Six Years Ago...

Six years ago today I married the love of my life. Though we never could have predicted everything that would happen during the last six years, we're still here. We have chosen to hold to each other during times that should break us apart. And even though we have our disagreements, at the end of the day, we are still right where we want to be. Here are some pictures of us on that day... young and with NO notion of what the next six years would hold...just the way it should be :)

I Love My Husband

He went to San Diego overnight on Sun, which being sleep deprived I was a little jealous of, and when he came home yesterday he brought me these...




















My favorite kind of flowers...

#1 Random for no special reason
#2 Already cut (as opposed to potted) so when they die I know it's not my fault!

They are so beautiful and the house smells so good. Thank you for still loving me almost 6 years later. I love you Honey!

Five Years

This past weekend Ben and I celebrated our fifth anniversary. Sometimes it's hard to believe it's been that long, it seems like it was so recently that I was tearfully kissing him goodbye, wondering when he would be back to marry me. Seven months later he returned to fulfill that promise and on August 31st 2003 we were married. One year later, to the day, he left for his second deployment to Iraq. After just six weeks I received the news that he had been seriously wounded. Two days later I was on a flight to Germany to get my man. What followed was months, and ultimately, years of recovery and healing. And though he is not the same man I married, in many ways, I still get glimpses of that man through everything that he has been through and I know it has changed and shaped our marriage forever. And although I never would have prayed for something like that to happen to him, or to us, I thank God that it did.

Today, and everyday, I am so thankful he was the soul survivor of that terrible day. Having the kind of perspective that incident gave us so early in our marriage was a gift. I am able to focus on what is truly important in life and know that sometimes you just have to let the little things go. These past five years have been everything I dreamed of and nothing like I thought they would be. Even on our worst days, I know we are lucky to have each other. I have a hardworking, chivalrous, upright, handsome husband who spoils me rotten and allows me to live out my dream of being a stay at home mom to my children. It hasn't always been easy or fun, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. Seeing him as the father of my children only deepens my love and respect for him. I cannot imagine raising Kaitlyn (and this next baby) without his support and guidance, both for them and myself.

We are not perfect, we disagree, squabble and make mistakes. But if someone had told me 10 years ago that this is where I would be at this moment in my life, I would have wondered how all my dreams came true.