June 14th

This past weekend I got a text from my babysitter confirming what time I needed her for on Tuesday June 14th. For the life of me I could not figure out what I had needed a babysitter for. I started to panic thinking that I was forgetting something scheduled and worried that there was something else I might have needed to do also. I fretted and stewed until Bret got home and I mentioned my dilema to him. Bret smiled and said...it's our anniversary.

For the record I did not really forget our anniversary because I did get a babysitter lined up and turns out I even made dinner reservations. Doesn't matter that later that weekend I tried to schedule dinner with friends on our anniversary until she mentioned the word babysitter which reminded me once again that we were busy that night.

I will be the first to admit that an anniversary does not make a marriage. However, I still want to take a moment in all of this madness and celebrate all that we have accomplished in the past 8 years.

Four years ago we started this amazing journey together. We packed up everything we owned, sold our house, and moved our two small children thousands of miles away from everything and everyone we had ever known. We moved to a place that both of us combined had spent less than a week in. We hit road blocks from the very beginning (living in a hotel for 10 days because our apartment wasn't ready, I couldn't find a job) and thought long and hard about whether or not we could really do this. That first year there was more than one time we looked for a way to move back to KS and more than one time we asked God why this was his plan for us.

With time and perserverance things got easier. We made friends and literally made a decision to enjoy our time here. We made a choice to have fun and really experience this place we were living. We traveled all around this part of country and immersed ourselves into the local culture. We made friends and built our own suedo family to spend holidays and birthdays with when our own family was so far away.

Through this whole process we grew up together, became better parents, and learned how to rely on each other completely.

8 years ago we were in the midst of joyful chaos as we celebrated our marriage with all of our family and friends. 4 years ago we were sad and stressed out as we started a new journey and unknowingly recommitted ourselves in a way we did not yet understand. This week we are once again in the midst of chaos...some of the best yet as we once again start a new chapter in our journey through life together. There is no one I would rather have as my traveling partner. Eight years ago when I said I DO, I thought there was no way possible for me to love you any more than I did at that very moment. I could not have been more wrong. Thank you for loving me back.

Adriana