Happy 6th Anniversary!

Today is our 6th wedding anniversary.  Hard to believe that it's been 6 years since our wedding day!  6 years ago today, I walked down the aisle and made the best decision of my life.  I married my best friend!  I didn't know what love was until I met Brian and I didn't know someone could love me so unconditionally.  He loved me for me!  I knew he was going to be my husband from the very beginning....he was perfect!  As the saying goes, "Opposites attract", but I think we prove that wrong.  We are so very similar it's scary.  Yes, we have our differences, but overall our personalities are very much alike.  We are both indecisive, fairly laid back and like things a certain way.  As a result of being so similar, we rarely (if ever) argue or fight.  And if we do, it only lasts for a couple minutes before we both forget all about it.  I honestly can't tell you about any significant arguments we have had because there haven't been any.  We truly compliment each other perfectly.

Brian,

You are the most amazing husband, father, and friend.  You are the hardest working man I know and I am so thankful to be able to call you mine.  You are smart, funny, amazingly attractive, hardworking, an incredible provider, supportive, selfless, understanding, my rock, an awesome daddy, and so much more.  Hannah and I are very lucky to have you in our lives!  I will never forget the day I walked down the aisle and saw your face.  You were so overwhelmed with love and emotion that you couldn't stand still.  Tears flowed down your cheeks and I knew that I was the luckiest girl in the world.  You were mine!  I could hardly believe it.  How did I deserve such an amazing man?  The last 6 years have flown by and you have continued to amaze me.  You have been my rock and support through our trial with infertility and then through a rough pregnancy and an even rougher labor and delivery.  Then when Hannah was born, you sobbed.  I saw the love you had for her and my love for you grew more.  I knew you would be the most amazing father, and you haven't proven me wrong.  You changed every single diaper in the hospital and were amazing during the first few weeks of Hannah's life.  I don't know what I would have done without you.  You are my best friend and I love you more than words can say.  Thank you for being who you are and for loving me for who I am. 

I love you baby!

**The pictures above are not from our wedding day, but are from a 'Trash the Dress' photo shoot we did 4 years later (in 2008) with our amazing photographer friends, James and Lindsay Christerson at http://www.adfotos.net/**

Marriage

We have been married for almost 6 years now, so I am definitely not a marriage expert.  But I also have 6 years under my belt and that's not nothing. ;-)  I am so in love with my husband and so thankful that the Lord chose him to be mine.  Our anniversary is coming up in August and I can hardly believe it's been 6 years.  It seems like yesterday I was walking down the aisle.  Where has the time gone?

Since having Hannah, it has been tough to find time for us.  Her schedule (6, 10, 2, 6, 10) has made it tough for us to spend quality time together.  Since she is up with us from 6pm to 10pm, one if us is almost always holding her and entertaining her while the other is cleaning up or trying to take a break for a few minutes.  We are definitely looking forward to an earlier bed time for her so we can have some one-on-one time!  I really think an early bedtime for children is crucial for a marriage.  This is your time to reconnect.  However, I will be sure to note that I also think it is important for mom and dad to have some one-on-one time while the children are awake too.  This shows the kids that mom and dad's relationship is strong and provides a sense of security for them.  Even if it's just 15 minutes on the couch talking when dad gets home from work, it's proof to the children that the marriage comes first.

Another thing that has been tough since Hannah arrived is making sure that we put our marriage first and not her.  Our marriage is our top priority.  Yes, Hannah is a VERY important part of our lives and we love her deeply, but our marriage must come first.  Our marriage is the foundation of the rest of our family.  If our marriage crumbles, so will everything else.  While it is hard to keep up with the demands of a newborn, we strive to keep each other the top priority (after our relationship with the Lord).  I realize this is a fairly controversial subject because so often moms make their children their #1 priority.  But think about it...is that really the best thing for everyone?  What happens when the children become more independent and don't rely on mom for everything?  What about when they finally move out and it's just you and your husband again?  If you have neglected your marriage for all those years, what will be left of it?

So tonight, make your spouse your top priority and see what happens.  I know for me, I can't wait for Brian to come home!  It's my favorite part of every day. :-)

World's Best Daddy

Everyone so often focuses on what a great job mom is doing with her new baby, but what about dad?  I understand that not all men are born to be dads, but my husband was!  Brian is an amazing father...Hannah is so blessed!  I knew Brian would be a great dad before I even became pregnant.  To be able to withstand 2 years of trying to conceive (okay, I realize that trying to conceive isn't too tough on a man! haha), to endure my horrible pregnancy (countless nights of me waking him up, asking him to get me something to eat or drink), to be by my side the entire time I labored naturally (he didn't sit down all day!), and now to be willing and eager to take care of Hannah whenever he can.  What more could I ask for?

In the hospital, when I was recovering, Brian changed every single diaper, swaddled Hannah every time, rocked her when she was fussy, took her back and forth to the nursery so I could attempt to sleep, and was my rock emotionally.  He did all that without one complaint!  I don't even remember him saying that he was tired (which, if you know Brian, is very unlike him).  I don't know how I could have managed without him!  I couldn't even get out of the bed without help (so much for a natural labor being so easy to bounce back from).

But even more important than all the physical stuff he does for me and Hannah, it is the love that I see in his eyes that gets me every time!  He is SO in love with his little girl.  He can't wait to get home from work just to spend a few hours with her.

I am so blessed and so thankful.  The Lord obviously hand-picked Brian to be my husband!  He knew what He was doing!

So, if you have a husband that is just as great as mine, go thank him.  He deserves it!