9 Years of Wedded Bliss!!

9 years ago today, Thad and I were sealed in the Boise, Idaho Temple. What a beautiful day it was and a wonderful 9 years it has been since!! As we've added to our family, it seems our marriage sometimes takes a back burner to the many other things that occupy our time. Today is of course a special day for us to reflect on the many years spent together and to reevaluate our marriage. As we were eating dinner at Famous Dave's BBQ tonight to celebrate our anniversary we got to talking about the last 8 anniversaries we've had together and how we have celebrated. We really haven't done anything extravagant since we started having children 7 years ago. Some of our anniversaries have even included taking our kids to dinner with us because we couldn't find a babysitter (just one of the downfalls to getting married on a holiday weekend).

Well, yesterday was no different as we had Maiya with us at dinner. She is not taking a bottle well and we didn't want to traumatize her or Thad's mom with the frustration and crying that often comes with her lack of desire to take a bottle. We loved having her with us, if only to remind us how good of a baby she really is. She is so happy and mellow, only fussing when she is hungry, tired or needing changed. It was also a reminder of how easy and laid back our lives used to be when we only had 1 child, not 4!

In our discussion we decided our 10 year anniversary would be different since it is a bigger milestone. We would like to take a weekend to just get away without the kids and spend some time with just us. I think that is so important for married couples to do and if most of you are like Thad and I, that doesn't happen very often. With hectic schedules and all the kids and church activities there is rarely time for us to "date". It was so nice last night to be able to eat without all the hassles and embarassments that come with eating out with young children. We could eat at a leasurely pace and not worry about what messes were being made, who was climbing over or under the table, who was being too noisy, etc... We could actually sit and talk to each other and reconnect. What a breath of fresh air!

So as we sat reconnecting I got to thinking about the last 9 years and how so many things have changed for us:

• We've been through 1 apartment, 3 houses, and 5 moves, including living in 2 different states and 3 different towns.
• We've worked for 5 different companies at different times and experienced many changes in job titles. Thad worked his way up from a temporary employee to an hourly employee and on up through the management chain with Bed Bath and Beyond and has worked at many of the BB&B stores including all 3 in the Boise valley. I have worked in the Women's and Children's Float Pool, Pediatrics, PICU, and Telephone Triage at 2 different hospitals all while working at varying statuses of full-time, part-time, and really part-time levels.
• We've worked on educational degrees together.
• We've had 5 different cars and none of them have been brand new.
• We've experienced 5 pregnancies, 4 births, and the loss of an angel baby.
• We've experienced the joys and frustrations of having 4 children, but mostly the joys.
• We've welcomed family members and said good-bye to others.
• We've accumulated and paid off debt together.
• We've traveled a few places including, Disneyworld (twice), Disneyland, Las Vegas, and several smaller trips to Oregon and Utah.
• We've had 5 hamsters, 2 cats, 1 dog, and numerous fish throughout the time we have been married.

I know there are many more but these are the ones I can think of at this time. I know after talking last night we want to travel more and let our kids experience more of the world around them. We want to do more for us and our marriage no matter how chaotic our lives seem to be. We want to be better parents and teach our children how to have happy, healthy relationships and to be contributors and examples to the world around them. And we want to be able to add to our list and experience so much more together as a couple and as a family.

9 years later it's great to look back and know that the only regrets we have are related to some financial decisions we have made. Thanks Thad for a wonderful 9 years and may the Lord bless us with many more together! I love you!