Mi Amor

"It's kind of hard to write to someone I may not even know yet, but I just want to say that even if I don't know your face, I think about you often and the happiness we will share. I can't wait to share our life together." - Adrian Hager

I am getting nostalgic as my husband and I embark on our 7th anniversary.
I went to my bookshelf and pulled out the journal to the man who would one day be my future husband -- even before I knew who he was. Weird, right? Who writes in paper journals anymore? 
 I guess I can be romantic at times.
I always envisioned having the journal sent to his dressing room while we were getting ready for our wedding. I wanted him to know that I did not tread lightly on my decision to give my heart to him forever. It is something that I have been praying about for long before we ever met.
 
 I began looking through entries one night after the kids were in bed -- I laughed, I cried and I questioned some decisions my 20-year-old self thought she knew about love and life.
 
I began looking at the entries a few months before I met Chuck and this excerpt from January, 2004 made me laugh.

Jan. 21, 2004

"... It's not up to me when and how I meet you, so I guess I will be patient and wait."

Little did I know I would be meeting my husband in exactly one month from that entry. We met at a pool hall on a whim. As soon as I saw him, I was smitten. When I heard him sing, I cannot confirm nor deny that I floated of the ground for a few seconds while little cartoon hearts hovered above my head.

March 8, 2004

"Well I finally met a 'potential guy.' We have been hanging out a lot lately. Who knows. But the good thing is it is a step in the right direction ... I am really happy right now, and it has been a really long time since I have been happy.

The entry above was four days before our first official date. We had previously been hanging out with friends and such, but nothing serious. But since March, 12 2004, we've been inseparable.

July 25, 2005

"It's kinda funny, one of my last entries was about a 'potential guy' and he is now going to be my future husband. I now have a name to write in this book."

Chuck asked me to marry him on the 4th of July under fireworks. I like to think of it as "our holiday." It was amazing. He worked so hard setting up the perfect proposal, which included the grand finale to go off as soon as I said yes.

Sept. 1, 2005

"Sometimes it scares me  how much I love you! I've never felt this way about someone and I never will again ... I found my dress and I can't wait to see the look on your face when you see me."

The wedding started to get real once I had my dress. As soon as my mom saw me in it, she began to cry. That may be the universal sign that it is the right dress.

June 17, 2006

"Well today I am going to become your wife. I love it! I can't wait to hear you sing to me. You're going to do great. I am going to wake up tomorrow as your wife! I can't wait! We're going to be married in three hours! Love, Ader

It was such an amazing day. Not everything went as planned - some of the wedding party showed up really late, the flowers for my bouquets got ruined when someone decided to put them in the back of a truck to drive them to the church an I had to find my "something barrowed" about three minutes before I walked down the aisle. But at the end of the day, I was marrying my best friend. A man that I couldn't imagine loving anymore than I did on that day.
Well, I was wrong.
It's seven years later, my love for him has grown immensely. He has seen me at my best and has loved me fiercely. But, he has also been there for my "not so pretty" moments and has loved me just the same.
This whole marriage thing is just getting better with time. It isn't always fun. And sometimes things are tough, but I couldn't imagine walking through this crazy life with a better partner than the one I have!