A Decade Later

I saw you the first day of college – August 26, 2000. You were doing improv comedy for us incoming freshmen. I’ve always liked people who can make me laugh.

We spent that first year getting to know each other, being great friends. You flirted with me (and I reciprocated, of course), but you swear that you never did.

And then, that next summer, I was done waiting. You were four hours away, and we talked mostly on Instant Messenger (remember that? ha!). We had a hard “conversation” where I told you that you were obviously not “the one,” since I was the only one interested in a relationship.

You disagreed.

You drove the four hours to my house and asked me to date you. Of course I said yes. It was official on July 15, 2001.

That period of waiting was good for both of us. We started our relationship with a very healthy focus on God.

We had a fun couple of years of dating.

And then you took me on a Surprise Date (canoeing on the Muskegon River, complete with a riverside picnic) and asked me the all-important question.

That was June 28, 2003. We didn’t want to have a long engagement, so we set The Date for December 20, 2003.

Three days after my finals were done, in the middle of my senior year.

It was a beautiful, snowy day in Cadillac when we vowed to love and cherish each other until one of us kicks the bucket.

The perk of a snowy winter wedding is that the tropical honeymoon feels that much more tropical.

God blessed us with the conception of our first little munchkin a whopping 8 weeks after the wedding. Wowsers.

And in a whirlwind decade, we’ve had four kids in a span of 4-1/2 years…

…built a house, sold a house…

…bought another house, spent countless hours at FHBC, and had a slew of amazing, everyday, fun, hard, wonderful, awful, lovely memories.

Only God gets the glory for the way He has worked in our individual lives, in our marriage, and in our family to bring glory to Himself. I pray that He continues to work away for many, many more years.

I love you, Luke. Happy 10th anniversary! Thank you for making me a very happy, blessed wife and mother. I’m always yours.