5 years ago today...

I married my true love.

In reflecting on my five years with Michael, I feel overwhelmed with gratitude.  Gratitude for his life, for his goodness.  

Michael is such a good man.  

I feel gratitude for the day we met, the day everything changed.  Gratitude for love, marriage, parenthood, and the incredible gift that is to share life together.  Gratitude for five years of marital bliss.

A little over five years ago, I remember wearing my engagement ring with so much excitement and anticipation.  I would stop throughout my day to admire it, while I was studying, dancing and everything else I did back then.  It wasn't the sparkly diamond that mattered, but rather the obvious symbol of his commitment.  This incredible man had chosen me to be his companion, and my ring announced it to the world.  It was hard to believe!

I eagerly listened to everyone dish out advice and share their stories about the difficulties of marriage and family life.  And sometimes they were right.  Marriage is definitely hard work.  But maybe they forgot, or maybe, like me, they did not know how to put it into words: 

nobody could prepare me for the 

intense love and

 joy that married life brings.

Five years ago, our wedding day was bursting with love and joy.  God poured His love down on us through the sacrament, the mass, our friends and family, and our joy of finally being together.  

And five years later, it just keeps getting better.

In five years, we've had two beautiful boys, bought two homes, and travelled to the other side of the world and back.  We've survive graduate school, pregnancy sickness and a great deal of sleep deprivation.  We've celebrated career promotions and birthdays, and said goodbye to a dear grandmother.  We've prayed together, laughed together, cried together and matured together.

I love you Michael.  

I am honored to be your wife, to share your name.  

I adore the children and the life we share together. 

I can't think of anything better than waking up next to you each day.

Happy Anniversary to the man of my dreams, my prince.  Thank you for joining me on this wild ride, and thank you for my happily-ever-after.

Here's to five more blissful years!!