Ringing it in...

I've mentioned before that from the moment we met, we were attached at the hip. Pretty much literally. There really wasn't much of an in between once we met, from strangers to sealed, really. In fact, in the beginning, we'd always round up to try and make ourselves seem less silly for being so crazy in love in such a short amount of time. See, knowing each other for three days before I take a day trip home from college with him to meet the parents is almost a week, and a week can kind of be rounded to almost a month, and a month isn't TOO terribly short to be meeting the fam... And yes, let's be honest, there are times that the seven years we've now been together seem like fifty in a monotonous, meaningless, hopeless sort of way. Not going to lie. In fact, before our sushi last night, pretty sure we sat in the car for thirty minutes in a heated conversation nay-saying about the seemingly mistakes we've made with our lives. But truly, when I get a grip on my perspective, I realize how truly blessed I am to marry a man who sings in the shower with nonsense phrases interjected into the latest hip-hop number to personalize his serenade. A man who pops a squat on Ellie's new potty chair in the bathroom because she's a little frightened of it and wants to show her just how cool it is to be a big kid. A man who is just as cool with chilling on the couch under a blanket, frozen pizza and reruns of The Office or vying for the role of life of the party at some sort of hangout. In fact, watching the couples kiss last night at midnight was a reminder to me to remember the things that made me fall in love.







Because, truly, my man still makes my heart beat faster. And if the trash doesn't get taken out for a week...yes...that happened at our house this week...life goes on. And if the laundry's been sitting in the dryer for two days now...well, I'll run it through again, I guess. But I'd rather choose to be in love. And goodness knows there have been issues, real problems, major tears shed over bigger disagreements than weekly chores, or unevenly distributed responsibilities, and I'm sure we've only just begun the heartache that marriage, at times, can mean. It's inevitable. But, today, I'm inspired to guard my marriage. I once heard Song of Solomon 2:15 "Catch for us the little foxes that ruin our vineyard, for our vineyard is in bloom" interpreted to mean guarding the love in your life from the little things that continually chip away at the romance, the appreciation, the dedication that marriage must contain in order to bloom. I've got a long way to go in this...


But life's so much better in each other's arms.

And with this thankfulness for the man who has completed my life, been the iron that sharpens me each and every day, in good times and in bad, I start 2011. It's going to be a good year.

Full of babies.


But it sure was a good night ringing it all in.

Games.


Good Food.


Dancing.

Yes, married people still can bust a move.




My brother-in-law bustin' a move.

Even a megaphone. A necessity with our group of friends.


Dueling photographers.

Audrey wins though. Hands down, every time. For proof check out her blog on the side of the page - baker estate. She's pretty much too cool for school.


Cheers...




To the year ahead.


And the love ahead. (Picture compliments of the former mentioned Audrey Baker)