Year 11

Its that time of year again. The time when school starts, not only for the boys, but for Dad too. Scott has been hogging the computer a little, and for good reason...his classes are tough. But while he is out mowing the lawn, I stole the computer for a minute so I could record our milestone we celebrated yesterday. Eleven years of marriage! We are officially closer to 20 years than we are to newly weds. It is crazy to me to think I have been with this man for a third of my life. And I'm so grateful.

We didn't do much for our anniversary. I laughed at how much our life has changed over the past eleven years. The morning of our wedding I was getting ready, nervous and excited as could be. We were young and without a care in the world. We stayed out as late as we wanted and ate when we wanted to. We had a small one bedroom apartment, the cars we brought into the marriage and were learning how to share a home with someone else. As crazy as we were about each other, we learned about the things that drove us crazy. We took two completely different backgrounds and people and mashed them together to try to resemble a new little family.

The morning of our anniversary we were packing lunches, making oatmeal, tying shoes and rushing kids out the door to school. We loaded up in our mini van with the remaining boys and looked for a mailbox and went to Sams Club for lunch. Now we have a home, cars, and student loans. Our worries focus around our parenting, our jobs and the well-being of our kids. We have learned to deal with our quirks and which fight is worth fighting. We are a solid family of our own. We have become Scott and Stacey Packard.

Even our love has changed. It is deeper. Its living. Its talking without speaking, because we don't have to. Our love is fully wrapped around us, shielding us from the world and keeping us safe within each other. Scott has become my other half. I am no longer whole on my own.

I love my husband. Immensely. I'm grateful that he pushes me. And I'm grateful we found each other and for the life we created together.