10 years????

Well, today is a very special day in deed. Chris & I are celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary. As I was going through pictures to post of my honey, I was having some major difficulties. There are just so many hot pictures of him, it's hard to choose one! (That was for you Mom, he,he.) We still have to get out to celebrate our anniversary, the actual day turned into other stuff....like exchanging our rental for one that didn't have a check engine light on.

Chris and I have known each other for a very long time. We had the opportunity to be best friends! I first met him when I was about 11 1/2. We were in the same branch together when I joined the church. Now, some of you may be thinking - "HS sweethearts" but that was NOT the case. Actually, we had to defend our position of being just friends. We never dated during school, just hung out as friends and did stuff. He graduated a couple years before I did, so he came to many of my school things - like plays & dances & stuff.

This was taken at his missionary farewell.

Then he left for his mission in Los Angeles. I was not a great writer - so he received the occasional letter from me during the 2 years he was gone. (Sorry about that!) I am not sure when it was, but while he was gone, I had seen some pictures of him & for the first time I thought...hmmm, he is looking good. Now just before he was to come home I was getting nervous, counting down the days and pretty much wondering "what the heck?"

I had gone to the airport the night he returned home. Still feeling bad that I wasn't such a great friend by not writing and just showing up there with his family. Turns out I was the only non-family member there. Luckily his mom asked if I could take the pictures, I gladly accepted. Even though I still felt weird and nervous being there, I was glad to have something to do. (As I am typing this, I am actually feeling the same way I did that night!)

Shortly after that things definitely got interesting. I was having "more than friend" feelings for him and it just came on so suddenly. We spent so much time together and before we knew it, we were talking about marriage. He got home in November and by December we had decided to get married. Now, the engagement....that was something.

Chris didn't have the money for a ring and I understood the importance of saving for it. In February we went out for a date to celebrate my birthday. We went to a movie - remember Titanic? - and to Red Lobster for dinner. After that we went back to his home for dessert. (Now don't get any bad ideas - he actually made me a birthday cake.)

After a little dancing, yes he was very romantic, he had me sit down, he got on his knee & proposed. Of course I accepted! I was actually surprised since I wasn't planning on the official proposal for a while later. He then made a quick call to our parents, who were just a few minutes away eating at Friendly's Restaurant, to tell them to come back and celebrate with us.

There is something I love to share when we tell our story, it is what happened with Chris. Remember back to when I told you how I was feeling before he returned home from his mission? Well, this is what he was experiencing. Before he was to return, he was pondering what he should do with his life when he gets back. He had thought of moving to LA to live & be a cop. Whenever he thought about his future, for some reason, he would think of me. Then when he was in the San Diego Temple, he was again thinking about it. He came to a spiral staircase and at the bottom there was a newly married couple and as she turned around - he said it was like he was looking at me! (Super cute, huh?) THEN, after all these things had happened, he was writing in his journal while on the plane returning home. In essence, he wrote "If she is at the airport, then I know I am going to ask her to marry me."

We were married in the Washington, D.C. Temple on August 21st.
(This is my favorite picture from our wedding. My sister took it.)

So after 10 years and two beautiful daughters later, I am still very grateful and blessed to have him. Granted we have had some rough patches and battles, but everything has turned out pretty good, pretty darn good.