Yikes! Ten Years!

On a cold Friday night in January, Josh and I did something crazy. We got married. We had only known of each others existence for about eight months and he had only been in Alaska for four of those months. He was tall, had a deep voice, worked with his hands, loved and respected his mother, a Christian, self-employed, and very athletic. All high marks in my book.

But he was also an oldest child, opinionated, stayed up late, played practical jokes, and did not let me win every argument.

Like most couples, we did pre-marriage counseling. I remember, during one session, our priest joked, that since our wedding invitations had already been printed, it would not be too difficult to change the date of our wedding: with a easy pen-stroke, January 12, 2001 could simply become January 12, 2004.

Remember your 'chill-pills'; forgiveness; relax a bit; try not to make a mountain out of a mole hill, were several other things I remember from marriage counseling. One of the many wedding toasts that January night went like this: Josh, there are only seven words that you will need to remember for the rest of your life. Those are "yes dear", "I'm sorry", and "I love you."

And here we are, ten years later.

We have moved seven times, had two children, graduated from from college and from medical school, been on food stamps and state medical assistance, bought a house, been sued in court, had two surgeries, traveled to sixteen states and five countries, and have owned four vehicles.

We have professed our love for each other and our unhappiness in each other, sometimes in the same sentence.

Throughout these ten years, a revelation has taken place within me. There are many times when I get angry or upset with my husband. He may forget to take out the trash cans on trash pick up day, or leave his dirty socks on the floor but he is the most determined and accomplished man I know. He is intelligent, full of respect, enamored by his children, and proud of his wife.

I have learned just how important the children and I are to him. Not only has he worked full time as a resident, but he spends countless hours repairing our house. He manages to study each night, but also to build a tree-house for the kids, read with Levi, or conduct science projects with both kids most nights. He builds them fires, makes popcorn, and arranges their sleeping bags in the living room for camp out night. He plays dress-up with Claire or has lightsabor fights with Levi. He admires my sewing, compliments all my meals (good or bad), and tries to make me feel special. And he makes the best margaritas and chicken fajitas in the world!

He may not always be what I want, be he is always what I need.

In technological years, we were married ages ago. Our wedding was the first one that our photographers shot digitally. I have all the photos on a disc, but we have switched to macs, and now my computer says it does recognize the format. So I scanned a few of my favorites. Not the best quality, but they will do!