Eleven Years

Chad and I have been married for eleven years. It makes me feel old to think of the word eleven but I feel like me just met yesterday. I am so glad God made me for him and He made him for me. What a blessing to still be happily married, I can't wait to see what the years ahead have for us.

Here is a little recap of our last eleven years together...

• Met in 1994 at Georgia Southern University. We were next door neighbors and I quickly became friends with all the boys living in his apartment.
• Starting dating in January 1995 after spending our winter break hanging out with each other. All of our friends knew we would be dating before we did.
• On Chad's birthday, August 4, 1997 we became engaged.
• Both of us graduated from GA Southern after winter semester of 1997. I graduated with a degree in special education and Chad with a double degree in Marketing and Logistics.
• We both moved into my parents home in Stone Mountain, GA as we searched for our first "real" job.
• Chad landed his first job at Wells Fargo in April 1998 and I found a job in Gwinnett County School System for the 1998-1999 school year.
• We married July 25, 1998!
• Honeymooned in Orlando, Fl and on a four day cruise.
• Lived our first year in an apartment in Snellville, GA with two long haired Chihuahuas.
• Bought our first home and moved into it November 1999.
• Met some incredible neighbors, Trisha and Daniel. I am eternally grateful for them helping Chad be lead to Christ.
• In fall of 2000, Chad and I felt lead to start a new chapter of our life and help plant a church in Loganville, The Orchard.
• After the 2000-2001 school year I left the teaching field and started work in the ministry field as a part time children's pastor at The Orchard.
• In 2001 added a sweet little puppy mute into our home, Cooper.
• Celebrated five wonderful years of marriage at The Ritz at Lake Oconee.
• Chad left Wells Fargo and started a new job at Lendmark.
• In 2005 added a playful black lab puppy name Erkskin.
• After several years of infertility became pregnant in early summer 2005, announced to the world our good news on our wedding anniversary of 2005.
• Brought our first joy into the word on January 26, 2006.
• In summer of 2006 I went from working mom to stay at home mom. Keeping other kids in the house to help supplement income.
• Brought home another puppy, Copa, a brown lab in 2007.
• Delivered my second daughter on leap year 2008, February 29.
• Enjoyed our 10 year anniversary in Savannah, GA bringing along sweet baby Olivia.
• Chad found a wonderful new job in sales at NaturChem in April 2009.

So here we are at our eleventh anniversary in our same home of almost ten years with two absolutely beautiful sweet little miracles, a wild brown lab, still serving at The Orchard church and loving each other more today then when we meet 15 years ago.