Wednesday, June 2, 2010

7 years.

I am married.
This is us now.... (and Jill.)

and this is us on our wedding day.
(Too bad I don't look like this anymore.)

My anniversary is on Monday. We celebrate 7 years on June 7th. It is our good luck year. (Alright so I made that up, but I can pretend all I want. I have a thing with numbers, for instance, I prefer odd numbers. I digress.)

My husband and I are very different. He has a beard, I don't. I am a prude, he isn't. He likes to ride, I like to hike. I like to eat an entire bag of chips within a couples days... ok sometimes in one sitting, he would never do that. Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

Marriage is different than I anticipated. It is hard sometimes/most of the time/always. We didn't start out like many other couples. Our "honeymoon period" was short lived. We started to get under each other's skin quicker than most. I turned into a backpack for a while. We've had sort of a rocky road, and I am not talking about ice cream (I wish). It has been probably the hardest thing to deal with a struggling marriage over the years, and....

I would not trade it for anything. I am so grateful for my husband, for my marriage.

Maybe it comes down to the whole, "opposition in all things" thing (2 Ne 2:11), I don't know. I just am glad that we have stuck through so many things. I love my husband. He makes me better, stronger. He drives me crazy, I drive him crazy, but in the end I know I have come through the trials a better woman. I have had to face things within my own character and learn and refine myself. Dave and I are both stubborn. Maybe that is what has kept us together over the years, neither of us wanting to fail. While part of that may be true, I know that I love him. Even when I'm mad at him, I love him. I know I have to give credit to following the Holy Ghost's promptings. During the most difficult times I wanted to leave, it would have been easier in some ways, harder in others, but it always came down to the fact that I knew in my heart that I was supposed to be with him.... "for better or worse."

I am so glad that my sweetheart fell in love with me despite my issues, despite my awkwardness (I'm so awkward!), despite my boy-crazy ways, despite the fact that I had braces (again) when we started dating.

Thanks, Dave, for everything. 
I love you! 
Happy Anniversary!

How about a few pictures to end this fantastic post...

(One of our engagement pictures. I'm so cool.)


On an outing to cut down Christmas trees.


(How many of you can get your man to dress up as Winnie the Pooh for Halloween?..... None? That's what I thought. This was early on in our dating.... you can see my gorgeous brace-face.)


We're so in love. We are on the left next to he-who-will-not-be-named.

6 comments:

Jill K said...

Happy Anniversary!

KC said...

I remember going to your reception and you were so sick! I also remember that was where my boyfriend, whom I had just met, now husband met a lot of the family. He called me Kristen to my DAD! AWESOME! He was a little nervous! It's fun to see all these anniversaries go by because I remember when Julie got married, I hadn't even met Brian. Now we celebrate our 7 year in September!
Happy Anniversary!
And I agree, it is hard, but I wouldn't trade it for anything!
And Dave is the only one that has changed in those pictures!

THE BADGERS said...

Happy Anniversary! You've got a hard working husband and a couple of "adorable" kids. You've got the makings of another 7 years...

Ashley said...

Happy Anniversary! I agree with it being hard, but worth it. Congrats on 7 years!
(I love the engagement pics by the way! I should post some of Mat and me, oh the memories!)

Camille said...

yes, it is hard but at least YOU stuck it out!
Happy Anniversary!

simplemom said...

Rach you made me cry. I love your thoughts. I love you and Dave together. Happy Happy Aniversary, here's to the next seven years. :)