7 Year Itch

Jared & I celebrated our 7th Wedding Anniversary on June 6th. (The actual date has been much debated.) But this is the date I choose to celebrate. You see, we've been married a couple of times.

The first was on June 3, 2003 in Vancouver, WA in Jared's Grandfather's backyard. (On the back deck actually.) We were planning a destination wedding in Fiji, but weren't sure the validity of their marriage certificates in the States and figured better to play it safe. So we had the ceremony a few hours before we boarded the plane. It was so relaxing, I literally went with my parents that morning to a corner market in their floral shop to buy my bouquet. I borrowed a pretty, white shell (knee length) dress with a cute little jacket from my Sister-in-law to wear, very Jackie O. (I don't have photos saved on this computer to post.) My dad walked me down the aisle, the pathway that winded from the side of the house, up on to the deck where the family was waiting. Just immediate family & 2 best friends. We had a quaint little ceremony, where Jared's Great Uncle officiated, then flew to Navini, Fiji.

This is where it gets tricky. The flight took about 17 hours and you cross the date line, so not only did it take a day to fly there but we "lost" a day.The first day we figured we'd be jetlagged so we spent it relaxing and scoping out "the perfect spot" for our nuptials and on the eve of our 2nd night in Fiji we had an intimate ceremony with just us, the locals and the only other 2 guests staying on the island. The day in Fiji was June 6, but the date in the U.S was still the 5th. 

It was the most beautiful sunset of the trip, I had on a beautiful & elegant ivory gown with a small train and drop sleeves that trailed down to my waist. When the wind picked up they would float on the breeze around me. Very romantic! I walked down the sandy embankment from the bure I got ready in to Jared on the beach, barefoot all except for my jeweled sandals. (I loved them!)  We couldn't take our eyes off one another and also had a hard time believing here we were on the other side of the world reciting our vows in front of God & total strangers in the most beautiful place we'd ever laid eyes on.

After our 10 days in Fiji, where we transfered to Turtle Island for the "honeymoon" portion, we returned home to Portland, OR. On the 21st of June we traveled back to Milton-Freewater where our parents had planned an amazing reception! (Yet another date to remember!) All of our friends and extended family were there, we played the video of us getting married on the beach in Fiji and the reception hall was decorated to look like a tropical get away. Extravagant flowers, plants, water feature and food. It was perfect.

Of course, many people asked us when we planned on starting a family. We always replied, "not for a long time!" We had the travel bug and knew just the medicine to cure it... airfare & luggage. When people pushed for a date, we would say, "Seven Years." In the meantime we had planned on being completely irresponsible, selfish and lazy. Spend money lavishly on one another, travel to exotic places, work less, play more, stay up late partying with friends and going to the movies and sleep in on the weekends.... ahhh. The feeling of weightlessness with no restrictions, no responsibilities, just each other and our intoxicating love. We could do anything we wanted to, our lives outstretched before us limitless & shapeless. Well, that lasted for about 3 months. Then the shape of our lives started to look like a bean, a tiny little bean with a beat.... a heartbeat. We had created a life... not the 7 years we had planned but we'd take him all the same!

Flashforward to our 1st anniversary, there we sat in our double wide in a mobile home park in Milton-Freewater ( a far cry from our fancy schmancy duplex in southeast Portland) with our 2 week old baby in my lap eating dinner at home. It's funny how life doesn't always go the way you'd planned. But, sometimes you get lucky enough that it ends up better than you could have imagined. Here we are 7 years in, no itch to scratch, but 3 beautiful blue-eyed boys that have invaded our lives and our hearts.

I never in a million years would have said this is what my life would look like if you had asked me 10 years ago. But, I am so blessed to have such a loving husband, supportive family and adorable children.

Here's to limitless possibilities with the love of my life at my side.

Cheers!