8 years

Eight years ago today, I married my high-school sweetheart.

The love of my life.

It just keeps getting better with every year.

If you keep up with my blog, you've already seen these new pictures of me and my hubby!

BUT, I love them, so I'll show them off again. 

If you want to see flashback pics of our wedding day, 

you can view last year's anniversary post

OR...

you can view our 6th anniversary post

This is the moment I fell in love with him all over again.....

I love you, Babe!

Happy EIGHT years...and here's to many, many more!

To celebrate, we're taking a weekend trip to Manhattan. 

Going to the K-State game with friends, and out in Aggieville!

We may be on the verge of 30 and 31...

married for eight years....

with a toddler...

but we're not old fogies yet!

We'll celebrate in the town that really tested our relationship.

Four years of long-distance love, but we made it!

And you would know you have my heart...

All of my life
I have dreamed
that somehow love would find me
now I can't believe you're standing here

If beauty is all
in the eye
of the beholder then I
wish you could see
the love for you that lives in me

And you would know you have my heart
If you could see, what I see
that a treasure's what you are
if you could see, what I see
Created to be
the only one for me
If you could see, what I see

I know there are days
when you feel
so much less than ideal
wondering what I see in you

It's all of the light
and the grace
your belief in me drives me to say
that I promise you
a faithful love, forever true

if you could see
then you'd understand
why I fall down to my knees
and I pray my love
will be worthy of
the one who gave His life
so our love could be

You're created to be
The perfect one for me
If you could see
What I see

if beauty is all
in the eye
of the beholder then I
am beholding...
true beauty

Seven years ago today, Justin and I were married in front of our friends and family. This beautiful Geoff Moore song played as we lit our unity candle. I wanted to do something special for this part of the cermony, so each of our guests was given their own candle when they came into the church. During the song, our candle-lighters lit the candles at the back of each side of the sanctuary. The guests passed the light, up and down the rows, until it reached our moms at the very front. It was so amazing for us to stand up there and watch the glow of the candles take over the sanctuary. And it was so symbolic to have the light that traveled through all our friends and family, be the light that we used for our unity candle.

Our usual anniversary tradition is to take a little weekend trip together. We've done it every year since we were married (1st-Oklahoma City, 2nd-Branson, 3rd-Tulsa, 4th-Manhattan, 5th-Branson, 6th-Branson). BUT, with my photography business booming this time of year, I WAY overbooked myself for the month. Next year I'll be sure to leave a weekend open for our trip! I did have Saturday night free though, so we celebrated with dinner out together. My mom was out of town visiting Mamo, so Papa (my dad) kept Barrett for us. Tonight, we'll probably pick up some $6 Gambino's 'beat the clock' pizza, and snuggle on the couch to watch Monday Night Football.

Happy Anniversary, Babe! It's hard to believe this all started at the mini-golf during the summer of 1995...now here we are 14 years later. We've been through so much together, and I love you more every single day. You are my best friend. Seeing you as a father, when our baby boy was born, made me fall in love with you all over again. Having our Little Bear has been the sweetest chapter yet! Thank you for always being so kind-hearted, encouraging, funny and supportive. You have my heart...I love you!

THIS is my man...

...created to be, the only one for me.

(and he will probably not like that I'm posting this picture...but I love it)