Can you believe we made it 8 WHOLE years?!!

Christmas 2004

Wow, I can’t believe it, Chris and I have now officially been married a full 8 years now. It blows my mind to think that 8 years ago today, we were getting married in the temple, and beginning our lives together. Back then, things seemed so simple and laid out. Although we knew getting married was a huge step in our lives, and that it was also a tremendous responsibility to be so young and married, as scared as really we SHOULD have been…. we weren’t. I mean really, we were SOOO nieve…. but sometimes I think blind optimism works in your favor. From the very beginning, we had a plan, and we were going to stick to it.

Our Plan:

I was going to work as a pharmacy technician full time so that we could afford to live independently and pay our bills. Chris was in school full time and would be applying to pharmacy school. Upon acceptance we would move, and begin living the student life while postponing children until after graduation. We already knew at that point we were not cut out for parenthood quite yet with the rigorous schedule of pharmacy school.

As a couple, those first few years we were learning and growing so much that I’m grateful we postponed starting a family. Being married to a pharmacy school student proved to be challenging for me as a wife. There were many weeks that I felt so depressed. I was killing myself working jobs that sucked the life out of me, and then feeling lonely at home because Chris was so consumed with his school work. Luckily I had the perspective to know that it would only be temporary, and life at some point would resume. Chris on the other hand, spent hour upon hour studying for those dreaded 2 week exams. For 3 years we lived our lives in 2 week intervals. There would be days when Chris would go to school early in the morning, and upon returning home, would immediately begin studying until midnight and even later. There were especially crucial tests that I remember him staying up all night to cram for. Somewhere between the madness we purchased our very first home. That was so exciting. I couldn’t believe that someone actually gave us a loan to own property. It felt like such a grown up thing to do, and we could hardly imagine that it was ours!!! We also adopted 2 puppies… that was REALLY the beginning of our family. Man we love those dogs, and still reminisce about some of their early antics.

By the time Graduation came, we had matured so much as a couple. We had really perfected our working relationship, and had fine tuned the elements of compromise and sacrifice. Granted, of course we spoiled ourselves a little along the way, but we also made some major sacrifices too.  The next couple years would prove to be some of our best. Although we were never quite able to rid ourselves of the workaholic habits, we started to have a little fun and live in the world again. We finally made friends that we really liked, purchased our second home that we LOVE LOVE LOVE, worked and eventually opened our own pharmacy. I was working a job that I wasn’t qualified for but loved it, and they even paid me well! For the most part, we had miraculously stuck to the meat of our “life plan”, and we are happy where we ended up. The challenges along the way have only strengthened us, and helped us built a foundation that I know will prove to solidify our family in the approaching years.

And finally, to be sitting here after all that….. that blurry 8 years of love, work, sacrifice, and strength….. we have a little baby girl. This new chapter of our marriage has proved to be the most life changing, challenging, and by far the most exciting.  At almost 6 weeks, I can honestly say I am getting a handle on her. I actually feel like the easiest part of being a mom is taking care of her. The most difficult has been learning to juggle the rest of life WITH that little girl. I’m not always exactly sure where she fits in, and how to readjust from how we USED to do things, to how we do things NOW. I’m sure that will come with experience, but what a blessing she has been to us.

I guess we can pat ourselves on the back that we’ve made it this far. Eight years really is a long time, especially when you’re only 28. It really is something to be proud of, and especially when you can still say that you’re happily married. We are so lucky to be married to each other’s best friend. It’s funny because honestly, we really didn’t bother making friends until about 4 years ago. We didn’t need to…. we had each other, and that was always enough for us.  Now, it’s still us plus 2 dogs and a baby.

Happy Anniversary, I love you!!!