I "still" do....

It has been 5 years....today....since Kevin and I said "I Do".



I still remember the day like yesterday....waking up at my parents house after a slumber party with my closest friends...getting all dolled up for the man I love....the hair, the make-up and the big white dress. I still love that dress....Arriving at the church to see so many people there to support our journey into marriage...it was amazing.

Not to mention the fact that my brother, Brandon, stood before everyone and married us. He was so geniune with words of wisdom from verses from the Bible, stories of my childhood and from knowing Kevin for many years, and the love that only a big brother can have as he married his little sister off. Thinking of it now still brings tears to my eyes....it was perfect. Then the wedding was over and we headed off to an amazing reception and a trip to St. Lucia. Then we arrived home as husband and wife.

I honestly can say that there are days that it doesn't seem possible that we have been married for 5 years....time flies when your having fun, right? But to be completely honest...which is what I try to be....there are days that I am sure that it has been much longer...when anything he says or does annoys me :) Isn't marriage funny like that??

In our 5 years together...we have sold a house, bought a house, lived with my parents on 3 different occassions for as short as a couple of weeks to as long as a couple of months. We have put together 3 different nurseries and stayed by each others side on the birth of our four children. We have stuck out being apart during long work weeks, leaving a job and starting a new job. We have cried with each other and yelled at each other. We have broke each others trust and rebuilt it up again through Christ. There has been joy, broken hearts, funny stories, sleepless nights and lots of kisses and hugs. Regardless of the day though, we ended it together.

I am so blessed to have Kevin in my life. He is incredible....I have seen him grow as a husband and a father. He is the most amazing man...and he is a man of God. We went to a marriage seminar last weekend at our church. It was great to sit down and take time for us. With four kids we don't get to do that often....we took in alot of information...but I think what I walked away with the most was the importance to take time together and to actually talk and verbalize your wants and needs. It sounds so, DUH!, but I think with marriage, most people enter in with expectations...maybe expectations they don't even realize they have of their spouse. At the end of the seminar, with about 125 other couples, we took each others hands and renewed our vows. No frills...dress....flowers....just him and I looking in each others eyes saying, "I still do".

Marriage is much harder than I thought it would be...you have to intentionally take part in your own marriage because it is easy to become complacent. So I am taking the time to say, not only I love you, but alsoplease, thank you and I believe in you.

I could go on and on about things I love about Kevin (patience, watching sports...any sports...together on TV...his smile, dishwashing abilities, cuddling, taking care of all 4 kids because I just need to get away, lots and lots more)...and probably put together a pretty good list of things that annoy me LOL (laundry everywhere, shoes in the living room, leaving pens on his shirt and me washing them...ok ok...I will stop :)...but I will just say that I am proud that, I love him, respect him and trust him more than I did on this day 5 years ago and know that we will still have valleys and peaks but I trust that with God we will get through it.

I love my man...and I am looking forward to a much needed date night tonight. I am super pumped....we are going to TWO movies...woot woot!! We are going to go see "Something Borrowed" (although I read the book...I still want to see it) and "Bridesmaids" which I have heard is hilarious. Then grab food without having to ask for a single high chair :)

I hope everyone has a wonderful Friday!!