5 years.

night we got engaged :)

honeymoon!

our first married trip after our honeymoon. a camping trip to Virginia. have I ever told you how we almost froze to death? i should someday.

soon after our engagement

baaaaabies! early college i think?

Five years ago, we made a forever commitment to one another. We shared these vows in front of our family and dearest friends.

"I, Claire, take you, Chris, to be my husband; to have and to hold  from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer,  in sickness and in health, to love and cherish always."

I will be faithful to you and honest with you;
I will respect, trust, help and care for you;
I will share my life with you;
I will forgive you as we have been forgiven;
And I will try with you to better understand ourselves, the world, and God;
Through the best and the worst of what is to come as long as we both shall live."

I am so glad we made these promises. Have our five years of marriage been perfect? No. But they have been amazing. We have shared countless adventures. We have shared countless laughs. We created a little life and have worked on raising her together.

We have also shared tears, hard decisions, rough patches and miscommunications. I haven't always forgiven as I've been forgiven, but have instead held onto wrongdoings (actual or perceived) longer than I should. I have had unrealistic expectations. 

I haven't looked at our vows in a really long time, but it makes me happy to read them and know we're working at it. We are faithful to each other. We are honest with each other. Sometimes it takes some coaxing from Chris to get me to talk about what's tossing about in my brain, but we do it. We share our life. My favorite things to do and my favorite memories are with him. Through the good and easy times and the harder times, I love him.

Happy Anniversary, my dear, dear husband. I love you.