It's My Aluminum Wedding Anniversary!

I've been married for ten years as of today! Count 'em with me...1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10!

I won't get all cliche and say that it seems like only yesterday that Damon and I got married. In fact, it seems longer than 10 years. Maybe it's because we were together for five years (with a pause in the middle) before we got married. All I know is that this is forever. What God has joined together, let no man put asunder. Join me as I take a take a trip down memory lane...

...to when Damon and I first met. I was living in a scholarship house off-campus (a co-op for nerdy, nerds). He was friends with one of my roommates. He came over to hangout. I liked him immediately. After he left I asked her about his "situation." She said she didn't think he had a girlfriend, but would find out. I badgered her for two days until she finally admitted that she talked to him but that he was not interested because he thought light-skin girls were stuck up. I looked up his phone number and called his dorm. He barely answered the phone before I launched into a tirade of who-do-you-think-you are-to-judge-me-you-don't-even-know-me-where-do-you-get-off? Somehow he managed to get a word in edgewise (a talent he skillfully employs to this day) and asked where I got the idea that he didn't like me because I was light-skinned? I told him my roommate said so. He said that was a lie and then asked me out. We've been inseparable ever since (except for that pause). Interestingly, we stayed friends with my former roommate and even visited her in Zurich when we went traveling through Europe two summers ago.

...to the first time he told me he loved me. We were at the movie theater watching some silly romantic-comedy. The lead actors were engaged in a heart-to-heart about sex before marriage. I turned to him and asked in a whisper if he thought we were sinning by having premarital sex. Without pausing, he said, "no, because I love you." just.like.that. He said it so casually, but with so much confidence that I was stunned into silence. My mind was screaming HE LOVES ME!

...to our disastrous first engagement. Senior year was drawing to a close. My mind was preoccupied with the big question. Not THAT question. I was wondering what would become of us after graduation. I wanted to know where we stood. We had an argument, he came back with a ring, I stupidly said yes. A week later, he admitted it was a mistake. The ring went back to the jewelry store, and I was left humiliated and heartbroken. He went to Atlanta alone. It took almost two years to find our way back to each other. Along the way, many lessons were learned. The most important being that we belonged together.

...to our wedding day. I was annoyed because no one seemed to be acting like it was MY wedding day. His cousin woke me up early that morning to inform me that he missed his flight (so?! was my reply). My bridesmaids were crowding my dressing room and hogging my make-up artist and hair stylist. As I was getting ready I kept kicking myself for not taking Damon up on his offer to elope while we were in Vegas. When I finally started walking up the aisle I saw him standing at the front of the church and everyone else ceased to exist. That's when I realized that from then on it was just me and him.

...to when we became parents. 11 months ago on the same date (Marlie was born on August 15), we welcomed our baby girl into our lives. I didn't think it was possible to love my husband any more, until I saw him become a father. When I see the two of them together my heart swells to the point where it feels like it will burst. Before Marlie it felt like we were one, but now it feels like we are a family.

I am excited to see what will the next decade will bring!