The story of us...

5 years ago today I married the most amazing man that I have ever met.
What a wild ride the last 7 years have been! I wouldn't change a single thing.


Here is the story of us...


We were set up on a semi-blind date by a mutual friend (God bless you, Eric Rath!).

I was majoring in music at the time and Chris was a band director. We hit it off right away. I had just got out of a 3 1/2 year long relationship about 3 weeks before we meet and I was dating many different guys. The night after my first date with Chris I called it off with every single one of them. It was February 22nd, 2003.


Here was our first picture together... (I have no idea what I was thinking wearing a turtleneck! They just don't look good on me. I haven't worn one since...and my hair- is it parted down the middle? Ah!) This was late April 2003.



This was Chris's birthday dinner in May. It was the first time I met his parents. Could my smile be any bigger? I was totally smitten. (When did Chris meet my parents, you ask...oh, you know the day after we first met! Every guy's dream encounter of the over-bearing parents of a young college woman! I was mortified and certain that I would never see him again.)


After Chris decided to stick around and not move to the Dallas area, he bought this cute little house. I was so relieved that he decided not to move. I had already decided that I was totally in love, but I held out on saying anything. He told me that he loved me in late July of 2003.

Of course after the house he got a dog...our first born, Callie.

I helped him fix up the house. I knew that this was going to be the man I married. I even told my parents to be prepared...this was October, 2003.

He finally proposed in San Antonio on the River Walk February 12th, 2004 at TMEA...we are such band geeks!

Here we are at a family cookout that summer.

We decided that Callie was lonely, so a month before we got married we got our second-born, Kaikeyi.

Here we are at an engagement part at our house just a few weeks before the wedding.

We were married December 18, 2004.

We spent Christmas at home and then left the Monday after for our honeymoon in Rome. I love that we stayed home for a few days in between the wedding and honeymoon...I can't imagine leaving right after the reception! There was still so much to take care of.

Later that year we went to New York with the band.

Our second married Christmas.

That summer Chris decided to quit is his band directing career and go to law school. We put a for sale by owner sign in the front lawn and sold the house in 3 hours.

We packed up and moved to Topeka, Kansas for Chris's first year of law school. I got my first full-time job and supported us while he was in school. We did everything completely on our own...it was so scary, but also one of the best times of our marriage.

Chris's first day of law school...

Gosh, we LOVED Topeka! The people were amazing, the school was wonderful to us and everything was so green and beautiful. But, Chris promised that he would try to transfer closer to home because my dad had been diagnosed with cancer right before we moved and it was so hard not to be close to home. So we moved to Norman...Boomer Sooner, baby!

We celebrated our 3rd anniversary in OKC.

I started my grad work. What a great year and a half. I grew so much during that time. I LOVE being in school. Just to be surrounded by people challenging you...ah, if I ever get the opportunity to go back I will in a heart beat.

We decided to have a baby!

Chris graduated law school and I got my Masters.

We moved back home to Texas.

And here we are today...

Chris, thank you for choosing me to share your life with. There is no one else that I would rather take this ride along side. You are truly amazing and I am so proud to be called your wife.

It is so fun to look back. I can remember so many times of joy, anxiety, impatience, laughter and anticipation. I can see how God shaped everything to come together to where we are today. I thank God that His plans are greater than my own. Truly, I am blessed beyond measure.