Blessed by love

On July 18, we celebrated one year of being married!  It's hard to believe that it's been a year since we committed to love each other through it all...

This year has been so full of change and love and celebration and getting to know each other as husband and wife.  I have learned a lot about James and come to realize that he is even more exceptional and kind and interesting and perfect for me than I could have imagined.  I know he has learned a lot about me as well and I'm hoping it's mostly good.  I know he loves me despite (because of? :) the rest, so I am just happy and grateful to have found the love of my life.

I was looking for quotes about marriage to describe how I feel about it since it's such an enormous, complicated idea to me.  I was completely surprised that most of the quotes I found were about choosing to be stuck with another person in misery for the rest of your life.  What???  Is that how most people see marriage?  I do know that it can be one of the saddest, most hurtful relationships if it's not taken care of protected by both spouses.  But I think the most precious thing I have learned this year is that finding someone who lifts me up and makes me happy and teaches me and makes the difficult conversations bearable is one of the most priceless gifts I've ever received.  I love James and the blessing of our marriage is the sweetest thing I know.

To celebrate this year, we went to a movie and dinner and then took Ethie to a play.  It wasn't the most exciting date in the world, but I was completely happy to just be with my honey.  He showed up looking so handsome and brought me sweet gifts, like always, and I couldn't have loved him more.  Thank you sweet!

And actually, we have done some pretty great things since getting together two years ago!  This is the first picture we have of the two of us, taken on a camping trip right after our first date in March 2008...  

We love going to concerts, since we have the same great taste in music! :)  Here at Avett Bros...

Lots of fun stuff with the singles ward, which is, after all, how we met in the first place!  Caving...

Hiking Blood Mountain...

And getting to know each other's families.  Camping with my fam...

Hot Springs, AK with James' family...

And spending time just the 3 of us!  At the GA aquarium...

At the beach in FL...

Playing in the leaves...

And of course, just the 2 of us!  In Savannah, GA...

Hiking Stone Mt...

Christmas at Atlantic Station...

Road trip to Ohio...

And of course, the magical night James proposed to me!  April 2009...

I LOVE YOU SWEETHEART!!!  Thank you for a beautiful year!