9 years

Nine years ago today, I married the most wonderful man in the whole entire world.

I can't believe that it's already been nine years.

Nine sounds like such a big and far-off number.

But it's true.

And I can prove it.

2011 - 2002 = 9

or...

2002 + 9 = 2011

(Bam!)

Our wedding day, December 14th, 2002:

First anniversary (England):

Second anniversary (Bergen, Norway): 

Third anniversary (Manila, Philippines):

Fourth anniversary (north of Manila, Philippines):

Fifth anniversary (north of Manila, Philippines):

Sixth anniversary (farther north of Manila, Philippines)

Seventh anniversary (Florida):

Eighth anniversary (the island, Norway):

Ninth anniversary (the island, Norway):

Wow.

Saying that we've been married for 9 whole years sounds like such an impossibly large number, but when I look back at these pictures and all the places we've been and at our two beautiful babies who are now so very, very big (and when I recall my amazing math skills proving that it has indeed been 9 years), it suddenly feels like waaaaay more than just 9 years since we were those two young kids in our wedding pictures.

I thought I loved Markus on the day we said "I do." And I know that I must have, because I followed him across an ocean (and then another one...and then another one...and then another one...and then another one...you get the point...) and boy, what an incredible time it's been.

But when I look back at our wedding pictures, I realize how different our love was on that chilly December day when we promised ourselves to each other.

And then as I look at these pictures of us through the years, hundreds of memories come crashing back...memories of friends, family, the smell of our newborn babies, happy nights spent at home with our little family, difficult times of homesickness, challenging times of learning how to (and how NOT to) communicate with each other, times of spiritual growth and times where we've needed to point each other back to our Heavenly Father, times of grave sickness and serious injury, times of carefree fun and adventure, and the oh-so-many times we've packed, said our good-byes, and moved.

And that's what's so amazing about marriage. It's not that I love Markus more today than I did 9 years ago on our wedding day, but through all the experiences of the last 9 years, our love has deepened and grown and shaped us into who we as a couple are today. And it is all by the grace of our Heavenly Father...without Him, we wouldn't be here today. 

So here we go into our 10th year of marriage! We have no idea what the coming year will hold for our family, but we know that our lives and our tomorrows are in the hands of our loving Savior who daily reminds us of what Love really is.

(I love you, Markus...if you are even reading this. :-) Thank you for your love, example, and for taking such good care of me all these years. Ha, "all these years." Now it's starting to sound like we're old. But then again, you are soon to be 35 and well on your way to 40, so I guess you are technically getting up there in years...)

-Sarah-