1. Studying the Word, growing in our faith together and praying for each other, with each other and as a family
2. Babies... birthing them, raising them and watching them move into their lives as amazing adults who are changing the world
3. The townhouse
4. Building our home
5. Allen's first, and very romantic, confession of his undying love
7. Our wedding... it was all magical but especially when our driver was pulled over on our way to the reception and after a long and hilarious exchange Stephen convinced him we really did just get married and we really were on our way to the reception. To which the officer said, "Why didn't you just say so in the first place."
8. Our tenth anniversary in Florida... which was also our first trip alone together. When Aunt Liz heard we were going for two weeks she said, "Why so long?"
9. Family trips to Disney
10. California trip with the older girls in 2001
11. Billy Joel Concerts
12. Coming home from business trips
13. The first dinner Allen cooked for me
14. Tilghmans Island weekends
15. Going to the theater, which he thought he would hate and as it turns out he LOVES. Extra fond memories of his first show, The Music Man, with a massive group of out of town friends over July Fourth weekend 1997.
17. Coming through hard stuff... ie... Addison's seizures, chronic illness...
18. Beach days on Tybee Island
19. Pool days and late night swims
20. Snow walks and sledding and curling up by the fire afterwards
22. Entertaining
23. Birthdays at Deep Creek Lake
24. Our first apartment at Springhill Lake and our college days
25. The flu with 9 kids... countless years over
27. gardening
28. Road trips
29. running
30. The food
32. Gram's funeral
33. All the special friendships we have made
34. When the kids were little and they went to bed early and we spent the whole evening together playing games and chatting
35. Weddings, graduations, parties and picnics...
37. The Jeep, both of them.
38. Prenatal visits and lunch in Germantown
39. Unempolyment
It is hard to believe we have been friends for almost 30 years! I often wonder why the Lord showed me so much grace to give me my Allen. This last year has been the most challenging of our life (and the last 7 have been doozies so that's saying a lot) as we faced so much crazy, suffered painful losses, built a house, saw countless life changes, faced health challenges and the list goes on and on. There were times I wondered how we would make it to the next day and two months where I struggled daily with the decision to keep living life in the face of endless physical and emotional pain. It is because of those times I sit here today more grateful than ever I can do life with this man as we walk hand in hand, best friends and lovers, through the joys and trials of years past, this year present and the years yet to come.
Photos by Susan Schmidt Photography. Thanks for the memories, my friend.
The two of you make such a wonderful and beautiful couple. I'm proud to have known the two of you for all of these 25+ years, and I am glad that I was able to play some small part in your lives.
ReplyDeleteHappy anniversary my blog friend! I have enjoyed yourself for years and I still have the wonderful advice you gave me when I reached out to you after we had our fifth. I still have and use the Bible you so generously gae me also. I so enjoy your blog and your Instagram stories. I have to say you look amazing, so amazing that some photos I have to double check to see if it's you or one of your daughters!
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