Three years ago, we woke up early together and met our friends for coffee and breakfast.
I had my last single girl kiss, and we went our separate ways to prepare for the day.
I spent hours getting ready and wrapping up last minute things, like writing my vows, with butterflies in my stomach.
I met him at the end of the aisle, where we exchanged vows in front our friends and family.
We cried. Our friends cried. Our families cried. It was EMOTIONAL.
We ate amazing food and sipped tasty champagne cocktails.
We danced the night away to Motown jams, smoked cigars, and ran barefoot through the street.
August 4, 2012 was one of the most beautiful, emotional, and exciting days of my life. I wouldn’t change one detail of it if I could. I wish I could relive it over and over again.
Before we got married, we were told by several married couples that things would change and that marriage is hard. They weren’t complaining or regretting their marriages at all, they were just trying to warn us about how our relationship would evolve. We didn’t understand. We had lived together for two years before getting married {since getting engaged}, and we couldn’t imagine how things could really be that different. People told us that it didn’t matter, marriage would still have a way of changing things – we would argue about the little things more often, be more needy, and have higher expectations of each other.
For us, it wasn’t true. I can honestly say that not one thing changed in our relationship when we got married. The first two years were really easy. This last year, since Ellie was born, things have been a little more difficult. The lack of sleep, extra chores around the house, and lack of attention for each other and time together has taken its toll on our relationship at times. We’ve had to work at being patient and understanding with each other. But our relationship has also evolved into something greater. Learning to work together to care for a baby has strengthened us and taught us patience. We’ve learned to carve out time to be alone with each other {even if it’s not as much as we like}, while also being ok with giving each other free time, even if that means that we don’t have any one-on-one time together some days. Although this journey into parenthood has been hard on us at times, it has been amazing watching Dan become a father and having him by my side to support me as I navigate motherhood.
He’s the most handsome, ridiculous {in a good way!}, and intelligent person I know, and our personalities compliment each other perfectly. Even the worst days with him are better than a day without him. I am so thankful that he is mine.
{photos by Anda Marie Photography}
the pios 