. I developed preeclampsia during the 29th week of my pregnancy and was flown from Fayetteville to Little Rock for an emergency c-section.
Emmy weighed just 2 lbs. and 1 oz. when she was born and spent 4 weeks at UAMS in Little Rock before she was strong enough to be transferred to Willow Creek Women’s Hospital in Johnson (where she is currently) but she has been a fighter from the get-go and is doing wonderful! She just has to get a little bigger and learn how to feed from a bottle before we can bring her home.
If anyone is interested, I have a blog that chronicles my pregnancy and life with Little Miss Emmy at: amberandtony.blogspot.com. We would appreciate everyone’s prayers for our new little family!
Any adventures or excursions or vacations you'd like to tell us about?
Because of the responsibilities of our farm, Tony and I don’t get the opportunity to travel that much but we did take a trip a couple of months before we were married to Phoenix (where my sister lives) and Las Vegas. Tony had never flown before so that was an experience in and of itself. We drove across the Hoover Damn and got to ride the world’s tallest thrill ride at the Stratosphere in Vegas. I LOVE Vegas but both us much prefer the green trees and hills of Oklahoma to the desert. We do try and make it up to Branson at least once a year, even if it’s just for the day. We love visiting Silver Dollar City because we can both just be big kids for a day.
What has been the most valuable lesson you've learned since high school?
In high school, I was very conscious of how others viewed me and what they thought of me. Now that I’m older (and hopefully at least a little wiser), I’ve realized that it’s what I think and how I feel about myself that really matters. My happiness lies in my own hands, not in someone else’s. I’m the only one that can determine my self-worth.
If one of your classmates could know just one thing about your life in the last 10 years, what would it be?
That I have grown up and learned a lot since my days at CHS, but deep-down, I’m still that same bubbly cheerleader who loves to laugh.
If you could tell a current senior one thing, what would it be?
Don’t get caught up in everyone’s drama and don’t ever let anyone get away with making you feel like crap about yourself. Even if you think your life is horrible now, I guarantee you, in 10 years you’d love to have the chance to do it all over again so enjoy it while you can!
Would you share a favorite memory from high school?
What stands out in my mind the most is cheering for our incredible football team. I have so many memories of Friday nights cheering on the sidelines while the mighty Hornets were kicking the crap out of the opposing team. Football Homecoming Senior year was amazing. I was so honored to be chosen Homecoming Attendant. I felt like a princess!
And, most importantly, what is your favorite song from the nineties? And your favorite movie?
That’s a tough question! Just ask the girls on the cheerleading squad who used to laugh at me when I’d ask Dr. Hall to turn up the radio in the school van on the way to games because “my favorite song” was playing. Every song seemed to be my favorite! My favorite movie, on the other hand, is easy: “Titanic.” Come to think of it, my favorite song would probably have to be the theme from Titanic, “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion.
What can I say, I’m a sap!
My Heart Will Go On - Celine Dion (Live In Vegas: A New Day)
