4 Year Anniversary!

Tony and I celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary on June 25th. Though we have been married 4 years, we actually started dating 7 years ago. For those who don't know the story, here it is (beware, it's long!):

It all started one April night (2002) when one of my best friends (Wendy) asked me to come with her to her boyfriend's (now husband, Cody) softball game. I had been packing to leave town the next day but decided to take a little break and stop by for a little while. Cody's brother Shane, who is one of Tony's best friends, also played on the team and we were sitting with his wife Emily. Tony, who obviously was on the team as well, got up to bat and Emily mentioned that he and I should date. She said, "If he hits a homerun, it's meant to be" and sure enough, he did! (Little did I know, he hits alot of homeruns, but that's beside the point!) Tony and I went to the same highschool (he was a senior when I was a sophomore, and I had heard of him, but we had never met!) So we were introduced after the game and eventually went out and started dating. The happily ever after didn't quite start from there, though! Our first year & a half wasn't exactly an "ideal" relationship. We were on & off ALOT! Basically, Tony was a little scared of getting into a serious relationship, or so he says! I just say he was kind of a jerk!

The following fall (2003) I left for dental hygiene school in North Carolina (UNC- Chapel Hill) and from there we had kind of a long-distance "relationship" if that's what you want to call it. We talked on the phone and via email & instant messaging, and hung out when I came home (which was only Chistmas & Spring Break). But as soon as I came home for the summer Tony and I were together almost every night and developed a healthy, real relationship! Going back to NC was REALLY hard that fall (2004). But we maintained a good relationship and literally talked for hours every night on the phone. He came to visit me in October and proposed to me at Duke Gardens which was beautiful! Of course I said yes (I'll admit, I knew it was coming). We were engaged for 8 1/2 months. I graduated that following May and came home to enjoy 1 month of our engagement before we were married on June 25th! We went on our honeymoon to Acapulco, Mexico and we have been extremely happy since!

Sometimes I look back at our first year and think I was crazy for sticking with him after all the crap he put me through, but even though he may have been a crappy boyfriend in the beginning, he is an AMAZING husband! He treats me so good and now he puts up with all of MY crap! He's an awesome father, a hardworker, he makes me laugh, and he's genuinely my very best friend in the whole world! I couldn't ask for a better partner to spend eternity with! I love you Tony- thanks for being you!

This was taken at Duke Gardens where we got engaged!