Ten years ago today, Mike asked me to marry him. (I didn’t say yes for a few more days, and I debated about whether to wait and post something on the 24th or to go ahead and do it now. Obviously now won out.)
We hadn’t actually been out on an official date at that point. Not because we were courting, but because he was my boss, and we were trying very hard to follow the rules. Because of that, I wasn’t completely sure how he felt about me. And then he asked me to marry him. I was, in a word, surprised. Everyone was surprised. But I knew (in a way that I couldn’t necessarily put into words without sounding cheesy, and I am not so good with the cheesy) that I wanted to be with him, even if I didn’t have a clue what “forever” might actually look like. So, three days later, I said yes. Ten years ago.
When we look back at that time, we laugh and say things like, “We were so young!” and, “What were we thinking?” There’s nothing else to say, really. I was 19, and he had just turned 23. We had no idea what we were doing.
It’s been ten years full of all sorts of things. There’s been family drama and graduate school and career changes and my dad’s death and fantastic vacations and lazy weekends and road trips and concerts and changing churches and moving. We have been through a lot together, and we have staked our claim: This is who I am, this is who we are together. Some of those lessons have been difficult, but we have learned them and changed and grown together. We are not those 19- and 23-year-olds. We both feel so much more confident, so much more grounded in many ways. He makes me brave. He gives me the courage to take risks like changing jobs and dreaming about the future. I hope I do the same for him. I am so thankful that 19-year-old me said yes, even though she had no idea what she was getting into, because I like where we are and who we are. I can see the winding path we took to get here, and I know I could not be me without Mike.
So, baby, here’s to ten more years. (And ten more after that, and ten more after that . . . for as long as we both shall live.)
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12 Comments
Beautiful post, Kari.
Happy Anniversary! It’s funny that we make some (most?) of the biggest decisions of our lives when we are just babies! Congratulations for saying yes-
That’s intense. I think we should swap stories sometime. They might have some similar hints. And I love hearing about married couples who love each other and are happy and embrace marriage the way it was intended. Thanks for sharing.
These are the happiest comments ever.
You sound so much like my husband and I only in reverse. I was a manager where he worked. I still can’t believe I dated him and we fell in love. He was 19 and I was 22! I had been through an engagement that hurt me deeply when it ended and I wasn’t interested in a committment. He just was part of the group of friends that hung out together! He became my best friend and the rest is history. We’ve been married 26 years now and we’re still happy! Congratulation on your anniversary of the engagement. I knew it was coming when he asked me to marry him and so when he asked I said “heck no!” Okay so it wasn’t the best time to joke! He married me anyway though.
Yay! So sweet!
I still think that Rachel was right … cutestcoupleever.com or whatever domain she had in mind.
That’s really sweet. My anniversary with my boyfriend is actually the 24th. We have been together for 4 years and I love looking back and seeing how much we have grown together and grown up in those 4 years. I love him very deeply and cannot imagine my life without him. I know he has changed me in ways I can’t even imagine. Here’s to the both of you!
how perfectly said. i too, am glad that 19 yr. old girl, knew enough of who she was to say yes. what a beautiful winding path it is.