5 years (already? only?)

Today is Lisa & I's 5th wedding anniversary (well, the first one anyway - we had 2 weddings, but consider this our "real" anniversary).

In many ways, it's hard to believe it's already been 5 years - some of my memories of our wedding day are so crisp, clear, and accessible in my memory that I can't quite process the passage of so much time. In other ways, I'm stunned when I realize that we haven't even been together for a decade yet (8 years in December). It seems that we've grown so much, accomplished so much, changed so much. How could all of that happen in such a short stretch of time?

Tyla's arrival has only cemented the surreal-ness of this milestone anniversary. I remember thinking about our future family as I got ready on our wedding day. I wondered when, and how, we would have kids. I wondered where we would live, what they'd be like, how Lisa & I would be as parents. Now I have answers to all of those questions. This past year has been a tough one for our family. Not that anything "bad" has really happened; it's just been marked by huge changes, extreme excitement, intense challenges. It's been one big roller coaster, and it seems that there are more roller coaster rides ahead.

So, on our anniversary, I pledge to myself (and to my family) to not struggle against this roller coaster so much, and not spend so much time and energy trying to flatten out the highs and lows (yes, I am a control freak). I promise to do my best to sit back and enjoy the ride. After all, it won't be ending any time soon.

It's already our 5th anniversary. It's only our 5th anniversary. No matter how you look at it, one thing remains the same: I love Lisa as much today as I did 1,825 days ago. In fact, I love her more.