three (3)

Today marks three years since this guy officially, legally, became my partner for life:

Since recently having a semi-health scare (and subsequently finding out all seems to be fine), I'm finding myself even more than ever deeply grateful for the choice we made in choosing one another.

Hitting the third anniversary begins to feel, finally, like we're moving out of the newness of this, and are very much settled into the rhythm of being both with one another, and beside one another, every day.

Though not all married couples who've had the experience feel the same, Chris and I agree that getting to spend such a solid chunk of time together- and in our first few years married- has been the ultimate experience.  We quickly went from two or three hours awake beside each other, to seemingly countless hours doing everything with each other.  Experiencing days and moments that have broken us down, exposed our vulnerabilities, and built us up.  And we've done it together, weaving such an intricate web of events and experiences that few could hope to truly understand as we inherently do.

I've done a reflection for the our first two anniversaries (one and two) before, and I'm incredulous that we're here, at another.  But I'm still counting myself so very lucky this kid and I stumbled across one another when we were just babies years ago.  And I can't wait for dozens upon dozens more.

To Topher:

Life with you is three times as grand because:

When I ramble on about all those things I really want to do, and be, and experience, you listen.  And, very often, you surprise me by helping me fulfill my need to learn and grow and do:

You gave me the sweetest, most lovable little brother.  And, hope for our children to have some beautiful recessive gene, like those baby blues of yours.

You love to do things that you know will make me laugh, even when I'm not around to witness it. And, you get my brother to do it too:

You've always admired encouraged appreciated something-a-bit-kinder-than-tolerated my quirks, like that underwear obsession thing:

You're logical emotions are close to the surface (like my non-logical emotions), and you've never hidden them from me:

You totally get my sense of humor, and we can throw it back at each other all day long.  And no one else has to understand (and few rarely do...):

You give the best hugs.  When you hold me, you hold on for real: tight, and close, and hard:

I really love to look at you. Not creepily, but I just love seeing you interact with people and places and experiences.  I always appreciate our world so much more when I pause to see it through your eyes:

You make me laugh.  Even when I don't want to.

You're affectionate, and fun, and spontaneous.

When I get super caught up inside my head, you are the only person who can pull me back out again and help me find solid ground.

You humor me like no one else does, and often, can predict what I'm about to say or do before it happens:

When I give you tickets to the gun show, you're always on time, in the front row.

When we had lessons for our first dance as spousal units, you worked really hard on learning how to dip me.  I like to think it's because you know how much I love old black and white movies, where they do things like take their women for a spin on the dance floor and dip them with abandon.

You love and eat up all of my baking adventures, even when they're broken down versions of what they were in my mind.


When I curse like a sailor, you say you hate it, but we both know you secretly love it.  Like that time I dropped the f-bomb at our cake cutting? And it was...cute?

You're really, really good at kissing.  And other things.

 You are my favorite, dear one. Always.

**these photos are all copyright b scott photography, and of the most amazing wedding photographer and team in the DC/Maryland area. seriously, if you want an amazing person to capture amazing, emotive photos from a special moment in your life, book him. i can't say enough words about how ridiculously happy i still am, three years later, that i chose him for our wedding! thank you brian and susan!