a love story

When I was a little girl, I was into ant farms, chasing ice cream trucks, and collecting stickers. It wasn't until college before I started dreaming about prince charming {sparked mostly when I'd procrastinate studying at the library}. And because life seems to swivel faster with each year, I decided {and secretly hoped} that fate would bring him to me. Maybe I'd rear-end him with my car, and fall instantly in love... or we'd bump shopping carts in the grocery store.. {you get the idea}. For someone who is always chasing time, I was certain that the love-at-first-sight scenario was the most efficient approach to this entire matter. I really believed in this. I had to, there were so many other important things to do... like graduating.

I transferred to a state school, where among 35 thousand, I felt small, bright-eyed, and comfortable. I was walking slowly across campus one day, with my nose stuck in my history book, when out of nowhere someone in a black shirt appears right in front of me. I stop, annoyed for a sec and about to say, "excuse me," when suddenly I feel a gust of butterflies in my stomach. My knees felt weak when I realized, he wasn't a stranger at all. He was the humble, charmingly witty {to an eleven yr old}, dirty-blonde haired boy from my 6th grade Science class, standing tall, dark and handsome right before me. I thought the butterflies were because I had found an old friend. But a few weeks later, on March 25th, 1998, we went out on our first date. We both went home that night, and knew. Our fairytale was just beginning...

Three years later, on this day, Aaron and I tied the knot before God and our loved ones.

Little did we know about the amount of work that goes into a marriage... preparing and planning for the future together - All we knew on this day was that this is the hand we will be holding, long past we are old and gray - rocking on the front porch, waiting for the great grand-kids to come over. And that image still gives me butterflies.

The image in my head - not this one {Aaron PhotoShopped us into this pic back in '04}. It makes me laugh.

 

We've been saying it all week - "I can't believe its been 10 years... really?" No! The laugh lines on our face confirm this to be true. I went through some of our old pictures today {spring cleaning still..} and there were so many journeys from this past decade - globe trotting to more than 50 cities, two home renovations, and our own new lives as parents to two amazing children.

I am so blessed to be walking this earth with you Aaron, holding my hand. Happy 10th Anniversary...

... you still give me butterflies....