9 Years of Sweetness (In Pictures)

9 years ago today, on a chilly Wisconsin spring day, my husband and I got married.  I remember that day it snowed (lightly), our bus transportation (church to reception) never showed up, but in my eyes it was a perfect day.

The Younger Years

Those nine years have flown by, just as our elders parents told us they would.  As I look back I realize how many great things have happened and I wanted to share 9 of those things with you!

1 Trip

Yes sadly, in our nine years of marriage, we have taken one trip.   Even more sad is the fact that this trip happened 5 years ago.  Payton and Tyler still talk about our trip to Jamaica, and Camryn is convinced she was there (she was not even a twinkle in our eyes) with us.  In the next 5 years I hope we take another family trip and one vacation.   What is the difference you ask?  Well, as a wise woman once told me (shout out to Cynthia Kernodle!!), when you go with kids it is a trip, when you go with your spouse/significant other/alone, it is a vacation.  Makes sense, doesn’t it?!

Sweet and Sassy

Sweet and Soaked

2 Cousins/Nephews

The past nine years have brought us two new nephews (and one more on the way!).  Our years in Kansas provided us plenty of time with our second cousins Sydney, Sean, Anthony, Aidan, and baby Michael.  The arrival of sweet Reid and sweet baby AJ mean the kids have REAL cousins for the first time!

Chillin' out with sweet baby Reid

Sweet baby AJ

3 Dogs

Pets are a huge part of our household.  They have their own voices, personalities, and nicknames.  In the beginning it was just the three of us…

So apparently we don't take many pictures of Kuma....

…but a short time later we bought the adorable Kiyabunga (Kiya) after watching Kuma play with a pug at the dog park.  Kuma and Kiya were a perfect match.  Best friends.  We lost Kiya at Christmas a year ago, after complications from diabetes.  This was probably the hardest thing our family has ever been through.  Losing Kiya was tough.

Puppy Kiya and her first sweet bath.

Shortly after the loss of Kiya, we added Miya to our already crazy household.  Don’t be fooled by her cuteness.  She is a devil.

I am the devil.

4 Years of Camryn (Cami)

Are they starting to look alike?

5 years in Kansas

But as Dorothy learned in The Wizard of Oz, there is no place like home.  Welcome back to Wisconsin!

6 years of Tyler

Payton and her new baby brother

7 years without my grandma

Cousin Jason and I with grandma

I still miss her today.  Along with my grandma, these 9 years also meant the loss of my grandpa, Ryan’s grandma, and his aunt and uncle.

8 Years with Payton Joyce (her namesake being the above grandma)

Those sweet years have flown!

9 Years To Build This…

Photo Credit: Karmen Lindner Photography

….Perfection!

Here’s to Many More Sweet Years,

Andi