"It's Been 7 Years Tomorrow Since We Said Our Vows"

I was listening to the radio this morning & believe it or not, Diamond Rio's song, "Meet in the Middle" was on & they lyrics said, "It's been 7 years tomorrow since we said our vows ..." PERFECT timing because it has been 7 years tomorrow since we said our vows!

Yes, everyone has their ups & downs & yes, Shad & I do not share the exact same personality traits; however I could not be blessed with a more incredible husband & a more perfect marraige (I am tooting my own horn a bit, but I promise that I would say that every day, not just once a year). There have been very few downs in those 7 years (plus the 5 prior) & I look forward to many more!

I love you, Love.

Here's a little (long) tribute to our 7 years:

The day we met at Phil & Deborah's wedding - July 5, 1997

Our first Christmas together (Shad traveled home from the Army to spend it with me)

Our first "anniversary" (of dating) together - Coeur d'Alene - 1998

Camping at Seeley Lake, MT -1998

Our first trip together - Puerta Vallerta, Mexico - 1999

The beach at Puerta Vallerta

Mexico

Our second trip together - The Big Island, Hawaii - 2000

Deep Sea Fishing - Hawaii

Halloween - Cowboy & Cowgirl

ProBowl in Oahu, Hawaii - 2001 (The Tampa Bay Buccaneer pushed me out of this shot)

Shalan & Chris' Wedding - Alturas, CA - 2001

Our 4th "anniversary" (of dating) - July 2001

College Graduation - May 2002

The only shot of us in our caps & gowns & my eyes are closed.

The dinner before our rehearsal dinner - August 2002

Relaxing before the big walk down the aisle.

Classic cheesy wedding photo (photography sure has changed in 7 years!)

Marina Cay Resort - August 2002

Our wedding party

We did it!! (Shad's face is priceless.)

We were nice.

... & probably exhausted (but so in love).

Waiting for the sun to rise at Haleakala in Maui while on our Honeymoon.

(If you've been counting, this was our 4th trip to Hawaii - can't say we were the most wise with our finances. Nevertheless, it was money well spent!)

Our first real Anniversary - Big Bear Lake, CA - 2003

The Yardhouse - Orange County, CA -2003

Our baptisms - Sattleback Church - Lake Forest, CA

Sea World - 2004


Our going-away party in So. Cal. - October 2004

Seattle's Space Needle - 2004

Ferrari Carano Winery, CA - 2005

Portland, OR - 2005

Coeur d'Alene Lake - 2005

Las Vegas - 2005

Lake Pend Orielle, ID - 2006

Our 4th Anniversary - Sun Valley - 2006

Pumpkin Carving - 2006

The Alamo in San Antonio, TX - 2006

Thanksgiving in Seattle - 2006

The Tripp Wedding - The Big Island, Hawaii - 2007

Hawaii

The Moore Wedding - July 2007

The Big & Rich Concert (practicing in the hotel beforehand)

Our 5th Anniversary - The Melting Pot - August 2007

Wakeboard Lessons from Shad - Labor Day Weekend 2007

Halloween - Trailer Park Billy Bob & Prego Britney Spears.

Shad's 30th Birthday Party - Las Vegas - March 2008

More singing at the dueling piano bar for my 29th birthday.

Celebrating my Mom's 60th (apparently I need to update the wardrobe).

Lake Mary Ronan, MT

Our 6th Anniversary - Barbacoa - August 2008

The Nelson Wedding - September 2008

The Seattle Symphony - November 2008

An attempt at Christmas photos for 2008

Shad's 31st Birthday - Brick 29 - March 2009

My 30th Birthday - May 2009

Lake Mary Ronan

Coeur d'Alene - 4th of July 2009

Our 7th Anniversary - Texas Roadhouse - August 2009