15 years

Today I am feeling a little sappy and reminiscent. 15 years ago on a cold Michigan winter day, the Saturday before Christmas, I married my best friend. We had a morning wedding, followed by a brunch in the church gymnasium, and then family Christmas at my parent's house. We were poor college students, one of us getting ready to finish nursing school and one of us getting ready to start medical school. I looked through old pictures today. Wow, do I ever love looking through old pictures. They left me feeling a little old (who is that girl in some of those pics?), sometimes a little sad (did we enjoy those years like we should have, young and free, or did we work too hard and too much??), a little amused (oh, the hairstyles…), but mostly, above everything else, I feel so utterly GRATEFUL. Grateful for all the growing up we have done over the past 23 years (yup, you read that correctly), together. Experiencing successes and failures and joy and grief and elation and frustration, together. The laughter, the jokes, the looks, the plans. I wouldn't trade any of it. I am so thankful, David, that you have been my seat mate on this speedy roller coaster of life. Thank you for holding my hand through it all!

 (Yes, that is our high school graduation picture. 

We gave the graduation speech to our class, together.)