It all started...

There has been much debate over the years about when our love story actually began. Maybe that's because we really had a story that developed, grew slowly over time. There was no "love at first sight" or "I knew when" moment to hold onto to. It was simply an acquaintance that turned into a friendship, which became something more.
And, more is where we are today. Soon, M and I will be celebrating 13 years of marriage. But, there is so much more. 
We made our first commitment to each other, one cold evening in late November. November 23, 1994 to be exact. Sitting in an outdoor amphitheater, we professed our feelings for one another. Well...it actually took me another month to share my true feelings. It was M's first test of patience where I was concerned. I'm sure he would attest that there have been many more.

WINTER FORMAL (DEC. 1994) // VALENTINE'S DAY (1997) // LAS VEGAS (DEC. 1998)

For me, the beginning of the relationship was a challenge, for many reasons. Among them, I was a 19-year old college sophomore and M was a 16-year high school junior. Our age difference was a big deal, at least then. It is true that we had known each other for some time before we started dating, but people still thought it was odd. Actually, so did I. Obviously, I got over it.
Over the years, there have been many promises. One of the first promises M ever made to me was that he would stay local for college. Not sure if he remembers it the same as I do. We ended up spending four years in a long-distance relationship when he decided to attend college in a town approximately three hours away. At the time, I thought my life and our relationship was over. Obviously, I was wrong.
We worked hard during those four years to not only sustain our relationship across the miles and despite the changes we both experienced, but also to nurture and grow our love for each other. Looking back, I really did appreciate the ability to finish graduate school and complete my first year as a School Psychologist without feeling guilty for not spending enough time with my M. God had a plan.

We were married on July 22, 2000. Our wedding was perfect, for us. I still look at the photos and know that I wouldn't have changed any of it. While it may not be a reflection of who we are now, our styles or our preferences, it was an accurate reflection of who we were then. 
What I love about our story is that it continues to be a mystery to me. How do two people, who begin a relationship at 19 and 16, end up, nearly twenty years later, with three children, two careers and a completely different life than they started with, loving each other more than when they first met? 

OUR HONEYMOON - LAKE TAHOE (JULY 2000) // THERE ARE THREE IN THIS PHOTO (MAY 2002) // HAWAII - JUNE 2003

Has our life and love been perfect? No. Do I have any advice to help you maintain a happy and healthy marriage? Not really. There is no formula. No rules that work for everyone.
But, I do know what I think has contributed to our success as a married couple. Loving God and making Him a priority, individually and as a couple. When I find myself disconnected from my spouse or my life, I can usually attribute it to being disconnected from God. 
If I am truly loving God, with everything that I am, then loving my husband is so much easier. 
For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh...Therefore what God has joined together, let no man separate.  - Mark 10:9