Warning:  This is partially your standard mushy, lovey dovey, over the top anniversary post. It may contain some things that you didn't know and hopefully you'll find it a little funny 

     Once upon a time I was a 19 year old college girl.  I worked,  went to class, and took care of my daughter. I really didn't need a lot of distraction in my life because my life was already complicated enough.   I had a friend named Hamit that insisted he knew a guy that would be perfect for me. He suggested that I go out with him and a group of friends one night to meet this guy. Finally after a little persuasion I caved and agreed to go.  I was the youngest of the group and the only one still under 21 at the time. Everyone wanted to go to a bar where they could drink, dance, and hang out, but since I was underage our choices were limited.  They decided the best option, was a gay club. What better place for a straight girl to meet her future husband right?    I went and met the mystery guy. We hit it off instantly. We started dating shortly after and I eventually fell in love with this guy. He was kind, caring, fun loving, and the most stubborn man I've ever encountered. I thought he'd be a worthy adversary and a fierce ally for life. Thankfully he fell in love with me too!  He not only fell in love with me he fell in love with my daughter as well.  He jumped into the role of dad without hesitation and that made me love him more.  

    Our relationship was never perfect and it had many ups and downs but eventually he asked me to marry him. I had one condition on this request:  we had to wait until I graduated from college to get married.   He agreed to this condition and I agreed to marry him. I was barely 21 at the time and he was 26.  Someone should have probably called is crazy. Some people probably did behind our backs. I mean, let's be real, you really don't know crap about yourself at 21.   

    We got married in a little country church about a month and a half after I graduated from college.  I put on a fancy white dress,  took my daddy's arm and headed up an aisle to marry this guy that I met at 19 years old, at a gay club, on a blind date.  Even saying that sounds crazy!  He was at the end of the aisle wearing a tux, smiling, and nervous. His dad was there with him waiting to walk us through our wedding vows. We smiled, repeated words, held hands, exchanged rings, were pronounced husband and wife.  We sealed our new union with a kiss. We had no idea at the time where life would take us but we were young, dumb, and blissfully in love. I don't think we really considered that all the rich/poor, sickness/health,  good/bad times things would ever actually happen.   

    Our journey definitely has had all of those things. We've fought. We've cried. We've laughed. We have experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. We've traveled together to awesome places. We've made so many memories together. We've some how managed to grow into productive adults. We've experienced the birth of two amazing children and sadly endured the loss of another. We've held on to each through it all. There are days when I would like to strangle him in his sleep and I'm sure there are days when he'd like to pull out my tongue. He frustrates me more than anyone I've ever known but I can't imagine doing life without him by my side. 

   So on this day please know that I'm thankful and blessed to be his wife.  I love this crazy beautiful ride we're on and wouldn't change it for the world. Thank God for blind dates and poor choices because this one really worked out!  

Happy Anniversary my love. Here's to many more.