Our 8th Anniversary

This weekend Cory and I went out to celebrate our anniversary. It was so wonderful to go out on a date with him. I feel as if our love is stronger than it has ever been. Stronger than it was the day that I kneeled across the temple altar from him, and stronger than when I called him a "Daddy" for the first time. Our love has changed. It is no longer the puppy love of a 16 year old girl and an 18 year old boy, it is a love of a man and a woman who have created a life together, a life that has changed them, challenged them, and refined them. Our life together has not been easy, in fact there have been some years where it has been really tough, but we always make it through...together.

Last year, Cory and I ran a 5k here in Asheville. We had been training for a couple of months but we always did our training on small hills or flat ground and most of the time we would run alone (well actually with our ipods). When the day of the race came, we were really excited to run it together but we were also very nervous because it was not just hilly, it was REALLY hilly (in fact one of the hills was more like a little mountain). The first mile was great. We had established our rhythm together and we were actually making pretty good time. Then when the second mile hit, things got tough for Cory. He was struggling up some of the steeper hills and at one spot he had to slow his pace down quite a bit. Instead of continuing on past him at my own pace, I slowed down because we were in this race together. After a minute or so, we picked our pace back up and continued on until I slowed down a little near the end of the second mile. He slowed down as well and stayed right next to me. In the third mile, I began to fall back again. It was such a hot day and I was so ready for the race to be over. He slowed down came up next to me and encouraged me on. His inspiring and motivating words kept me going during the hardest part of the race. Together we finished the race that day with great times. We had enudured one of the toughest 5ks either one of us have ever ran.

I feel like that race was symbolic of our marriage. There have been times where he has been the strong one and has slowed down his pace so that I could keep up and there are other times where I've been the stronger one. Then there have been other times where we have both just kept going as we've encouraged one another onward ever onward. There is nobody else that I would rather run with, in a 5k or in this life. Just like we finished our race together, I know that one day we will finish the race of life together. How wonderful it is to know that in the temple we were sealed together for not only time, but also for eternity. I love Cory with all of my heart. He is my everything and without him this last month, I think that I would've quit, but just like always, he has continually encouraged me on each day. He is my rock, my strength, and the love of my life. Happy 8th Anniversary!