Seven

Seven years ago, the girl married the boy she daydreamed about in English class.

Octber 7th, 1995 was Roosevelt High School's homecoming and our first date. But before that, a tall, handsome boy walked into Pfander's English class and I "knew" (as high school girls "know") he had to be mine. Little did I know, that 15 years later we would be here.

November 15th, 2003 was the best.day.ever. The most perfect intimate ceremony at the Hotel Patee in Perry, Iowa. We wrote our own vows - mine paled in comparison to his, but he was an English major, and a writer, after all. I should have cried (as many in attendance did), but I was too distracted by the fact that my veil was slowly slipping off my head. At the end of the walk down the aisle, Grandpa Joe (unplanned and unrehearsed) gave me a hug and kissed me before giving me away, knocking my veil loose in the process.

I walked down the aisle to Ben Harper's "Waiting for an Angel". (He's still waiting - ha!)

"Uncle" Zach gave a speech "straight from the hip, but heartfelt".

I danced to Frank Sinatra's "The Way You Look Tonight" with my Grandpa, and Ben Harper's "Give Me Your Forever" with my husband.

It was a celebration of love and friends and family, and a starry eyed teenage girl's dreams coming true.

We did not know that three days later those vows would be tested. When most people are enjoying their honeymoon, I was falling apart. And life continued to test us when less than a year later Gavin was born 13 weeks early.

Last night, the boys were up past their bed time, but I couldn't help but let them stay up and play. They were in our room with Chad and they were playing and giggling and having a blast under the covers of our bed. And I realized that things are about as perfect as they come these days.

In this season of marriage, people talk about the seven year "itch", and I feel like we're finally getting to the honeymoon.