Nathan’s Daily Grind

Today marks the 9 year anniversary of Alicea and I getting married.  Wow – 9 years.  We’ve known each other since September 1992, and have been dating/engaged/married for all of that except 3 years.  9 years married, 17 years in each other’s lives.

I wouldn’t trade it for anything.  How lucky am I to wake up every morning next to my best friend in the whole world?  My soul mate?  My partner in trying to do the right things in raising our daughter?

9 years since saying “I do” on a perfect Spring night in Charlotte, NC.  9 years since one of the happiest days of my life – I’m still on cloud 9 (ha!) every time I even think about that day.

We were talking about it last night, and these past 9 years have gone by so fast, and at the same time we’ve done and been through so much. 

• An awesome honeymoon in Charleston, SC
• Starting our post-college lives and careers in Charlotte, only to get moved 3000 miles away at the drop of a hat
• Cross-country drive (arriving in Seattle for our 1st anniversary)
• Finding the perfect church on a whim on day
• 10 day road trip to California and back on US-101
• Buying a house when we never thought we could (we got our mortgage rate locked 2 weeks before they bottomed out!)
• Finding out we were pregnant on on your birthday
• Flying to the top of a snow-capped mountain in a helicopter
• Having to go to the hospital a few weeks later for “some testing”
• Having Kaitlyn born 3 days later; 5 weeks in NICU for her and over a week in the hospital for you
• Getting to celebrate a “0th birthday party” because KC was home a month before her original due date
• Spending a week on Maui while Grandma watch Kaitlyn for us (we TOTALLY need to go back!)
• Raising a healthy and beautiful 4 year old daughter
• Getting to spend each day knowing we have each other to come home to, rely on, vent at, care for us when we’re ill, and make us laugh.

9 has always been my number – I was born 9 pounds 9 ounces on the 9th day of the 9th month.  I don’t buy into superstition too much, but I’m betting that this is going to be a pretty awesome year none the less. 

Here’s to you hon.  Thanks for being there every day.  Thanks for being my best friend.  Thanks for being the love of my life.  We’re still smiling!