Love

I'm sitting on a comfortable bed inside the Sheraton Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Outside the floor-length window is a view of the city and ocean.  Ryan is at a convention for most of the day, so I'm taking full advantage of this time to relax.

At this exact moment 17 years ago I was a nervous bride.  The years have flown by, yet at the same time I can't remember my life before Ryan.

I feel so proud to be celebrating our 17 year anniversary!  A wedding anniversary is important because it means we've successfully tackled another year of highs and lows.  Marriage is a whole heckofalotta work, which is something the world seems to have forgotten.  Those accomplishments in life that bring me the greatest joys can also bring me the greatest disappointments at times.  I adore Ryan, yet there are days I want to smack him into Canada.  We are on this vacation with a newlywed couple who are trying to learn the ropes of marriage.  It's been super cute to watch them fawn over each other, but you couldn't pay me enough money to switch places with them.  I'm so grateful to be at a place in marriage where the daily annoyances are just part of the perfect package.  A disagreement doesn't mean disaster; it means we are both intelligent adults with our own opinions.  I love love.