Six Years.

The picture below is the first photo that Peter and I ever had together. My mom found it a little while ago in her old emails. Of course I sent her a photo. I was smitten! 

This photo was before our first date, before the first kiss, before everything...

But today, Wednesday, July 16th, we celebrate a very important day! The sixteenth marks six years since the first date with the most wonderful man I’ve ever met. I remember vividly that night six years ago….

I was waiting patiently in the living room of the apartment where my mom and I lived. I had my favorite maxi dress on, lipstick was ready and I could smell my Victoria’s Secret body spray. I fiddled my fingers and checked my face in the mirror several times, while I waited as patiently as I could. This was the first time that Peter had ever picked up a girl for a date. I remember texting him and telling him what time to pick me up and he said; you don’t want to meet there? I replied with something like, no… if this is a date you can pick me up. I was bold and I was persistent but thankfully that worked for him. When I heard the knock on the door I felt my stomach drop because the most handsome (sexy) man that I’ve ever met was waiting on the other side of that door to take me out for sushi. When we arrived at the restaurant and the hostess walked us to our table I instantly wanted to turn my back to the entire room so I could focus on him and because I have an annoying habit of intense people watching. I didn’t want him to think I wasn’t interested. Apparently he had the same idea because he pulled out the chair that was facing the entire room for me, which of course meant I had to sit down. He pulled out the seat for me!! A sexy gentleman, that one. As we sat at the table and enjoyed our dinner and learned about each other I was pretty sure I hit the jackpot. He was funny and he made me laugh but not in that "this is a first date, so I have to laugh" kind of way. He made me really laugh which was so refreshing. And when he would laugh or grin and flash his dimples... man, I thought I would slide right off my chair and melt into a puddle of first date gooeyness. It was a good night.

Thankfully the nights have only gotten better. I learned that I didn’t need to pursue a man, that I should be pursued instead. And I learned that my timing isn’t as important as God’s timing. A lot has changed in the past six years. There were a lot of dates, some no dating, even dates with others but I’m most thankful for who we have become through all those dates. Our heavenly Father has guided us to this point and I could not be happier with where we are. I still think Peter is the sexiest man alive and those dimples still make me want to melt, just in a different kind of puddle now... more of a, is this guy really my husband puddle, which is honestly so much better than those first date puddles. You may think it is strange to celebrate a dating anniversary but I like to think that even after you are husband and wife, dates are still important. Even more important, so I’m thankful that I get to date this guy forever and I’m completely fine with the fact that sushi will always be our favorite kind of date night.

& just for fun, here's the Almost Two Years post

and the Five years post