So, for this week, Allan got involved in my self portrait photos, and made sure that I got a photo of the two of us together. So, I thought I'd include a photo of us, 10 years ago, on our wedding day, and 10 years later:
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| 10 years ago, at the St. George Temple |
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| 10 years later! |
I have known Allan for almost 13 years.....gosh that seems like a long time! Our relationship has always been funny, quirky, supportive, challenging (in a good way, as well as bad), loving, friendly and an adventure. My husband has helped me grow, and pushed me into becoming the woman that I am today. He is my biggest cheerleader, my biggest supporter, and the person who challenges to always be better than I think I can be. He challenges my thinking, he pushes me to be more, he isn't afraid to argue with me, and say it like it is, he is strong, he is the smartest person I know, he is an amazing father, and the best husband I could ever ask for.
When I first met him, he was afraid to ask me out. He was our IT guy, in the law firm I worked for, and I was the receptionist. He had only been back from his mission in Taiwan for 3 months, and I was just getting active in church again. He was afraid to ask me out, and he kept flirting, but not just asking me out. So, one day, I lied to him, and told him that my computer was broken (it wasn't, HA!), and I wondered if he would come over and fix it. He agreed! We talked online for a few nights, and finally we arranged a date! Our first date was a disaster, but fitting for us. HA! He said he would be at my house by a certain time. When he still hadn't shown up, almost 45 minutes later, I assumed I was being stood up, and I was LIVID! So, my friend came over, and we went to Walmart.....because that's what you do when you're mad, I guess. HA! While I was at Walmart, I hear my name being spoken over the loud speaker, but I didn't come, because, who would be paging ME at Walmart. I assumed it was some other Laurie. Well, I got a phone call a little bit later, and it was Allan. He told me that he showed up at what he thought was my house, and it turns out that it was the wrong one. He had forgotten my address at home, and the directions. So he told me that he stopped at a Pizza Hut, to use their maps. He recognized a street that he was sure was mine (Glistening Rush). He said he knocked on my door, and no one answered. He even asked the guy sitting out front of the neighbors house if a girl about 20 or so, that drove a truck, lived there. The neighbor confirmed! HAHA! So, Allan left a note for me, and the flowers he brought for me, on their doorstep, and left. He knew I was goign to go to Walmart, because I told him I needed to, so he paged me at Walmart (which I didn't answer).Then he called my boss to get my phone number. That's how he was calling me. HA! I couldn't be mad at him, since he clearly went to all of that trouble to find me. He met me at Walmart for a few minutes, and then followed us back to my house, where we sat outside for 20 minutes talking. I was in love from that night on.
Things sure have changed since this relationship started, but one thing I can always count on is that Allan always loves me more than anything. We have been through the ringer, in regards to hard things. We have been through multiple miscarriages, loss of lives, lots of children, financial issues, extended family issues, lots of moves, mental and physical illness and tons of job changes. However, the constant is our love and commitment for each other. We truly love each other, and enjoy being around each other. We both appreciate what the other does, and how we each contribute to the relationship, and what we have to give. We love each others strengths, and weaknesses. We are patient with each other (he is way more patient than I am!), we try hard to be kind to each other, we try to keep laughing through the hard stuff, and we try to love hard through the good times.
When I look at those 2 people, those 2 kids, who were starting their lives together 10 years ago today, they had no idea what was in store for them. They had no idea what challenges were ahead of them, but they knew that if they could conquer those challenges, it would be so worth it. Those two kids loved each other so much then, but now, those 2 kids love each other so much deeper than they ever have. I was proud of the man that I was marrying then, and that has never changed. He always tells me that I was out of his league, and still am. Honestly, I feel that he was, and still is, out of my league.
For our anniversary, Allan has been out of town for the last few years, so this year, we decided to go out last weekend to celebrate, but we did it in a different way. We didn't go to an expensive restraunt, go see a movie, dance the night away, or get a hotel room. We spent a few hours at the Neon Boneyard Museum, looking at really neat neon signs that his grandfather made. Allan wanted to go there, because of the family history tie in, because neither of us had ever been there, and always wanted to go, but also because he knew that I wanted to photograph there so badly. I'm pretty sure he loved sitting back and watching his wife get excited about photographing lightbulbs, and signs. He loved watching her jump around, and clap like an idiot, because she couldn't contain her excitement after getting a killer shot. And I couldn't stop smiling, while watching him be so happy watching me.
After that, we went to a place called "The Goodwich". It is, literally, a sandwich stand on the corner of Wyoming and Las Vegas Boulevard. It's a new local place here in town, and we were both so excited to try it out! So, we ate our AMAZING sandwiches, sitting on the corner, across the street from a strip club, talking to a homeless man, who we later bought 2 grilled cheese sandwiches and a water for. Afterwards, we we went to Luv-It's Frozen Custard, and sat in our car, eating custard. LOL! To some, spending the evening looking at old signs, sitting on the corner of a really bad neighborhood, eating sandwiches with a homeless man, and sitting in your car eating ice cream, isn't the finest way to spend such a special anniversary........but for us, it was perfect!!! I thought it was the most romantic, thoughtful date we have ever been on! I loved every minute of it, and I couldn't have been happier, or more excited!
My husband is the most amazing, kind hearted, caring, loving, smart, handsome, funny person in the world, and I was lucky enough to lie my way into his life, and then never let go.....even when he tried to get rid of me. LOL! That is one time in his life that he is happy for my stubbornness. HAHAHA!
I love you honey. Thank you for always seeing the best in me. Thank you for always seeing the kind of woman that I could be, and knowing what kind of wife and mother I wanted to be, and helping me to achieve that. Thank you for making me feel like the most beautiful, smartest, funniest, sexiest woman in the world. Thank you for sacrificing so much for our family. Thank you, most of all, for just loving me, for who I am. I am excited to see what new adventures await us in the next 10 years, and I'm grateful to have such an amazing man be my partner in the upcoming years. You have held me through the hard times, and helped me laugh through them all, and you have been by my side through the happy times, and......well, helped me laugh through those too. Thank you for making me the happiest woman around!
By the way, now that we've made it through the 7 year itch unscathed, and now double digits, I'm not sure what to look forward to, from here!? I say we do what we wanted to do when we first got married. Get divorced, and then remarried so we can get more gifts! You said we needed a new toaster, and I have some dishes that I've been eyeing. Eh?!
Happy Anniversary love!!! Here's to lots more love, even more fun, and tons more laughter! I love you!
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