Eight Years Ago Today- Something Amazing Started

Eight hearts ago tonight I had my first date with this hot guy! 

I had gone on some dates in college, but hadn't had a "boyfriend" since once in middle school. He picked me up, took me to a nice dinner, then went and played games at Incredible Pizza, ate ice cream, and then since it wasn't quite curfew yet… we went to Wal-Mart (the only place left open). The date latest 5 hours! So I guess we were off to a good start. 

Three dates and one week later, I left to go home to Louisiana for Christmas break. Neither of us wanted to be apart for a month, so he drove down to see me. And on December 21st at the Louisiana Boardwalk (in the COLD weather!), he asked me to be his girlfriend.

One thing I won't ever forget was when he leaned in and started to say, "I love you." 

I stopped him. 

I could tell he was taken aback, but this was something very important to me. I knew too many people that threw those words around too flippantly and I wanted them to be real. So I said, "Don't say it unless you mean it."

A few weeks (or months) later, it all runs together these days, he said it again. But after he said it this time, he smiled and remarked, "I meant it the first time." : )

We were just babies!

Two years later, to the day, he got down on one knee in the exact same spot where he asked me to be his girlfriend, and asked me to be his wife.

Oddly enough neither of us realized it was the same day. I called a friend of mine to tell her the good news and somehow SHE remembered! Thanks Tasha : )

Eight months after I said, "Yes." We said, "I do."

Since then we've gone through our share of changes, but it's only getting better.

Three years after we got married, we had our first baby girl.

Almost exactly one year later, we adopted our second baby girl.

We've already had so many amazing adventures and we're just getting started. 

I couldn't ask for a better friend, husband or daddy to our little girls. I am constantly in awe of your patience, wisdom, work ethic and godliness. You are an amazing man and all of your girls are incredibly blessed.

I love that I get to do life with you, Baby. 

Eight years and counting.