{photo by ryan ray}

JB and I have been together for nine and a half years, married for seven today.  The beginning of our story starts out on the soccer field, during my brothers games, when I was five and he was seven.  Back and forth crushes for years, but first a friendship was formed.  Which is still the bedrock of our marriage – friendship.  When we finally started dating when I was 23, and he was 25, it was a whirlwind romance.  We both fell so hard, probably because we both knew it had always been there and now it was finally here.  There was no questioning his motives or intentions, he was 100%, always in my corner then and it’s still true today.  He stood out from every guy I had dated, ten fold.  He was steady, there was no need for games or pretense, he was kind to people, especially to my people, and when he said he’d do something, he did it.  Six months after we started dating I got very sick, and had open heart surgery.  He was still there, sleeping beside my bed in a hospital chair.  Day in, day out.  I knew before then I’d marry him, but that sealed the deal.  Making me happy, surprising me, doing whatever to have my dreams come true has been a priority in his life — I hope he can say the same for me.  No marriage is perfect, and ours certainly isn’t!!   But whenever we do fight, we know that at the heart of the matter, we hold the same values, and want what is best for the other.  I think back to the awkward little girl who never even knew if I’d ever get a boyfriend, all the prayers I prayed for my future husband, and I can’t believe he is mine.  All mine.  for 7+ years now, and I pray for many, many more.