Love of My Life, Happy One Year Anniversary

To the most deeply kind, most loving and incredible person I have been so lucky to find and marry - Happy 1st Wedding Anniversary. Every turn in the road of my life led me straight to you and I will love you for the rest of my days.

Sunday, March 8, 2015 - on a beautiful empty beach that I call heaven on earth, Justin proposed to me.

The fact that you managed to completely surprise me with this proposal still blows my mind. All the way on the road trip, on the ferry ride, on the walk to the beach, spreading a blanket on the log, I had no idea. I had never been to this place. The only people on the beach left right as we arrived, we were the only souls there at the time. Only once you had proposed did two people come down in perfect timing to take our picture together. It could not have been more perfect. Dinner afterwards watching a sun set over the most beautiful seascape on earth - a scene straight out of another world or my dreams.

Heaven.  May 12, 2016 - our wedding day. — Heaven. May 12, 2016 - our wedding day.

There is no where on earth that compares to here. Coming back to get married in the same place where you proposed was the only true option. Our heaven on earth.

I always loved the ocean as a girl growing up in Missouri.  To be fortunate enough to have my wedding here...  I have no words. — I always loved the ocean as a girl growing up in Missouri. To be fortunate enough to have my wedding here... I have no words.

I loved coming back to the same room you surprised me with after proposing to get ready for our wedding. I loved standing on this deck having a few photos taken - the same deck we sat on, gazing out over the ocean holding hands, sipping red wine, in Adirondack chairs just after we got engaged. I remember the blissful feeling of thinking about forever with you and how I woke up at 3 am later that night hearing the waves break gently just under the window -- nothing about it felt like real life.

The way down to the beautiful, beautiful beach.

The entire day the day of our wedding - I had this electric feeling running through my body. I felt intensely and continuously present. I remember walking down these stairs and seeing for the first time how the trees formed a perfect tunnel the whole way down to the water. Something I hadn't noticed before when we bounded down on March 8th thinking we'd only be sharing a Boundary Bay beer and heading back to the car and Seattle in an hour or so. I remember thinking the man I am spending the rest of my life with is just out of my sight.

Michele (the photographer) and Shannon (our officiant) told us to "hold on a sec" while they picked out the twigs and leaves that stuck like velcro to my tulle skirt.

I was never really nervous on our wedding day with you. I did enjoy the comic relief from Michele and Shannon having us pause for a few minutes while they cleaned the yard waste from my dress. Turns out leaves and twigs stick like crazy to tulle.

You, the man I love, reading your vows to me on our deserted beach.

Time stood still while we read our vows on this beautiful, deserted beach.

I told you how my life had changed profoundly for you in it. You bring immeasurable color, love, light, joy, and meaning.

It just occurred to me, writing this, we never had a rehearsal! So naturally we did things like try kissing two different times at the wrong moment. I think this was one of those times.

Now you may kiss the bride. I love you!

Despite not feeling truly nervous getting married, it felt so nice to find this little shack out of the direct sun and relax a bit. Neither of us are naturals in front of a camera but Michele did an amazing job of making us look totally natural and relaxed and like she wasn't telling us how to pose.

The calm, happy, pure joy feeling of just having gotten married setting in. I never really planned on getting married growing up and I feel beyond fortunate our paths aligned. The way they aligned, it is in a way that there is something besides luck at play in life. I thank my lucky stars for you all the time, Justin.

Am I lucky or am I lucky?  I am lucky. — Am I lucky or am I lucky? I am lucky.

ALLLLL MIIIIIIIINNNNEE. Damn you look good.

Our spot. The perfect place you found and brought me to for proposing and now getting married.

Remember how nice it felt to get out of the direct sun, into that beautiful room overlooking the Sound and getting that cocktail list in our hands? I do ;-) No better way to start our married life than sharing cocktails in our favorite place. That look on your face - "I know what you are looking at in the menu.... and it is not the appetizers." Every time you look at me this way it makes me crack up. You have used this look on me dozens of times in our first year together.

Cheers to our life together! Whew! To enjoy this in the late afternoon with maybe 4 or 5 other people around... beautiful quiet and peace to take in everything that has just happened.