Happy Anniversary!

Six years...not long, yet so much has happened.  I think I said this last year, but when I think about how much has happened, it doesn't seem like it could all fit into 6 years.

If you're really bored, you can see last year's post here.  My list of what we'd done in the last five years (at the time) looked like this:

• three beautiful daughters
• I have had 2 jobs and Braden has had 7 or 8
• lived in 5 different homes in two different states
• started, opened, ran, and closed a business
• held dozens of callings
• had 3 cars (two of which we still have)
• had 5 pets (all fish, three of which lasted 12 hours total)
• grown 2 gardens, producing very little
• traveled to 6 states
• made incredible friends we hate to part with

This year, our list reads:
 

• three beautiful daughters
• me-2 jobs, Braden-10 jobs
• lived in 6 different homes in three states
• started, opened, ran, and closed a business
• held dozens of callings (including 3 current ones for Braden and one for me)
• had 3 cars (one of which we still have...looking for a second one)
• had 5 pets...and 4 mice in our house (that we've found)
• grown 3 gardens, producing the most this year--we went from too dry to too wet, though
• traveled to 10 states
• parted with incredible friends and have made new ones
• decided what we want to be when we grow up...finally
• started a new job
• started a new degree
• moved across the country
• experienced fall for the first time in 5 autumns
• actually broke the $40K mark for income...for about a month
• started paying off our business debt
• sold our home
• started an online business (mine) which has actually been doing well
• potty trained the untrainable child
• spent 15 nights apart...7 of which were in the last month
• strengthen our marriage and relationship daily

There's so much more that can be put on that list, but its hard to put into words how much we've learned and grown in the last 6 years.  These have been very hard years.  And there's no guarantee that they're going to get easier.  But while I wish we were in a different point in life after 6 years, I'd never trade the trials and struggles we've gone thru.  We are constantly being refined and I'm grateful that we're doing it together.

I'm so grateful for the man Braden is and who he is becoming each day.  I love watching him excel in his work.  It is fun for me to know that he is always performing the best on his teams.  I love that he starts a new job and within a short amount of time is outshining people who have been there for years.  I love that his brain works in a way that makes life easier.  He has great ideas and also supports me in my great ideas.  I love that he tries so hard to make me happy and does so well with the girls.  I know I need to be better to him and not let life get me frustrated.  I love spending time with him and miss him every day when he's at work.  I'm amazed at how our relationship and love has changed, how it is so much more, so much deeper than it was when we were dating and "so in love".  And I'm excited to watch it change over the next 6 years.

Happy Anniversary, Braden.  I love you!