10 years of marriage.

Ten years of marriage means there aren’t any secrets left, which is pretty nice now I don’t have to hide my obsession with rap music, my terrible sense of directions, my slightly intense ocd, my fondness for Tito’s, or my inability to remember much of anything unless I write it down.

Ten years of marriage means the “young love” butterflies have been replaced with the cozy, intimate, content, knowing each other inside-and-out sort of butterflies.  Instead of being the girl looking at a boy from far away wondering what it would feel like to hold his hand, I am a woman standing next to a man and remembering what it felt like the first time he held our daughter in his arms.

Ten years of marriage means the laughter outweighs the anger and the fancy dinners have been replaced with your average white cheese dinner at Cancun.  Romance is less about flowers, diamonds and buying the perfect gift and more about being the one to clean the kitchen without being asked, sending a sweet text just to say, “I love you!” and covering the other with a blanket when they fall asleep.

Ten years of marriage means knowing how to argue, when to not back down, why sometimes it’s okay to go to bed angry, and that regardless of how much I desperately want to shake some sense into him (totally kidding), I am with the person I’ll be with until we’re both old and gray.  We’ve been through enough ups and downs that we know things will look better if you just give it some time.

Ten years of marriage means we’ve learned how to love each other.  And continue to learn exactly what it means to be in love.

Ten years of marriage means we’re no longer newlyweds.  It also means looking back at our wedding photos and thinking, how was that ten years ago?  It also means being grateful to have met my other half and realizing how many incredible moments we have yet to share together.  Life is still just beginning.

Before we know it, we’ll be another ten years down the road, and just thinking about where we’ll be at that point makes me smile.

Here are some throwback photos…

Happy ten-year anniversary babe!

14 years.

Kevin and I had our first date fourteen years ago today! Some years we celebrate it, some years we acknowledge it, and some years it’s just a day. I like to remember the day every year! Here are some photos from back in the day.

2011 / the lake.

2011 / Chicago.

2011 / cousins wedding.

2011 / Gold Top.

2012 / Snowshoe Mountain.

2012 / Fort Myers Beach.

2013 / Our first home.

2013 / the lake.

2013 / Fort Myers Beach.

2013 / The night we got engaged.

2013 / NYE.

2013 / engagement pictures.

2014 / Chicago.

2014 / the lake.

Happy dating anniversary babe! ♥

Nine years.

He doesn’t notice my wrinkles; he sees my smile.

He doesn’t measure my extra pounds; he sees his bride.

He’s not scared away by my struggles; he sees my courage.

He’s not turned off by the stains I wear; he sees a mom.

He doesn’t disregard my dreams; they’re his dreams too.

He works hard for me and our kids.

He holds my hand.

He forgives me.

He’s good with my crazy ideas I constantly have.

The past nine years feel like a lifetime, but also like a moment.

This life we have built is made up of moments.

Thank you, God, for our love story.

It’s safe. It’s fun. It’s comfy. And it’s hard sometimes, but it’s ours.

And I can’t help but smile.

I want our kids to see it.

I know he sees it too.

I love you and I like you, Kevin. You’re my best match. Happy anniversary.
NINE YEARS DOWN, FOREVER TO GO!

Eight years.

Today we celebrate eight years of marriage! It feels like a blink and it feels like ages. Isn’t it weird how it works that way?

Kevin and I started dating when I was 30 years old. It was the end of the Reds baseball season and he asked me to go to a game. I said yes without any hesitation. I knew that a future with Kevin would make his path part of mine, but twelves years together, and eight years married? Who, at thirty, can look forward to that long with any clarity?

I am glad that I couldn’t. I am glad that when I looked forward it was an abstract idea that was worth exploring. And I am glad that we have spent the last twelve years turning that idea into something that works for us, one day at a time.

Brady is sixteen, Natalie is fourteen, and Hadley is six.

There have been a lot of mistakes. There have been some crap days. But damn I’d do every lay off, every third shift, every panicked moment, every new job, every fight over nothing and every fight over something again to get right here.

I love that today is a new starting line. I love that tomorrow will be one too.

Marriage is just as much work as everything else in life. Parenting. Jobs. Being healthy. Being happy. Choosing your best and do the right thing, even when you may not want to. I am so grateful we are in this season of our lives, and even more grateful to have this man in my life.

Thank you for choosing me to be your wife. ♥

K&M / February.

Welcome to K&M in February, a short little list of what we’ve been up to this month!

She started off the month celebrating Groundhogs Day.

He is such a good sport to her random celebrations.

Anything to make the days a little brighter right?

She got her hair done.

He has worked a ton this month.

She misses him when he works but knows he is so happy at his dream job.

She had happy hour with a friend that recently moved back to the area!

He loves having the one on one time with Hadley while Mama is out.

We celebrated the Super Bowl with family.

She is super busy at work.

He has been working mass overtime.

She bought THE best Valentines Day gift for him.

He bought a pretty great gift too.

We had a great day at home on the Hallmark holiday of the year.

She celebrated Fat Tuesday by making some N’awlins type food.

We had fish sandwiches for Ash Wednesday.

They were delicious.

February has been a good month.

Looking forward to March.