Nine

Jared and I are celebrating nine years of marriage today. I don't like to get too cheesy or sentimental in public forums but just for the record, marrying Jared was the best decision I've ever made. Also, just for fun, here's a quick recap in pictures:

May 2003: Jared surprised me with a weekend trip to Chicago. I had never been and he knew I wanted to go. He popped the question in Lincoln park and we spent the rest of the day sight seeing all over the city, with me admiring the new ring on my finger.

 Engagement picture taken outside of my apartment. We look so young! :)

July 26th 2003: Short engagements are best. We were married in the Columbus Ohio LDS temple just three months after we were engaged. (And no, I was not pregnant.)

 

 We honeymooned on a Carribbean cruise. Here we are above Meagan's bay in St. Thomas. We also stopped in Aruba (our favorite), Martinique (our least favorite) and Barbados.

July 2004, First anniversary: We celebrated our first anniversary with dinner at a fancy  restaurant in downtown Columbus called "M." We also went to the Columbus Symphony Orchestra's outdoor performance, Picnic with the Pops. We also made a stop a the temple and took some self timer pictures together where we were married.

 July 2005, Second anniversary: This year, I was 8 months pregnant with our first child Mitchell. For our anniversary, we cleaned out our kitchen cabinets (can you say nesting?), then went for dinner at the Yard Club. (A pub style restaurant in Hilliard that is no longer open.) We also continued the tradition with a few self timer pictures at the Columbus temple.

 (Awkward hand placement on my part but this is the only

picture I could muster up.)

July 2006, Third anniversary: Dinner at the Columbus Fish Market and Picnic with the Pops afterward. We also managed a few more self timer pics at the temple just for kicks.

July 2007, Fourth anniversary: I was 7 months pregnant with our second child, Spencer. We had dinner at at the Eddie George Grill on Ohio State campus. (It's a sports bar, and it was loud and noisy. Definitely not ideal for an anniversary dinner.) Afterward we walked around a little street festival, The Lazy Days of Summer, in Grandview and of course self timer temple pictures. 

 

July 2008, Fifth anniversary: For our big five year celebration, we decided to do something a a little out of the ordinary and very romantic. We went to Cedar Point and stood in long lines with hot, sweaty people all day. I believe it was my idea, not sure what I was thinking. (You might remember I blogged about our experience here.)

July 2009, Sixth anniversary: We didn't take a picture this year but we had just moved to Marietta for Jared to start Physician Assistant school. It was pouring down rain and after trying to have dinner at two local restaurants with no luck, we ended up eating Italian at a cute little place called Spagna's. Afterwards Jared took me on a tour of his new home away from home: the Ricky Science Center on the campus of Marietta College. 

July 2010, Seventh anniversary: Caroline was one month old. We had dinner at a local place in Marietta called Da Vinci's.

 

July 2011, Eighth anniversary: Jared had just graduated from PA school. We were visiting Columbus and went on a triple date with my sister +bro-in-law and Jared's brother+sis-in-law. We had barbeque on high street and then went back to the church building at Ohio State where Jared and I met. We also walked around campus and toured the brand new student union.

 

Nine years later and we are living in North Carolina with three beautiful children and a fourth on the way! Time sure flies when you're having fun, doesn't it?