Legally wed (almost) a year. Here is the recap …

It was this time last year that our home state made our marriage legal. We were so excited, it was like a second wedding day. Sorta like that … but without rain, stress, arguments or blisters. Good times.

So in the spirit of a (sort of) one year wedding anniversary I compiled the top 10 best of best things that happened this last year, our first full year of being legally married in our home state.

  1. We survived new car envy. She bought I convertible, I got jealous. We now share our vehicles. Whats mine is mine. What is yours is now mine too. I’m pretty sure it was in the vows.96a9c5c0cecad209aedb00bb45a2dffa
  2. The kids went away for the summer and we managed to focus a little time on us. Every relationship needs a little space alone to develop. Ours developed into missing the kids after a couple month extended honeymoon. Whatever works.Summer-of-Love
  3. We went to the beach, several times. There is nothing like feeling the sand between your toes. Or the sand hitting you in the face as it swirls around the car, coming off your beach gear. That’s what happens when you shove the sandy gear into the back of that super cute, top down convertible you HAD to take for the trip.  11137193_1011165278894072_8677361988249007150_n
  4. We watched fireworks for the 4th, from our mountain spot, all by ourselves. It was kinda romantic and super beautiful. The other fireworks throughout the year on the mountain, likely scaring the neighbors into calling for backup, maybe not so much romantic as horrifying. We are trying to keep our arguments to ourselves now. Sorry y’all. 11403087_1036972702979996_7696834849185982622_n
  5. We learned to budget. Just kidding, no we didn’t. We bought a new car and went to the beach a few times. We can’t seem to save any money. I have no idea why. Saving Money
  6. She learned to cook. Well, not really cook, but she can grill like nobody’s business. Thinking about our 1 year anniversary steak dinner she magically produced is making me hungry, 3 months later. sunset-2
  7. I changed my last time to hers. Finally. She ran out and changed the name on the mailbox … I am still learning to sign it. Or to recolonize it when called. fa38b4ca80e150dc2a1e9445abc452b4
  8. We made new friends. Together. Couple friends. That isn’t easy considering we are so different. It is almost like getting a raise, the one you don’t think it will ever happen. All of a sudden you are eating more than soup from a can, in your one room apartment, while talking to your cat before bedtime at 8pm. It’s a big wide world out there when you have couple friends to go explore it with. friends_cast_004a
  9. We found new things to explore together. Places to go, things to do, food to eat and fancy new beer to try. Again, a big deal because when we first met we didn’t have much more in common than mutual lust. No shame. None. 3190410_13213875_lz
  10. Last but certainly most important: Nobody was seriously injured or died. I’m not kidding, it was a close call a few times. Marriage is hard, apparently so is smothering your beloved with a pillow. wpid-wp-1432838209051.jpeg

a not so private love letter

Once in a while things go perfectly right and you thank your lucky stars. Everything just falls into place so perfectly and you just know it couldn’t get any better.

Yeah, that has never happened to me. I do thank my lucky stars though for 2nd chances.

Or 3rd. But who’s counting anyway.

The point is right now I really don’t know if things could get better for my deepest sincere desire to love and be loved. I want to shout from the rooftop or write in the sky. I want to let the world know what she already does.

I am ridiculously, head over heels, shamelessly in love.

There isn’t a day that goes by that I’m not reminded of my own feelings. Even on our darkest days I can’t deny that I have never in my life had someone give me butterflies, even now, like I experienced day one with her.

There was a time I was absurdly sure we were not going to make it. I was broken in a way I have never felt. It didn’t take me long to realize that inability to walk away was the truest, most honest form of love. It was brutal.

We worked hard to work it out and I realized that I never wanted to let her go. I knew then that nothing would ever be stronger than we could be, together. I knew even in my bravest moment I am that much stronger with her at my side.

I was sure I had fallen in love a million times, it’s who I am.

I never knew though that real, true lasting love is a secret combination.

It’s not something for now, it’s not just a trend. It can not be defined in words and it changes as we grow. I have tried to figure it out, how it is that this feels so different. The recipe is still in the works. I know this for sure though; you need laughter, honesty, respect, patience, understanding and a healthy dose of lust for good measure.

I am incredibly lucky to have found this with her. Incredibly grateful she chose me, that she chose us.

She is my one. She is every love song ever played, every poem ever read and every promise ever whispered.

She is my idiotic bliss and I am forever grateful.