Eleven

** This post was meant for July 1st, our anniversary.  I thought I set it to post that day but it obviously didn't happen.  How sad that it took me over 2 months to realize this???**

11 years ago today I married my very best friend.  Here is a look back at life in the year 2000...

• Clinton was president, but the closest election in American history happened in November
• unemployment was 4%
• a stamp cost 34 cents
• Kathie Lee announced she was leaving her show with Regis
• Oprah debuted "O" magazine
• the cast of Friends signed a 2-year contract for $750,000 an episode.  Each.
• Hit movies this year included Erin Brockovich, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, and Gladiator
• The Human Genome is deciphered
• The summer Olympics were in Sydney, Australia
• Elian Gonzales (the six year old cuban boy) was reunited with his family
• the 4th Harry Potter book was out but none of the movies were yet
• digital music broke onto the scene (wow... that one seems pretty amazing) 

Our wedding was held before digital pictures were the norm (seriously), so I have spent a little time using an old-fashioned scanner to bring a few of our wedding pictures into the digital age.  :)  

Our wedding was on July 1st at First United Methodist Church in Lubbock, TX with our dear friends from the chancel choir singing as well as music that Carter arranged.  Choir is where we met, and also where Carter proposed to me.

I have always loved this picture, even though I have teased Carter about where he is looking...  :)

Except for the registration pads in the pews, I love this picture.

The smiles on our faces during our first dance (to Frank Sinatra's "All the Way") say it all.  Our lives were so full of hope and excitement.  We were so blissfully happy... and 11 years later, as sappy as it sounds, we still are. 

 And so, 11 years later... here we are.  I never could have imagined our lives today in my wildest dreams.  We are truly living this adventure one day at a time and loving it.  There are rough times, sure, but we really are still blissfully happy.  We still look at each other like we did in the picture above.  And now we have three more reasons to be blissfully happy...

Thank you, sweetheart, for the last 11 years.  (Really the past 15 years if you count back to our first date!)  I know that we've packed a lot of living into those years, moved more times than I care to mention, and have added three tiny hilarious reasons to keep us laughing, loving, and living for the next 11 years and beyond.

Just think... in 11 more years the boys will be almost 17, about to be seniors in high school.  Annabelle will be close to 13... fun teenage girl time ahead!  I'm sure you'll be there to referee just like my dad was.  :)  We will be in our mid-40's and there is no telling where we'll live or what jobs we'll have, but I know whatever happens, we'll be together.  Thanks for sharing this adventure with me.

Always & Forever,
Me