We made it seven whole years. Well, really twelve and a half if you count the near six years we dated before getting married.
SD & I started dating in February of my junior year of highschool, after much prodding and convincing from a certain friend who will remain nameless (ahem, Chris). He was absolutely not my type. He was the jock, Homecoming King, Mr. VHS. I, on the other hand, was sporting combat boots, listening to the Grateful Dead and dreaming of art school.
On our first date (which was supposed to be a friend evening, but the above-mentioned-friend backed out at the last minute) we had dinner and saw Star Wars at the movie theatre. My mom bought me a new outfit and was furious that I wore my Doc Martens anyway. SD wore a flannel button down shirt, baggy Levi’s and black high-top basketball shoes. Thank God there aren’t any pictures! I don’t think we spoke 15 words to one another all night long and he didn’t call me for a whole week. Obviously, things picked up.
We dated throughout my senior year, as he went “off” to college and eventually I joined him at our alma mater one year later. We made the decision to get married the summer before my senior year of college and I bought my wedding dress before seeing any evidence of an engagement ring. I’ve always been a planner.
On December 30th of 2001, I was in my pajamas playing cards with my parents and other family. It was almost eleven o’clock when he called and invited me over. For whatever reason, I thought it was no big deal and finished my hand. I made some comment about why he would want me to come over in the middle of the night and my dad made a snarky comment about how he was probably going to propose. Holy foreshadowing.
I made the seven minute journey in my pajamas and was greeted by a sleepy boy with a diamond ring. Embarrassed by my appearance, but otherwise excited, I agreed to the first day of the rest of my life. Since I didn’t get home until the wee hours, I slept on the living room floor in front of the fireplace, so I’d be sure to hear my mom when she got up to make coffee the next morning. She made me wake my dad up at the crack of dawn.
We were married on August 10th, 2002 in front of four-hundred friends and family in the church we still attend (I’ll scan some wedding photos this afternoon to share – we got married in the olden-days of film photography!).
Seven years later, we are happier than ever. Living in the rock house, raising a princess and blogging about it all. We don’t celebrate big for anniversaries around here. In fact, SD left this morning on a business trip, so I’ll be eating frozen pizza with Ella instead. What we did do this year, that I hope we’ll continue, is make homemade cards. They were hilarious. Mine was a list of seven things I love about him, including: he gives the best hand massages in church and that he sometimes eats fudge pops for breakfast. His was a comic strip of his favorite days, including Ella complaining about her belly ache and the dog barking. We laughed all morning.
Happy Anniversary where ever you are, SD. I love you more today than I did seven years ago and even five and half years before that.
Kristin is married to her high-school sweetheart and the mother to two daughters. Professional by day and creative by night, she is a family lifestyle blogger who writes about faith, family, and fitting it all into a busy schedule. At Taz + Belly, you’ll find healthy recipes, children’s party ideas, tutorials, DIY projects, and more. Click Here to Read More About Kristin
