10 Years in a Blink

I don't reflect upon our years of marriage using measurements of time. More often I measure our marriage by the events that we've collected to form the story of our lives. It all began in our Spanish teacher's classroom, well not exactly. We met in the halls of our middle school having some friends in common. Our relationship began in the fall semester of our senior year, when our Spanish teacher would allow some of us to dine in her classroom instead of experiencing the rugged chaos of the high school cafeteria. We dated, fell in love, attended prom together, graduated together, and moved away to college (520 miles away) together (much to my father's chagrin). Tomorrow, ten years ago, I was Nick's bride and he was my groom.
Here is a look back at the last ten years.
June 12th, 1999: our special, special day
Visited Massachusetts and (mostly) Maine for our honeymoon
Lived with four other guy friends while we waited for our house to be completed
Bought and raised our first furry baby, Charlie, a golden retriever puppy born on our wedding day
Moved into House #1
Cruised the Mexican Riviera
Adopted our second furry child, Sadie, a rescued golden retriever from Kansas.
Grew out of House #1. Quickly.
Graduated from Texas Tech University, May 2001
Became employed
Built and moved into House #2, became landlords of House #1
House #2 had a super-cool basement
Two miscarried pregnancies in one year, man 2001 was an awful year,
Bought some acres in Shallowater, TX, to someday live on forever
Drove through a neighborhood on our way to lunch one Saturday, stumbled upon House #3.
Cruised the Mediterranean Sea to soothe our sadness, see spectacular sights, and give our happiness a rebirth
Moved into House #3, what a glorious house!
Tore out lots of wall paper.
Sold Shallowater property. It would've been a flat, grassy money pit.
Pregnancy #3: Apprehensive for every minute, complicated pregnancy, unimaginably happy outcome
Nathan Nicholas Cobb, our first son was born!
I dreamed motherhood would be amazing, but I soon learned that it surpassed all of my wildest expectations.
Nick traveled like CRAZY with his job.
I did not teach the year after Nathan was born.
Nick, Nathan, and I temporarily relocated to Cincinnati, Ohio to be closer to Nick, 3 ½ months
Another year of Nick traveling, me working, and Nathan now in childcare
End the school year with a trip to Houston for Andrew's college graduation
Grandparents watch Nathan while we go to Churrasco's for a date
Dinner conversation: Let's jump ship, totally transform the life we know now.
Traveled to Colorado for vacation, road trip!
Quit jobs, sold house, moved to Houston where Nick would prepare, apply, and go to dental school—we hoped!
We moved TO Lubbock with all of our things fitting comfortably in the backs of our two little Ranger pick-ups. Moving BACK to Houston, after giving away SO much to our neighbors, we loaded up two vehicles, jam packed, and I can still picture the movers heaving shut the back door of the 54 foot humongous trailer.
Rented House #4, a tiny little thing with a great location. We tripped over boxes all year.
Began working at my old elementary school
Built House #5
Moved into House #5
Nick completed leveling courses, DAT testing preparations, and acceptance into dental school. All of that seems so trivial written in one line.
Pregnancy #4
Michael William Cobb, our second son, was born.
Nick begins dental school
Barbara manages much of the boys' care.
Cruise to Alaska for Barbara's birthday, more amazing that I could've ever imagined
Since then, work, school, backpacks, lunches, late nights, early morning, finals, grades, lesson plans, bedtime stories, playroom disasters, high chairs, cuddle times, yard work, house chores, and the list goes on.
I love our life. It's just how I expected it to be, and yet there are surprises all of the time. I have an amazing husband, two jewels of children, I am healthy and happy. What more could I ask for? There is no rush for time, but I cannot wait to see what the years ahead have in store for Nick and me!