10 Years.....is just....

....amazing to me. Seems like forever ago, yet it seems like yesterday. Add it all up this far...4 different cities, countless different addresses, 5 deployments, 4 dogs, 2 cats, a few gold fish....and the most precious gift of 3 children...all squeezed into 10 "short" years. (Indulge me if you will..if not, you can stop reading now, I get kinda mushy! LOL)

Not many of our friends or family have even made it this far, with "normal" marriages (i.e. not military). Justin thanks me all the time for "putting up with it", but in all reality, I can't imagine my life being "normal". This is all I know, and as bad as I have wanted it, as hard as I have prayed for it, I can't even imagine what it would really be like, and I am not sure that I want to. A dear friend of mine, Moriah, once said to me...that we get the chance to miss each other and always be excited to see each other. To be honest, I think that's what has brought us to where we are today. If you haven't ever noticed, at the top of this blog is a quote from Sex in the City (ha! Jen!)...I believe that to my core. Every day....yes, EVERY DAY when I know I get to see him, I get butterflies...that's it right? I mean, if you don't have that, that excitement, then what else do you have? Ok, I am sure there are plenty of other reasons why marriages work...but that's probably one of the LARGEST points of mine. I get to miss him! I get to always need him. Oh please, it has not always been peaches and creme (my sister told me that), there have been occasions when I have WANTED him to get on a ship and leave for 6 months! GO AWAY PLEASE!! (Ang? Byrd? Can I get a "hell yea"?!)! LOL But, he's my best friend, my soft place to fall, and my biggest fan. I know that no matter what I say or do, he's on my side.

Justin, yea, I am saying this for the world to see....Thank YOU for everything that you have done for me and this family. I know that it hasn't always been easy on so many levels, but that what doesn't kill us.... God knew what he was doing. I love you more than YOU know, and I may not always be good at it, but to my core, there is no one else that I would rather go thru life with. Thank you. I love you. I can't wait to see what's in store for the next 10 years and beyond!

Lastly, Thank You to ALL of our family and friends....a few of you have been there since day one, and for you love and support we could not be more gracious. I'm sure plenty of you thought we were young and dumb, and were making a huge mistake. But something I have told Justin's mom before...I knew from "go" that I wanted to spend my life with Justin. That was never a doubt. When he said "leaving for the Navy"...I said "I love you! I'll be right here when you get back!" Cheesy? Yea of course, but hey...I was 20!! LOL Though the miles are long, you are never far from our thoughts. I only wish that you were all here with us today to celebrate this day with us!!

March 21, 1999 @ the JOP


Today

Happy Anniversary Babe!
xoxox