Remembering 9 years ago

Happy Anniversary, Shawn

Oh my goodness, look what 9 years has done to us.....

I can hardly believe it's been that long.

Remember how a lot of our friends couldn’t believe we were engaged? They didn’t understand how we could be ‘just good friends’ one day, then getting married the next. After she got her announcement in the mail, a friend of ours called me and said, “Um, I just got something in the mail…. Is this a joke?”

Remember how I locked my wedding dress in the car 30 minutes before our sealing? That was stressful. I ran out to the car to get some bobby pins and dropped the keys, then locked the door. I didn’t have time to wait for AAA, so I had my Dad bash the back window open with a car jack. That sure got the job done…. Problem solved, and we were married on time. I remember being scared to tell you I had destroyed the car. You didn't flinch.

Here we are on our wedding day. (These are pictures of pictures because we have no digital prints, and my scanner is broken).

Remember how this was the last time I kissed you in public?

Remember how we went on our Honeymoon the next day and were unable to check into our hotel? Supposedly we were too young to check in ourselves. But, after negotiating with the manager, he allowed us to stay in the hotel if our parents faxed Permission Slips. That was the most awkward request I’ve had to make of our parents. Here’s the letter my mom wrote… 

Remember the following week when we opened the door to our first home? We both cried because 1: everyone was right, we were too young to be doing this…. And 2: we had just walked into the dumpiest apartment in all of Rexburg, ID…. Possibly the USA. It was the size of a sardine can, everything was stained of nastiness, the bathroom was in the kitchen, and my favorite part…. The only natural light came from windows overlooking a pigeon sanctuary. We heard pigeons squawking all day, and there was poop all over our window sills. It was RIDICULOUS!

Why am I smiling??? I hate it there....

 Remember this lovely view outside our windows?

I knew, if we could get through all of that in the first week of our marriage, still smiling.... we could get through a lifetime of surprises. We have had our share. And you have kept me laughing and smiling through it all!

In 9 years we've gone from this....

To this....

Thank you for sharing this journey with me. I feel truly blessed. I love you! And even though we're apart on our Anniversary, I'll be thinking of you all day!

Kristina