two whole years.

i've known clint since 1998. it seems like we've known each other forever.

our first date wasn't until 2002. december sixth, 2002. it was a dental school dance. a christmas dance.

i've blogged about it before, but i knew i would marry him that night. after the dance. after everyone was gone. it was just me and him. we were sitting on his bed. in his apartment. and he asked me what i had on my subway sandwich. i laughed and asked why he cared. and he said, "because i want to know what to order for you next time."

i said, (and i quote), "i'm going to marry you."

amazingly, he didn't run away. screaming.

that night, i told him everything about me.

all the good. all the bad. all the ugly.

i never wanted to have secrets from him. and i knew that i was about to fall hard and fast...and i wanted it all out in the open.

we married five years later. on a warm day in south arkansas. it rained the night before. but our indian friend vernon did an anti-rain dance that morning at our wedding brunch. i'm fairly certain he's the reason it didn't rain during the reception.

i wouldn't change anything about the past two years. not a single thing.

this past year has been hard. so many things have changed. but as the saying goes, "what doesn't kill us...only makes us stronger."

and i'd be silly to think that we've made it through on our own. not hardly.

it's been our families. our friends. our church group. and prayer. lots of pyer. and lots of listening. and forgiving. and understanding. lots of putting yourself second...and someone else first.

most of all, it's been because i married someone who loves me...and has continued to put me first. and that's not always easy.

so clint, thank you for choosing me as your wife. thank you for loving me always. even when i'm unlovable.

thank you for putting God first. for being an example to me. for worrying about being an example for pratt. thank you for understanding that it's not always about figuring out why i'm the way i am...instead, it's about loving me regardless.

thank you for working hard. for saving, for budgetting. you know that if it were up to me, we'd be in a box down by the river. thank you for the money at the end of the month when i almost always come up short. :)

thank you for ALWAYS hugging me when you come in the door. for always throwing away those q-tips that don't quite make it to the trash. thank you for keeping my tampons in your glovebox. thank you for always leaving the last bit of milk for me...and for my cereal.

thank you for being exactly what i need. exactly what i dreamed about when i was a little girl.

happy, happy two years.