Lucky Girl

FOUR YEARS!!  Woohoo!!!!!!!!!!

(This is the year to give linens. I know you care.)

Sometimes I can't believe it's been so long.

Sometimes I doesn't seem likes it's been long enough.

Sometimes I need to say these things....

...things I love about my husband:

*He has an intensity about life and people that pushes me to look at and love things differently than I would on my own.

*He loves his family. Especially his brother.

*He loves my family.

*He can pick me up and twirl me around even when I feel like I weigh 1000 pounds.

*He loves math.  This means, I don't have to.

*He's neat and clean.  It may sound simple, but the good Lord knew I needed a man like this.

*His ability to grow a beard like nobody's business.  His ancestors were probably Vikings. or pirates. or lumberjacks. or grizzly bears.

*His laugh.  I LOVE his laugh.

*The diligence and determination he has for little things, like helping me fold clothes, or cook dinner, or using the sewing machine to sew a himself a new guitar strap.

*The joy he expresses over my cooking. Food in general, really.  He's like a kid in a candy shop. Every time.

*His love and appreciation for diversity....in people, music, food, etc.

* He's a great friend...you people know who you are.  He's touched a lot of lives in his few years of living.  He doesn't make friends to increase his facebook count (something that he doesn't even have).  If you want his friendship, you've got.  No holding back.  Just get ready.  He doesn't do "surface level".  It's not in his vocabulary.

*He's a geek.  "You wanna talk about our dish-washing schedule?  Let me make you a powerpoint."  "You wanna lock all the doors and windows?  I already did that.  And checked them, twice.  And I locked our friends in our car, and didn't even know it."

*He can stay up until the wee hours of the morning with anyone who's willing to dialogue about anything.

*He loves me to the core.  Do you know what that's like??  It's pretty upsetting when I really think about it.  Devastating, actually.  There's no love like the love of our Father, but Dustin does an overwhelming job of letting the Father's love spill out of him onto me.  My heart swells to almost bursting when I realize it.  How could I not love him back?  How could I do anything other than shower him with the same affection, exuberance of life, peace, patience, compassion, conviction, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control?

I could go on and on.  And on and on.  I know a lot of you could do the same about your spouse.

I'm a very lucky girl.  A very undeserving, lucky girl.

It's our four year anniversary today.  And I want to celebrate and let the whole world know...and remind myself....let's get real, I need the reminder....what a special, one-of-a-kind love that I have.

God has been so good.  So, so good.

Before we even spoke to one another, let alone, thought of each other in form...we weren't even friends. Circa 2004

One of the very first dates...don't we look so young?!  Circa 2005 

Christmas time.  Look at that baby face!  Circa 2005

Dating still....at a youth conference.  Circa 2006

Around the holidays...Circa 2006

Playing tennis with some buddies.  About to get hitched!  Circa 2007

Pretty sure we are engaged...but I can't remember.  Murder Mystery game at the Penlands.  So fun...Circa 2007??

October 13, 2007

The Island of Curaco...Honeymoon.  Circa 2007

San Jose, Costa Rica....Study Abroad trip.  Circa 2008

Philadelphia Blizzard.  Circa 2009

Philly Historic Adventure. Circa 2010

Burlington, Vermont.  Circa 2011

Baltimore, MD.  Circa 2011

Instead of letting my mind race with all of the reasons I don't deserve this love or life, I choose to celebrate it.  I have been given a good gift!  I can't erase all of the mistakes I've made, the things I've said wrong, the things I should have done but didn't or shouldn't have done but did.

But I can celebrate the good.  I can live in the present.  I can take advantage of what is happening...right now!

Four Years!!  And I am so in love.

Here's a snippet of a video that I forgot I had.  It's from last year's snowy winter....forgive me, it's a bit grainy.

I love you Dustin.

the rave