Oh How Time Flies..

....this time six years ago we were planning a surprise secret wedding. Our own! Six years ago on Christmas Eve night I broke down and told Javier that I didn't want a big wedding, that I just wanted to have something super tiny and just us, and oh, by the way, what are you doing on Saturday? Wanna get married? That was pretty much how it went down. The next day, we enjoyed Christmas as usual, and then on December 26th we went into super secret planning mode. On January 1, 2005, I married the love of my life in a secret wedding at our church. The seats were essentially empty apart from the few family members there. It was quiet, calm, and I am happy to say that instead of being overwhelmed by the idea of hundreds of guests and who sits by who and who is wearing what....I am able to remember every detail of that day and cherish the fact that it was intimate, special and just between us. Fast forward six years and I am so happy with our decision still. I have never for a moment regretted how we were married. After all, it is the marriage that is the important part, not the wedding. :)

Fast forward six years and we are new parents. We have a daughter who is growing by leaps and bounds and shows a little bit more of her (feisty) personality each day. She makes our lives so much richer by just being in them. We have each other to lean on, to embrace, to laugh with and cry with, and we are certainly stronger together than apart. We live near family and are blessed to see them as often as we wish. We have a house that we are comfortable in and that meets the needs of our recently expanded family. We have three furry kids that we love with all of our hearts and that bring us joy every day. We wouldn't be where we are without each other. I wouldn't be the person that I am without my husband. He is my anchor, my rock, he is my compass when I am not sure what to do or where to go next. I love him more today than I ever have and I know I will say that again tomorrow, and the next day, and another six or even sixty years from now. What a life I have to look forward to with him standing next to me.

Javier, honey, for all of the good times and all of the hard times, the times we have laughed, cried, and laughed until we cried, you have not wavered in your love and support. And I love you more than you will ever know. Happy Anniversary!!!