Happy Anniversary, Honey

Ten years ago I became a married woman.

Ten years ago I married the man who would lead me through the rest of my life.

Doug was just 30, and I was 29. We were planning on getting married on February 10, 2001. However, I had to quit my job because of my health, which we both thought was stress from my job as Operations Manager at a trucking company. I quit on August 14, 2000.

Instead of getting better, I got worse. One night about a week later, we were talking about finances and such, and if we waited until February, I would have to pay for COBRA insurance for 6 months. All of the sudden, I was like, let's just get married. I"ll call the pastor, and we'll see what he's doing on Saturday.

Doug was 30, I was 29, and we absolutley knew we wanted to be together. There really was no point in waiting. And thank God...the whole situation really was ordained my Him, because I was in the hospital 6 weeks later...if I hadn't had good insurance...

And so it was. On Saturday August 26, 2000, Doug and I stood in front of our pastor (at the time), my parents, his aunt and uncle, his cousin, and my best friend Linda, in the foyer of the church, and said I do wearing our blue jeans. We were still planning the big fancy wedding for Feb. 10. I had the dress after all!

Well, then the whole hospital thing happened, and we ended up not being able to have our big wedding until August 2001, so Doug suggested the 25th, which was one day short of our 1 year anniversary. It was awesome.

So to the man I married twice:

I love you. We've been through so much. We've had more to deal with the first six months of our marriage than most people would deal with in 60 years.

You stood by me.
You loved me.

When we met, I was able-bodied, independent, and wanted to have about 6 kids.
Two months after we married I was bed-ridden, hospitalized, completely dependent, and children didn't even seem possible.

Yet you stayed. That alone shows so much integrity and character. I know a lot of men wouldn't have. Couldn't have. Even Christian men. But you stayed. When you said for better or for worse, in sickness or in health, you meant it. I don't know if anyone could really grasp how precious that is to me. How precious YOU are to me.

I thank God every day that He prepared you from the first day of your life to learn every skill and personality trait you would need to care for me some twenty years later.

You make me feel safe and protected.
Only you can calm me down when I'm truly freaked out.
I believe in you...when you say you can do something I know you can.
I know you will.

We have been through so much...good, bad, and oh yes....ugly! The wonderful vacations, the memories we make wherever we go, and now the family we are building with Jacob. I am proud to be your wife.

Thank you for taking care of me, and loving me, even when I'm not so lovable. Thank you for taking care of me when I can't take care of myself. I know neither of us is perfect, but we ARE perfect for each other.

You bless my heart, and I will love you til the day I die.
Happy Anniverary Babe.
I love you.