Life on Minden: Two years ago...

I married my best friend. Right now its about noon on the west coast and I bet Saddlerock Ranch and the mountains of Malibu are looking just as beautiful (and hot) as they did that day. I can still remember the rush of emotions and how anxious I was about everything. I was overwhelmed with the love and chaos of being surrounded by my closest family and friends. But then I walked down the aisle (the very very long aisle) with my parents on either side, and it all washed away when I saw you beaming at me. Well maybe not all of it washed away, but it certainly diminished. I stopped worrying about the flowers, the heat, our guests and remembered that this day was you and me joining together.

Its been almost 10 years since I've known you. 10 years of us building friendship, love and a life together. We've grown up together and so many of my life defining moments have and will occur with you by my side.

This year has certainly been for better and for worse. We've had many moments of sheer joy, happiness, contentment and that incredible comfortable feeling of knowing that your spouse is now your family. No matter what, they stick by you and there is something so gratifying and safe about that feeling that I would never trade for the butterflies in my stomach I had when I first met you. We've also lost so significantly in this year, have had many to the brink moments where I thought we may never return to normal. But we always do.

I can't thank you enough for being so supportive of me. For pushing me to be a better person and for challenging me to do better every day. You always pick me up and trust me I know there are many of those days when I come home from work cranky, change right into a giant t-shirt and sweats, plop on the couch and pick a fight. Even if I can't be cheered up, you know when to leave me alone and let me do my thing. There are so many days that I take you for granted and so today when I stop to really think about you and us, my heart really fills up with love, my eyes fill with tears and I feel as though I am going to explode.

Especially when we can go from this...