Ten Years

It is hard to believe, but Chris and I were married ten years ago today.  That's a decade.  Pretty crazy when you still feel like you're in your mid 20s.  Ha.

A lot has happened in ten years.  So much good, and a share of bad.  But that's what the vows are for, right? 

In ten years we have had two beautiful daughters, lived in two different houses, gone through job changes, had the opportunity to do a lot of traveling, and have been blessed by great relationships with wonderful family and friends.

We have also gone through a couple of significant challenges- Chris' car accident in 2011 and my dad passing away suddenly earlier this year. 

And as much as our two girls have been an incredible blessing, parenting them has also been a big challenge and learning experience.

Through it all we always know that we are in this life together...forever.

I got out our wedding album to look through this morning.  Because we got married just at the cusp of the digital age, none of our professional wedding pictures are digital.  The only copies we have are the ones in my scrapbook.  So I went through and took pictures of the pictures to share today.  They are obviously not the best quality, but I think they will convey the happiness of that beautiful day ten years ago.

The ceremony

The church

The wedding party

Our families

The reception

This day is obviously bittersweet as it is another milestone where my dad is not here.  But I have a couple of stories about him from our wedding that I'd like to share.  Right before I was about to walk down the aisle I was totally freaked out.  Not by the fact that I was getting married, but just by the sheer magnitude of the moment.  My dad had to push me down the hallway to the spot by the door into the church.  And right before the doors were going to swing open, he gave me a hug.  And as he was giving me a hug, something on his arm got caught on my veil and it came right off.  This is RIGHT before we were about to enter the church.  I don't remember much, but I think I kind of giggled and shoved it back in my hair, hoping that it looked okay.  It did. :)

My other memory about my dad from our wedding was his speech at the reception.  If you know him well, you know that he relished in embarrassing his girls.  A little back story- I slept at my parents the night before the wedding, and I slept with (and still do!) a blankie.  It was well worn and well loved.  I guess I had forgotten to pack up my blankie when I left the morning of the wedding.  So of course, he found it and used it as a visual during his speech.

I am so thankful for him and my mom and their example of what a good marriage is.  I'm so thankful for Bob and Mary and their example of what a good marriage is.  Now that I think about it, I could keep going with a list of other friends and family we know.  We are lucky to have so many amazing examples of what a good marriage is.

I hope our girls can say the same thing about us one day.