Tell anyone who knows me and my husband that we'll be celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary this month, and they'll likely chime in with, 'Well, that was fast!' I concur. The years have passed by so quickly, and here we are, married for ten years, with two amazing children. Our love story is one of fairytales... you know the kind of story that either makes you swoon or makes you want to throw up.

We met when we were kids- in high school, really, and became fast friends... best friends. We went our separate ways to college, and then the universe brought us back together again. We decided to take a chance and give a real relationship a shot, and we've never looked back. We've been friends for nearly 20 years, and after that amount of time, you get to know a person pretty well.

2006

Dating was fun, and easy, especially since we'd already been friends for a number of years. When we married in 2007, we were broke and had big dreams for the future. Having no money didn't scare us- we were more interested in living out an adventurous life together, and following our passions. We took a couple of years to live in Maryland while Sacha pursued his DMA at UMD. Looking back at that time, it was special, because it was just the two of us, off on our own with no family around, and no kids. I'm glad that we had that time together.

B's baptismal day- January 2011

When we were about to become parents, we moved back to our hometown to be closer to family and to raise our son in the community of faith that we loved so well. We've stuck around for seven years- through lots of ups and downs, job changes, financial challenges, and stress.

B's Pre-K Graduation 2016

We've had tough years, and we've had to work at our marriage. From the outside looking in, others would probably never guess that our relationship has been through the ringer a few times. Through depression, hardships, distance, there's always been a heaping amount of unwavering love between us. For all the years that have been tough, we've also had some wonderful years which were richly filled with laughter, amazing experiences, and of course, the joys that our children bring to us.

Topsail Island 2017

As we hit the ten-year mark, I can say that I am proud that we've stuck it out. We've had many friends marry and divorce over the past ten years. We were the first out of many friends to get married, and the first to have kids. We wanted to be married- we couldn't imagine spending life apart from one another, and that's even truer today than it was 10 years ago. We wanted children- more than anything... even if it meant making sacrifices and putting personal plans for career or otherwise on hold. God has blessed us with the most precious and amazing gifts- I still can't believe that those two sweet miracles of life are ours.

November 2017

I thank God that I'm married to a passionate man who loves God, loves his church, believes in serving the Lord by giving back time and talents, and sees the value in taking his place as the next generation of leadership. I thank God for sending me a patient, loving husband who always puts his family first, and who loves my family as his own. I'm thankful that he tolerates my most unattractive qualities and helps me to recognize my flaws without being critical of them. He helps me to be more laid back encourages me to ride the crazy roller coaster of life, taking chances, instead of running along beside it, trying to keep up.

Our beautiful family, September 2017

We're in another stressful season of life right now, but that's what it is- a season, and we know it won't last forever. Our love and hand-in-hand partnership keeps us walking life's path together... even when there are pebbles and boulders set in front of us. There's no one I'd rather navigate that bumpy path with.

Whenever I'm alone with you

you make me feel like I am home again

whenever I'm alone with you

you make me feel like I am whole again

Whenever I'm alone with you

you make me feel like I am young again

whenever I'm alone with you

you make me feel like I am fun again

however far away I will always love you 

however long I stay I will always love you 

whatever words I say I will always love you 

I will always love you

-The Cure