A Whole Decade! That's a One and a Zero:)

The other day while having a conversation with a lady I had just met, she asked me how long Roy and I had been living in Charlotte. For the first time in a long time, I felt like such an adult when I answered "almost ten years". Ten years....that's a long time! Today is the tenth anniversary of the day I married Roy Graham. I remember thinking way back in 2001 that our tenth anniversary was so far off, but yet here we are one whole decade later.

As I think about all that has taken place during the last ten years, I am proud. The years hold such precious memories in my heart that I pray I never forget....all the firsts we experienced together. I'll never forget the excitement we shared as we called that little apartment on Poppy Hills Lane ours, or the pride we felt as we purchased our first home. We were so proud of that house and then so fearful the night we closed and we stood seeing it empty for the first time and realizing all of the work we had cut out for us! We put so much labor and love into that home and we did it side by side--together--the entire time. That house holds nothing but good memories for us! And then the joy and nervousness we felt as we drove away from Carolinas Medical Center with a sweet little girl in our backseat headed to that house. We even set our alarm clock for 3AM the next morning...just in case she slept through the night. (We ended up turning the alarm off way before 3).

I think about the pure joy on Roy's face as the ultrasound technician told him that there would be a Roy Austin Graham, Jr. in this world. I think about the sound of my doctor saying "It's a girl!" as he pulled sweet Charlotte from my belly and the faces of our older two children as they walked into the hospital room that night to meet their new sister. I think about all of the "good mornings!" and the "Daddy's Home!" announcements in the early evenings. The chaos that our noisy home creates at times, the teaming up for bath duty and Bible stories at bedtime. The many Saturdays working in the yard, the relief of seeing Roy's face return to us after he's been on a trip, all the inside jokes we've shared and the little getaways we've experienced. The commonality of all of these sweet, cherished moments is that Roy and I have experienced them together....and I could not be more blessed.
As I think about me being that young, 21 year old year old who, ten years ago, was preparing for her big day, I remember how stressed I was about the place card settings, about the candles that were going onstage that were supposed to be drip-less but weren't. I think about the girl who thought she had it all together and had pretty much figured out life. I laugh at the things that she thought were SO important and the silly disagreements she'd have once in a while with her new groom. I love those newlywed days and memories and I smile when they come to mind.

I can only pray and hope that this is just our beginning. I pray that God gives us many more decades together, for us to grow and create more firsts. I am so glad that the shy girl who became intrigued by Roy Graham got up the courage to ask him what his major was, and I'm so glad he answered her... and then said that her major, History, was worthless! I love my RoyBoy:)

**(P.S. This song playing was the song that we had our first dance to. And that picture of us dancing to it includes my sweet and funny Daddy trying to cut in:)