10 years

Ten years ago, Brad and I were married! 

I am still amazed at how we were brought together.  We met through the internet on a website called LDS Singles Online.  My roommates and I had joined it over the summer and had been on a lot of fun dates, but none of us met anyone that we were super excited about.  Then about a week before my "free trial" was going to end, I got an email from Brad.  He told me he was from California, but that he wanted to move up to Utah and was looking for a good place to live in Salt Lake and asked my advice.  I obliged him and even looked at the roommate board at the Institute for him...after a few back and forth emails, we decided to chat on AOL Instant Messenger.  During our conversations we both quoted a few Adam Sandler movies...and I know this is so cheesy, but that was what really hooked me and made me want to know more about him!  It was a really stupid thing that we had in common, but it worked.  :)  (Stop looking at me SWAN!)

It all began at the end of August 2001...then we spent hours (added up probably equaled DAYS) on the phone...and I flew to California to meet him at the end of September, a month after the first email.  I will never forget how nervous I felt...I was already 99% sure I wanted to marry him (even though I had NEVER met him in person)...   As I came down the escalator at the airport, I spotted him at the bottom waiting for me.  We made eye contact and as cheesy and dramatic as it sounds, the instant I saw him I knew I would marry him.  I was shaking and grinning from ear to ear and he gave me the best hug ever!  We were both elated.  Two grinning goobers so in love and so oblivious to everyone else.  That time really feels like a dream now that I look back on it...

The 2nd night I was there, I just couldn't contain myself any longer, and I told him I wanted to marry him.  I will never forget the look on his face...and how his eyes looked like they would pop out of his head!  I totally shocked him!  But then he just smiled the sweetest, most happy and contented smile...and I knew for sure that he wanted to marry me too.  :)

My brother-in-law took our engagement photos and I love how happy and YOUNG and skinny we both are...look how adorable:

This is the one we chose to send out with our announcements.

 We met online in August 2001, met in person September 2001, officially engaged October 2001 and married December 2001!  Talk about a whirlwind romance!  Some people (in fact probably MOST people) thought we were crazy...we hardly knew each other.  Well, as cliche as it sounds, we felt like we had known each other our whole lives...we just KNEW we were meant to be together. 

We were married on a drizzly, cold December morning in the Los Angeles LDS Temple.  The same temple that his parents and my parents were married in.  It was beautiful.  I remember just being so happy...I didn't even care that it was raining and that we had giant golf umbrellas in our pictures...I was married to my best friend, soul mate, partner...and that was all that mattered.

Now here we are, ten years later...  We have four handsome sons and are enjoying every minute of our crazy, chaotic life!  I am so happy I married him...he is an awesome husband and such a good daddy...  I love knowing that I can rely on him 100%...and trust that he will ALWAYS love me and take care of me and our babies the best way he can.  I love how hard he works to provide for us, and how dedicated he is to his family.  I love that he tells me I'm beautiful, changes diapers, helps with dinner, folds laundry, bathes the kiddos, tucks them in, helps with the dishes, etc, etc.  I am so lucky to have him and so proud to be his wife.  Even though sometimes I have to put up with THIS:

 
I wouldn't have it ANY.OTHER.WAY. 

I love you babe, Happy Anniversary! 

Here's to many, many more years of happy memories filled with lots of love and laughter!