The Best Decade?

Next week marks Derek and my Tenth Anniversary.  Wow!  Ten years!  This decade has been probably the most life-changing for me.  Derek and I have experienced so many firsts together in these past ten years.  We have been through some of the lowest-lows, but also seen some of the best of the best.  When I look back on my life, I know that these past 10 years will be among the most memorable ones.  Let's take a walk down memory lane, won't you?

1st Anniversary....Heading out to Second Empire.

So the honeymoon phase ended very abruptly for us.  It was over as soon as we returned from Bermuda.  Derek's brother had been killed while we were gone and with him died all my dreams about future large family get-togethers and the possibility of becoming an aunt one day.  Being an only child, I was very excited about having a brother-in-law and felt like I was robbed of this all too soon.  It was a hard loss for all of us.  Sean's death was the first of 4  significant deaths that would come during this decade.  It's hard to believe that Sean has been gone for 10 years.  I know he would adore his nephews and they would love him too.

We celebrated our 1st anniversary in the traditional sense by eating the top layer of our wedding cake.  It was delicious!  Just as good as one year earlier.  We also put flowers in the Nashville church to celebrate.  They were similar to our wedding flowers (just missing the blue hydrangeas)

Looking back on these early years (pre-kids) it's hard to remember what our daily lives were like.  All I can say is that I must have wasted a lot of time because I still have the same mundane tasks of cooking, cleaning, organizing, but now it's time six and I still manage to get it all done (mostly).

For our Second anniversary (2006) we took the family out to Second Empire to celebrate.

We had a lot to celebrate because we were expecting baby #1

We were continuing to grow and change, but one of the biggest blessings to our lives wouldn't arrive until next year.  April 3rd to be exact.

Our 3rd Anniversary was celebrated at Second Empire, since it had become tradition.

I was still exclusively nursing this little guy (Chandler), so I think we ended up having to cut the night short, so I could get home.  

By our 4th Anniversary, we were about ready to have baby #2.

Earlier that year (2008), Derek's Dad unexpectedly passed away.  We had just given him the news only days earlier that we were expecting.  God's timing on this was incredible and I'm so grateful we got to share that with him before he passed.  

4th Wedding Anniversary Present to each other

Our 5th Anniversary was celebrated in style.  We reserved the "chef's table" at Second Empire and had a 5 course meal specially cooked for us, each paired with a wine.  It was amazing.  Not romantic at all (you are dining in a bright, loud kitchen) but definitely a fun, memorable experience.  

By our 5th anniversary, our house looked like this:

Two little boys had arrived and had stolen the show and our hearts.

By our 6th Anniversary, we were expecting again.

That year also brought another death.  My uncle, Dennis Seagle, tragically passed away on 12/26.  It was the result of an accident, so nobody was prepared for this loss.  My boys had grown close to him on our yearly visits to their mountain home and I again felt like we were losing out on another person that would help shape their lives for the better.  

The next year (2011) was a very hard year for me.  I experienced the joy of my 3rd son, closely followed by the hardest death I have dealt with so far of my beloved grandmother.  Dealing with three young boys and the emotional roller coaster I was experiencing was a very rocky road.  We re-homed our parrot, Connor.  I had to take drastic steps to simplify my life because it was all I could do to keep my head above water.  I was struggling.

We went out to Second Empire again (probably early) since for our actual anniversary, Derek was traveling.  He had not done much of any traveling during our marriage, but now with me to care for three little ones, he started.  His travel has been increasing ever since...

2012 was another banner year for us.  With our ever-growing family we decided to expand our 

1300 sq foot home.  We went from this:

To this:

We added about 800-900 sq feet and I think we just exploded into it.  How all 5 of us were living in that little space, I will never know.  It was a good thing too, since baby # 4 was on the way!

In addition to going to Second Empire, Derek and I took a long weekend and went to the mountains of NC.  It was the first time EVER that we had been away from any of the kids, so it was well deserved and needed.  We stayed at a lovely B&B and had a wonderful time.  

We even managed to take in a hot-air balloon ride!

For our 9th Wedding Anniversary, we went to Second Empire.  It was just nice to have a night out away from the business of our normal family dinners.

Who knows what this next decade will bring?  

I know we will continually face challenges, but with Derek by my side, I can get through them.  He is the most loving, supportive husband I could ever ask for.  We may not always agree on everything, but I can count on him for the big things.  Hopefully the next decade will have its fair share of ups in it too.  I'm so lucky and blessed to be living this life.  

Sweetie, won't you grow old with me?  

The best is yet to be...