Our 11 Year Anniversary-Eve

photo credit shout-out to my favorite photographer: Ellen Jalosky!

PREFACE: I haven’t written an “anniversary” blog post in a while. Last year, for our 10th wedding anniversary, I was wrapping up a multi-year project of writing (in as much detail as I could remember from a decade+ ago) our love story: how we met, fell in love, and how Derrick proposed. And, it was just perfect that I was able to finish it off on our 10th wedding anniversary (if you missed that series & want to go back & read Derrick & I’s story, you can access those posts here: Our Love Story).
But, outside of that, I haven’t specifically called out our anniversary here on my blog since “Year 6” – 5 years ago.
So, it’s about time I get my butt back in gear & write a more “traditional” post about our wedding anniversary here on my blog! So, here we go!

Dear Derrick,

Tonight is the eve of our 11th wedding anniversary.
First off: how in the world has it been 11 years since we got married? We can’t be old enough to be married for double-digits yet, can we? There must obviously be a mistake with the calendar somehow.
But regardless – the last 11 years have flown by in the blink of an eye & here we are.

It’s funny – I’ve been thinking a lot about weddings (it’s an easy thing to think about since we photograph & video a lot of wedding days together & I’m headed into capturing another wedding day tomorrow!) But, over the last few weeks, I’ve been reminiscing about our own wedding day & remembering all the thoughts & emotions & feelings I had leading up to our “Day One” – it was (mostly) butterflies & rainbows & unicorns. I remember loving you so fiercely & simply being elated to become your wife.

I know that literally every single couple who has been married for a long time says that love grows & changes & deepens – and well, we’ve officially been married long enough to agree with that statement. Our love has definitely changed – it’s no longer that sappy-over-the-top-romantic-puppy love (& I’ll be honest: sometimes, I really miss those feelings). While we’re continuing the honesty: some days, it’s hard to love, and some days, it’s downright impossible. But most days – you are the easiest person in the whole world to love.

But that’s the thing: that sappy-over-the-top-romantic-puppy love has changed, it’s grown & deepened & now it’s more of a bossom-best-friend love. Because literally, there is no one else in the entire world that I could imagine spending my days (adventuring & riding roller coasters) with.

Braelynn & I were talking the other day & she was listing off her best friends (she has a lot). Then she turned & asked me, “Mommy, who is your best friend?” I stumbled around for a moment, naming a few different names of people I consider my close friends, and then she interrupted me & very emphatically proclaimed: “No Mommy, Daddy is your best friend.” And that’s when I gave her a big hug & said: “You’re right baby, Daddy is my very best friend.”

So, cheers to 11 years together, and cheers to many many more to come.
I love you more today than I did yesterday and will love you more tomorrow than I did today.
Love, Kara

PS: If you’d like to re-live some of my past wedding anniversary posts, you can see them here:
Year 10
Year 6
Year 5
Year 4
Year 3