I was leaving the Texas Hall of Fame dance hall in College Station, Texas. We had finished a wonderful night of country dancing after dinner at Tom’s BBQ. I was dressed in a plaid shirt and overalls. I was sure that tomorrow would be the happiest day of my life…

My parents were staying with me, thank goodness…. Mom had promised to stay up with Jen, my BFF, and I and watch Sound of Music – something I had vowed to do since I was 13.

My grandmother and aunts were knee deep in cucumber sandwiches and fruit trays.

My father was busy planning the sweetest reception set up you could ever envision – all to be a surprise to me – complete with stuffed animals and pictures from my youth.

My sister-in-law, Laura, (and co-maid of honor) was driving over to bring me the sweetest box with an engraving about being sisters.

I wandered up the stairs of the tiniest townhouse apartment you have ever seen and looked at the dress one last time before I was to put it on the next day. That dress… what a great story. Mom and I had been shopping for hours. We couldn’t find ‘the one’. So, we drug dad to David’s Bridal and made him be the designated opinion giver. (I could always count on dad to tell me which pair of glasses actually looked okay and which pair actually looked hideous). We got to David’s Bridal and dad pointed to one hanging on the rack and said – ‘hey, try this one on – then try the other one you want on. If it is really the one you want, you’ll love it over this one… ‘ Well, needless to say I tried the dress he pointed to on and we purchased it thirty minutes later – never trying on another dress. How does he just know?!

At about 11:50pm, the phone rang… it was Brian – calling to say goodnight over the phone one last time – before we actually got to say goodnight in person. That is what is so perfect about him. The small gestures that he KNOWS will mean the world to me, the small gestures that mean he took the time to think about what I want and like.

What an amazing ten years! A sweet little girl, Julia, that arrived nine months later. Moving to Dallas. Moving to Frisco. A sweet little boy, Nate, that we welcomed into the smallest two bedroom apartment in the entire world (690 sq. feet). Moving to Denton. Moving to our first house in Denton. One year later, to the day, moving to Scottsdale, AZ.

Fifteen years ago we stood by a weeping willow at Research Park in College Station, Texas and promised to go through everything together.

About twelve years ago we stood under the Century Tree at Texas A&M and promised to marry.

Ten years ago tomorrow we stood in front of God, family and friends at St. Thomas Aquinas in College Station, Texas and promised faithfulness, obedience and love.

Brian, thank you for keeping that promise. I am more in love with you today. Thank you for the friend, wife and mother you have helped me to become.