A decade of love

Ten years ago today, Kerrie and I started a journey – nay, an adventure – in life. We entered into a relationship, one stretched taut by long distance and by light communication and by youthful ignorance, both of us fully in love with the idea of being fully in love.

We built a life together through dorm rooms and pints of beer and travel and laughs and, yes, finally, a love that we truly understood. So eventually, it was bound to happen.

Four years ago today – the same day, six years later – we entered into the next part of life. As our pastor said, the two of us joined together as one in order to make a stronger two.

We know this because we watched our wedding video today. It was beautiful, not just because we were married and we love each other and all of that, but because of how idyllic it all was. The doves, the dinner and the escape, us driving away from the hubbub as fast as we could while our friends, family and peripheral attendees all celebrated our new life together.

It’s amazing to think back ten years ago. Did I ever think Kerrie and I would last through the summer, let alone through two colleges, several career changes and a grasping group of relatives. Did I ever think that we would be living back in Sioux Falls, loving life, enjoying every step of the way, living our dreams. Did I ever think we’d be getting ready to expand the family, by one, maybe more?

Who knows what I thought. It was so long ago. I was a different person, as was Kerrie. We’ve changed, helping each other through tough times and difficulties in order to mesh. To become that stronger two that was promised to us just four years ago.

Four years have passed since we locked hands and hearts and lips in front of a congregation of well-wishers. The numbers have decreased, but the love hasn’t. Our friends and family made the promise then to support us through everything, and they’re still going strong today. For that we thank them. Each and every one.

Especially those who didn’t make it past those four years, for whom life was tough, for whom time caught up, but not before allowing us to welcome them into our lives for just a slice of one of our greatest days. My grandfather was one of them; Kerrie’s father and aunt, as well. We’ve seen a parent of a friend leave us. And we’ve seen a friend of our parents go as well.

We miss them. We celebrate them. In fact, we celebrate everyone that was there, and those who weren’t, not yet in our lives or no longer close, but still instrumental in building the two bodies that came together just four years ago.

Ten years ago, I had no idea what was going to happen in my life.

Ten years ago, I had no idea things could be this good.