Seven Years, Seven Amazing Years

7 years, 2,556 days, 61,361 hours, 3,681,641 minutes.  Seven years ago I was a young lady with butterflies in my stomach, intense excitement about the future and the unknown and had an amazing best friend that would soon be my husband.  Seven years ago I had no idea what it really meant to stand side-by-side with someone through the ups and downs of life.  Seven years ago I was unsure what it was to be a wife, to own a house, to have a pet that I actually had to take care of, to hold a "real" job, to have mail in the mailbox with my name on it and then to have to pay that 'mail' in the box, to cook dinner nightly, to have children, to raise children and to balance.  Seven years ago I was very naive, so young, so ambitious and so eager to get on with life.

So, in seven years what has happened?  I did marry my best friend who is still my best friend, confidant, safe place and best thing that I have going.  We have had some ups and downs.  There were times that we were unsure that all of our 'mail' would be paid at the end of the month and just how in the heck we were going to do it.  We have gone through career changes and times of uncertainty with work.  I think that I am growing and understanding more each day what it means to be a wife and I strive to be the best wife that I can be - supportive, loving, enduring, resilient, encouraging and always there.  We own a house, yep, we own it and it is all ours.  We actually have 4 pets now, 2 cats and 2 dogs.  A few fish here and there that now take up residence either in the sewer or heaven.  I have been at Google for seven years and I could write a book about what a 'real' job has come to mean.  We have enough mail weekly to grow a forest.  I try to cook dinner nightly, sometimes dinner is toast, but it is something in your belly.  And, we have multiplied we have two little cherubs that are amazing, simply amazing.  So, in seven years so much has happened, but most of all, in the last seven years I have learned what is truly important.  Family, immediate and extended is the most important thing to me and is what drives me daily.  My husband, kiddos, parents and in-laws are amazing.

Chad, you are amazing and have made these last seven years possible.  Thank you so much for the last seven years of patience, love, support, encouragement and just for being you.  For growing with me, for loving me and for being there day in and day out.  There is no way that I would make it through this crazy world without you by my side.  You are irreplaceable and I am forever grateful for all that you have brought to my life.  I love you and look forward to many, many more years in the future!