My happily ever after...

 6 years ago....

..... I married my best friend. It's still hard to believe that it has been that long and yet at the same time it feels like forever. I am so beyond thankful for the amazing years I have had with Alex and am looking forward to many many more.

Alex and I met when I was just 16 and he was 18. At the time I didn't feel like we were really young but now I look at my 16 year old little sister and realize just how young we were! Why is it that we are always "so much older" when we were a certain age and then we see someone who is that age now and they seem like such babies!?!

Anyway, we met at college  in the fall of 2003 and I can't say that I liked him right away because at that point I wanted nothing to do with having a boyfriend (although there was definitely something that attracted me to him and kept me interested in getting to know him more). I dual enrolled my last two years of high school and earned my AA degree at the same as I graduated from high school and he had already graduated. I think the age difference was definitely a good thing since everyone knows boys take forever to grow up :) In December of 2003 we started dating right after I turned 17 and we have been going strong ever since.

When we stood at the alter and said our vows, I never imagined how many twists and turns life was going to throw our way. Alex has stuck with me through different surgeries, ICU and hospital stays for asthma, pregnancy complications, preterm labor, long hospital stays, etc. We have had a car stolen from us when we were poor college kids trying to take care of Aidan as a newborn; Alex struggled and succeeded going through college and graduating as a Mechanical Engineer all while working nights and taking care of us; we spent 9 months going through a major headache of buying a house, bought three cars together, and many many other adventures. What a crazy 6 years it has been!

This week actually brought with it many bad memories from our 5th anniversary and I have struggled quite a bit trying to block that out but it has been hard. We didn't celebrate our 5th because I was at my sickest point in my pregnancy and wasn't able to stop throwing up. Fun, right? I am determined to move forward though and make new (good) memories to replace all of the bad ones that still haunt me. We went out to eat for the first time in a LOOOONNNNG time last night so at least we are on the right track!

Well, that is my walk down memory lane for now and while I run the risk of grossing everyone out with a bunch of mushy talk, I just want to say that I am so thankful to have Alex in my life. I have never met a more hardworking, dedicated, caring, creative, amazing person and I am so blessed that he is all MINE!!! 

So Alex, happy anniversary to you. Thank you for taking your vows seriously and staying by me in sickness and in health, no matter what happens. You have been my rock and I don't know how I would have survived this past year without your love and support. Love you babe!