"For better or for worse..."

We looked a little bit younger in 1995, didn't we?! Thankfully our hearts were meant to be together forever and always. I love you, Chip...Happy Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary to my husband, Chip of thirteen years!
I have about a hundred things I could blog about tonight, but since it is our anniversary I'll just touch on a couple of them and then go squeeze in next to Chip to watch a bit more of the Olympics on tv.
My family (parents, niece and nephew) arrived at our home at 5:30 a.m. on Monday morning after an all-night drive from the Twin Cities, MN. Life around here has been nothing short of dramatic and event-filled ever since then. Hence the lack of blog posts. And some of you probably thought I was just trying to rest myself and keep from going into early labor! Ha!
There has been lack of sleep, lots of food and laughing and bath time and catching up with stories, in addition to a trip to Lake Michigan beachfront, attack of bees and lots of other stuff in between all of that.
Poor Wyndham and a neighbor boy got stung two and three times yesterday. Then today, the wasps attacked again and struck my nephew 3 times, Aly once, my Dad once and Ava got it in the eye. That's why you see her "winking" in the last photo. Her eye totally swelled shut from her sting. We adults all felt so bad and Chip made an emergency run to the store and has since taken out every nest around our home. So hopefully we have taken care of the bee problem...we are lucky nobody is seriously allergic to them. We've now officially had enough of their aggression for one summer. Or two or three!
As we watched our wedding video this evening, with all the kids and my parents at our side, I just think back to what I had visioned in my head as my future 13 years ago on this day. I couldn't have been happier to have Chip at my side- pledging his love and committment to us forever. I was so happy to be committed to "us" as well- although I really had no clue what it would entail. But here we are...marking 13 years of marriage in our lives and it's really a wonderful thing for me to see that although my 'vision' and reality have very rarely even aligned with one another, that the story is still charming, full and always adventure-filled. Not in the way I pictured it...but the fact is I feel blessed to play a leading role alongside Chip everyday.
The "worse" has been far worse than I ever dreamed it could be.
Yet the "better" has and continues to exceed my expectations.
Bee stings and all.
I publicly announce my love and committment to Chip and to my family again today- just as I did to him 13 years ago. I didn't know then what our future held, but I knew Chip was the very one I wanted to be beside me as it unfolded before us. One day- one moment at a time. There have been struggles. There have been miracles. There have been tears of sorrow and tears of joy. There has been so much, that I can't help but love him more- for and through all of it.
Happy annivesary, Chip. I love you today.
I will loved you yesterday.
I will love you tomorrow and forever.
Thank you for being with me. Through it all.
xoxo