Five

Growing up, I always thought I’d get married and have kids because well, that’s what you do.  It wasn’t until I was in my 20’s that I realized that it might not happen.  I didn’t date much in high school or at all in college.  I did the online line thing cause I wasn’t meeting people at work or church and I was never a bar kind of person.  I would be fine with my singleness and then there were times when I wasn’t ok with it at all.  I dated a few guys that I met online and they were nice guys but something just wasn’t there.  (The photo below is The Man & I 4 months after we met and the weekend before he moved to the PNW.)






That all changed one Saturday in May 2008.  I met this guy at Providence Place Mall and we had an 8 hour date.  We talked about anything and everything.  I left that date with a huge smile on my face and the feeling that I had just gone on my last first date.  There was something different about this guy and I was thinking he was THE ONE.  I never thought/said that so it was big for me.  We continued talking during the week and having dates on the weekend as we lived a little over an hour from each other.  Five to six weeks after that first date we were talking marriage and decided yes, let’s get married!  6-8 weeks after that he officially proposed. A month later he moved to the PNW, 8 weeks later he was submerged in a metal tube for 6 months.  He returned in June and we got married in August, a little over a year after we met. (The photo below is from my trip to WA in June two weeks after he returned from sea.  I jumped a plane on the last day of school {I was a teacher} and spent two weeks with him catching up.)



It’s been five years since that warm August day.  We’ve been through a lot-a cross country move, alcoholism, depression, buying a house, military life, two pregnancies, a kiddo (still growing the second one!) separating from the Navy, job hunting, and the death of a parent and two grand parents, just to name a few events.  I never could have imagined the road the last five years has taken us down.  Even with the hard times, it’s been so much better than I could have thought. (The photo below was taken right before we left the hospital with Munchkin and is one of the first family photos we have of the three of us.)


I love this man more today than I did five years ago, though I didn’t think it was possible (I know, I say this every year but it’s true!)  I love who he is.  He’s the head of our family and he takes care of all of us.  He works hard to provide for us and serves us everyday.  He’s not afraid to call me out when I’m wrong or need correcting and he’s my biggest cheerleader and supporter.  He goes along with my crazy ideas and is an amazing daddy to our daughters.  I’m blessed to call him my husband.  I’m a very, very blessed woman. (The photo below is us now, taken at the beginning of July)




Previous Anniversary posts:
One (Wedding photos)
Two (Vows & first dance song)
Three (Mostly different wedding photos)
Four (Reflections of being a parent and being married