Nathan and I didn't date for a very long time before we got engaged - 11 months to be exact. Six months and one week after that we were married. I have always thought of our relationship as short since several of our friends were together for many years before getting engaged and married, but then I realized that this August will mark 7 years of being together with Nathan.
Marriage changes you. Or you change and your marriage grows with it - I'm not sure. Either way it goes I can see more and more that love is a daily choice, and staying married is not something that just happens to anyone. As beautiful as our relationship looks (and is) on the outside, strong marriages are usually built through the fires of testing and trials, both inside the relationship and in our own personal lives.
Five years into this crazy thing called marriage we are changed, and changed for the better. We love each other more, we fight so much better (because of course we still fight) and we know each other more deeply than we ever did before. These images are not just pretty to look at - they are a representation of how far our relationship has come in nearly seven long and wonderful years together.
A huge thank you to Andrew and Tianna for these beautiful images and to Dhalia Edwards for giving me the most perfect makeup for our special anniversary session in downtown Norfolk. From the Chrysler museum to the side streets of the city, I will cherish each image forever as our relationship continues to grow through the years.
Of course we had to bring Lilo along for a few pictures...
And we always carry Joel in our hearts, wherever we go. This necklace was a gift from a sweet friend with his birth date and birthstone...I will treasure it forever.
