12 Years
Dear Chris,
Last week was our 12 year dating anniversary. And we missed it. Oops. Let’s blame the kids.
We’ve been together for 12 years and this June will be our 6th wedding anniversary. Aren’t anniversaries fun? They remind us of how far we’ve come and how hard we’ve worked to get where we are right now. Over twelve years, we’ve been through a lot. Break ups and vacations and date nights and love notes and fights and family dinners and Christmas mornings and more bowls of cucumbers than I can count. Our house is full of pictures of our happiest memories and our shelves are full of little mementos from different parts of our history together. And sleeping in their beds right now are two beautiful babies who are living proof that we loved each other so much we actually grew people! We’ve had and we’re living a wonderfully blessed and happy life together and I’m thankful for it every day.
In 12 years, we both have become very different people. I’m not such a taskmaster anymore and you’ve accepted sushi into your life (amen.). I’ve learned to enjoy a beer and a good hockey game and you’ve learned that you can’t die from wearing a coat and tie. We’ve also become very different partners, too. I’ve become stronger, honest, and more up front. You’ve become understanding, patient, and thoughtful. I think we’ve brought out the best in each other and what more could someone ask for in a spouse and friend?
12 years. Who would have known? Certainly not us. But I’m glad Someone knew and I’m thankful that He gave you to me as my partner, as my babies daddy, as my husband, and as my best friend.
I love you and can’t wait to see where the next 12 years takes us.
~ Your Kate
27 Comments
Abigail
Gorgeous pictures!
Sarah @TheExPat Bride
Congratulations! Here’s to many more “dating” years 🙂
Alaina
You guys are so cute…love the pictures!
Katy @ MonsterProof
So sweet! I can only hope for the same!
Life of a Doctor's Wife
Awww! 12 years! I wish you all the happiness in the world for the next 12 and beyond.
sherene
Wow, happy anniv to both of you:))
kirsten
What a sweet post. Congrats on 12 years with your sweetie!
Susan
What a beautiful post! I love reading about your ups and downs as a married couple. It gives me hope. My husband and I will be married 3 years this June, and we’ve been together 6.5 years. It still amazes me all of the new things I learn about him all the time. I often look at him and think “huh, so that’s the man I married”. Sometimes it’s thought in surprise, sometimes in awe, sometimes with an overwhelming feeling of love and connection, and other times with complete exasperation or surprise. Mostly I think I love that me makes me feel, and that we are never bored with each other no matter how much time we spend together. But sometimes I wonder how we will ever survive a lifetime together. Then I read something you’ve written about your own marriage and I realize that everyone has their own issues and you just get through it together. So thank you for sharing and giving me hope in this sometimes depressing world. I loved this post.
Lindsay (Young Married Mom)
Goosebumps and tears! Beautiful, and congratulations! Here’s to many more years together!
Chloe
Beautiful post, Katie.
I love your honesty and transparency. I love reading about your married life. It’s real and it gives me and other people hope.
Congrats on 12 years with your sweet husband!
Layne
Too cute! It’s also funny because this June is our 13th dating anniversary and 5th wedding anniversary. Whenever people ask how long we’ve been married I slyly reply “we’ve been together 13 years” because I always hate that giving them our wedding date jips us out of 8 years!?! WTH?!? Anyway, from one set of high school sweethearts to another: CONGRATS!
Kat
That’s like half a lifetime! Is that nuts? Ok, it’s a little less but who’s counting (I’m still pretending to be 23, it was a good year for my skin). Happy 12 years you two.
Christy
Omg that last picture. Way to cry at work!
Jen at Cabin Fever
Aww. Congratulations! Its amazing how love can grow people isn’t it? 😉 And that last photo is beautiful. The composition impeccable. Cabin Fever in Vermont
Beth @ Persnickety Hall
Aww. Happy anniversaries to the two of you. Very sweet. 🙂
jenn
Congrats on 12 years guys! This Nov will be 9 year together for me and my hubby, 3 of which will be married years. We got married on our 6 yr dating aniversary.
Waiting for Bulgaria
Congratulations. So sweet.
Brie
This was so beautiful, it made me cry! A good cry though 🙂 Congrats and I’m sure your next 12+ years will be amazing!
Rebecca @ The Reluctant Housewife
Happy Dating Anniversary a week late! Such a sweet, tender post.
djm
Got teary! Beautiful pictures! Congratulations on twelve!
momiss
When did your hair get so long? Has it been that long since we’ve seen it? Forget I asked. It looks beautiful, and so does the whole fam. Congrats!
Sarah H.
I love this!! We’re celebrating our 6th wedding anniversary on June 25th. And this past Christmas we celebrated our 13 year dating anniversary…such a long time! Thanks for sharing this 🙂
Marie @ It's a Kind of Normal
Aw Katie, this made me smile so much. Happy 12 year dating anniversary. You and Chris really inspire me as a couple from reading your blog, and I hope that someday soon I’ll meet the man who will mean as much to me as Chris means to you.
alison
Congratulations! love this post and the pictures!
Barbara Manatee
Congrats on 12 years! We just celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary (ironically I posted about it today!). This June will mark 14 years together. Life certainly has changed in those years but I love our life together!
Stephanie @ Our Marriage Adventure
Aww how inspirational and sweet. Excuse me while I go hug my sweetie thanks to the over-whelming feelings of love that have spilled out of you and on to me.
Jess @ Diary of a Misplaced Kiwi
What a lovely post, it brought tears to my eyes! I agree that over long periods (ten years for me and my hubby) people change but isn’t it nice to change with your best friend!