9 Years Ago

A very longing filled summer came to an end after many long distance phone calls nine years ago when I hopped on a plane from Alaska to North Dakota, served as maid of honor in my sister wedding where we cooked up almost 300 servings worth of Ward family caught salmon, and the very next day walked down the aisle to Ryan Evenson, who sang me an original song while playing the guitar. "I do." Big pucker-up. Star Wars recessional (very dramatic and triumphant). Jump into the Dogde Neon for a North Dakota badlands road trip honeymoon. Very teen-wedding trying to be very traditional and grown-up. Very romantic. My favorite things about the wedding - my dress, the favors table at the reception with bubbled bags of goldfish sitting under a lime green parasol, my family that traveled all the way from Alaska and the West Coast to Fargo, ND, and the groom of course.

In the last 9 years I've,

Lived in 9 different homes and three states.
Had 4 dogs (buried 2 sold 2) and countless goldfish (flushed many, waiting to flush 2 more)
Birthed 3 big babies
Gained a cumulative 230lbs
Lost about the same
Worked 10 or more different jobs
Decided I hated writing
Wrote anyway cause I could do it from home and be with my kids
Wrote a letter that helped get my husband released from the National Guard just before his unit was deployed to Afghanistan
Discovered I like writing more than I thought
Completed 5 years of college with one baby and another on the way
Learned how to budget
Became a marathon runner
Started fitness instructing for the free childcare and gym membership
Discovered I love fitness instructing
Started a garden
Learned how to cook
Overcame my gag reflex when it comes to fried eggs
Began a love affair with eggs that continues to this day
Tearfully moved away from my sister
Made great friends who push me to be better
Ended up on two reality show, because of these friends
Have seen 2 of my children become Christ-followers
Had my parents and in-laws move near by and have seen them be a part of my children's lives in a way that I never had with my grandparents living so far away.

And in every memory, either happy or painful, Ryan has played an important, wonderful role. I've come to realize that all the things I've done in the past 9 years that I'm most proud of are a direct result of my husband suggesting them, nudging me to follow through, and supporting me in the midst of them.

So thank you to my wonderful husband who I had no idea would be so wonderful when I married him less than a year after first seeing him in line at the RDC (resident's dining center) at NDSU.

Thanks also for getting up early this morning to surprise me at 6:30am with a special breakfast when I got home from teaching a weightlifting class. That's love, and I'm feelin' it!


And thank you Lord for putting me on this path and seeing to it that Ryan wasn't some creepy dude putting on a good face so he could marry me for money. Ha ha ha.

I am truly blessed.