A hair shy of a decade

Does it mean you are getting old when you start measuring the distance from a major life event in decades? Maybe, but since I can't yet quite do that, I guess I'm not old this year.
Today marks the ninth year since I married my best friend. Doesn't it make you want to puke a little bit when people say things like that? Yeah, me too. Nine years..seriously. When Paul reminded my dad of that fact last night, my dad found it hard to believe it's been that long. No one gave us more than 6 months to a year. Really. I was 19 and dumb; Paul was 21 and fresh off his mission. But, it's not like I was the first girl Paul saw when he got home...well, actually I might have been, but he saw me before his mission too. In fact, we saw an awful lot of each other almost from the time I was in diapers. Check out the little girl in the blue bathing suit. That would be me. And Paul is the cute little thing against the wall, licking the ice cream cone. I'm not sure how old I am in the picture, but I'm betting it was my brother Ben's 6th birthday, which would have made me two months shy of 4.
Wouldn't it be cute if we'd had a crush on each other ever since then? Well, we didn't. I'm much too insecure to post pictures of myself, for the whole blogosphere to see, from any of the years between that time and the year we got married, but suffice it to say that I wasn't very cute. Ha...I'm not sure if it was my chia-eyebrows or braces that attracted Paul, but he was clearly attracted, nonetheless.

And so, two weeks after the above photo was taken, we were married. And it's been pure bliss ever since then. Ok, maybe not. We've had our rough spots and our share of challenges (actually, really, very few), but they have added to the story and adventure. It's been a fun journey so far. We've experienced many great blessings, places, and events together.
In 9 years we have:
Moved cross-country 4 months after marriage, to a beautiful little place called Provo, UT. We lived in 2 different apartment complexes during our 3 year stay. I bet it's hard to believe we would ever have wanted to leave our first home:
Lived in 3 states and 6 different dwellings.
Graduated Paul from college, though it appears neither of us was too thrilled by that occasion.
Bought 2 houses.


Had 2 of the cutest babies this world has ever seen.
And much, much more.

It has definitely been an adventure and a journey well worth taking. I'm looking forward to whatever the next 9 years may bring and I know that whatever it is, I'll be experiencing it with my best friend. 9 years....I guess we've sure shown those doubters! I love you, Paul.