12 Wonderful Years!

Today is Steve and I's 12th anniversary. I can't believe it has already been 12 years-although I feel like I've known Steve forever. We have had a lot of good times as well as some hard times. Here are some of the special times and accomplishments that we've shared together over the years...

This is our wedding announcement picture. On our first date after dinner we went to the playground at my Elementary School to play. We had such a fun time. So we thought it would be fun to have our picture done there for our announcement.

My college graduation. This was a week before our wedding and I was so stressed out trying to plan the wedding and study for finals. I was so relieved to finally be done. I was trying to balance planning the wedding, spending time with Steve and studying for finals. Lets just say Steve made it hard for me to want to study. We have a little inside joke that involves the phrase "I only have one hour." that he still brings up and teases me about.

This was our first Christmas together. We spent a week in California with Steve's brother and his family. At the time they only had one child. We spent another week out there several years ago and at that time they had five children. They now have six. They are such a great family and we love and miss them a lot! This was also the only time I was able to meet Steve's father. He passed away shortly after that.

Steve graduating from the Fire Academy at the top of his class.

This is us on a ride at Six Flags. We took a trip to California with some great friends for our friends body building competition. He did awesome and won his division as well as the all around. It was my first time being exposed to this sport(other than tv) and lets just say it was very interesting. We had the funnest time hanging out(except for the several hours I spent in the bathroom alone while Steve and our friends wife painted him for the competition. After the show we spent a day at Six Flags as well as Malibu beach.

We took a cruise to Mexico with my sister Jamie and her husband before either of us had kids. We spent some time in San Diego(which is just beautiful) and had a great time(except the time while Steve was sea sick) snorkeling, shopping, eating, eating, did I mention eating...and just hanging out. This is us at dinner on one of the nights of our cruise. By the end of the cruise our waiter just knew to keep bringing Steve food even though he had already ordered multiple entrees.

I got a frantic call from Steve one day at work. He told me he was in a car accident and where he was and hung up the phone(with no more details.) I rushed to the scene(having no idea how bad it was) and saw ambulances and firetrucks all over. He walked away from it with just a few sore muscles. Everyone else was taken to the hospital. His car however didn't survive as you can see in the picture. I was so grateful he was ok.

In 2003 after Thanksgiving we spent a week in Maui, Hawaii. It was very strange to hear Hawaiian style Christmas music while driving down the Maui coast in perfect sunny weather. We had a lot of fun and enjoyed snorkeling(except the part where Steve got sea sick again-but after finally letting it go overboard he felt great), a luau, shopping in Lahaina, road to Hana, lots of beach time, Maui Ocean Center and of course the yummy food(at least Steve did-I had just found out I was pregnant(I later miscarried)and was very nauseous.) Steve was very understanding and helped me find food that I could "stomach" even if it was Denny's soup and crackers at 11am. This picture is us at the traditional "Old Lahaina Luau." On our last night there we sat and ate ice cream on the beach and watched the most beautiful sunset.

Of the many concerts we've been to we are lucky enough to have been front row center at a concert of my favorite band. Somehow I lucked out and got the tickets from Ticketmaster right when they went on sale(so we didn't even have to pay scalpers prices.) The line up included Maroon 5(before they were well known-I quickly became a big fan), Sugar Ray(put on an awesome show with lots of entertainment), and of course Matchbox Twenty(Amazing as always.) It was great to be right up front and have no one blocking our view. I took this picture with a disposable camera and it still turned out pretty good.

Us right after taking a hot air balloon ride for one of our anniversary's. It was a perfect day!

I fell in love with our second home right away. I loved the layout and how open it felt. I don't get visibly excited very often and Steve was surprised at how excited I was after we saw this house. I just had to have it. After we bought our first home(which had no yard and an unfinished basement) we decided the second time around we wanted a home that was completely finished so we wouldn't have to do so much work. Go figure...this home was brand new and had no yard and an unfinished basement...but like I said...I had to have it. This is a recent picture after we landscaped the yard(and finished the basement.) It is so worth it now and I love it even more! We love the location, the view, and all of our wonderful neighbors!

This was a day that I thought would never come and I couldn't believe that after nearly 10 years I was finally a mom. Steve had a rough night trying to get comfortable and sleep on the cot they brought in for him and I almost offered him my bed. I remember being too excited to sleep that night and holding Maddy nearly all night long. When the nurse would come in to take my vitals she we encourage me to put him back in his crib so that I wouldn't fall asleep and roll on him. I just couldn't stop looking at him and trying to memorize his face.

Maddy's blessing day. This was a very special day for us and our family. Steve loved his little boy so much and he felt very honored to be able to give him a blessing.

This was probably the scariest day we have ever shared. Avery was born nearly 3 1/2 months early. This picture of us is after they stabilized her and were ready to Life Flight her to St. Marks hospital. We were able to touch her little hand and give her a blessing before she left.

When Avery was 3 weeks old we got the call from the hospital that she had been taken off the ventilator and that we could hold her for the first time. We had been waiting for this day and we were so excited. She still hadn't gained any weight and weighed l lb. 8 oz. and you couldn't even tell you were holding a baby. It felt like you were just holding blankets. We got to hold her for 30 minutes and she did very well.

Avery's blessing day. Another special day that our family shared with us.

Steve, I am so grateful and blessed to have you as my husband, father of our children(Happy Father's Day!) and best friend! Thank you for being so dedicated to me and our family. Through all the good and hard times I always know you will be there by my side. We have had an amazing 12 years and I can't wait to see what the future has in store for us. Thank you for loving me and always remember I love you! Steph