10 Years

"Where you go, I will follow." Ruth 1:16

I'm dedicating this blog post to my husband, Brandon. Today makes 10 years since we said our vows. 10 years since we started this thing called marriage.

I'm not going to lie. It has been really hard for me to start this post. Looking through all of our wedding pictures has stirred up so many different emotions. Memories of loved ones who have since left this world. A broken relationship between my parents. The emotional roller coaster of packing up my entire life, leaving my entire family and everything I've ever known to move to Montana. It was not an easy season of life, that's for sure. But one thing is for sure, Brandon, you are worth it.



6-4-04.

The day we began our life together.



It seems utterly impossible that we have been married for ten years?! And yet, ten years and three gorgeous children later, here we are. We have often joked that the length of our marriage has felt like five minutes...under water. Although I cringe every time I hear it, there really is some truth to it.

Hear me out... We all have those friends that claim they "never fight" with their spouse. I generally will just respond with a "good for you" and a very sarcastic smile. I will not go into how I really feel about this now. But, for whatever reason, I have really been thinking about this a lot this past week.

We have definitely had our share of fights, arguments, disagreements, whatever you want to call them. And truthfully, there have been times when we have both questioned if we had made the right decision. While a part of me wishes that I could wipe all of those memories away, the other part of me realizes we wouldn't be where we are without working through the struggles. It's easy to walk away from something that's challenging. But working through the issues, has a far greater return. We have both grown, matured and changed in so many ways over the last decade. And for that, I am truly grateful.

We are living a life without regrets.



Brandon, I have been absolutely honored and privileged to be your wife for the last 10 years. There is no one else I would rather share my life with. No one else I would rather parent our children with. There is nothing that I would change. Nothing that I would redo. I love everything about our life. Everything we have battled through, everything we have triumphed, everything we have accomplished together. Thank you for bringing me a newfound perspective on life. Thank you for teaching me all that you have. Thank you for showing me I am worth loving and how to love in return.

"...you have given me a reason to smile, a reason to hope, a reason to love."  An excerpt from a letter I wrote to you on our wedding day.

And, it is just as true today, as it was 10 years ago.

I love you more than ever before, Brandon.

Happy Anniversary.