Six Years.

I've been married to the love of my life for the past six years.  I met Tim when I was 18 years old - a freshman at UNH in my first semester.  Tim is six years older than me and he was starting grad school that same year.  He sent me an e-mail after our first bible study together telling me how much he appreciated how I shared openly with the group...he said it encouraged others to be transparent, to share honestly.  I absolutely knew I wanted to marry him from that moment on.

Some of the most significant things in the past six years of marriage have been...

Honeymoon in Hawaii

Year One '05-'06:  We married on July 2, 2005.  We honeymooned in Hawaii and Cape Cod.  I almost killed Tim while snorkeling when I crawled on his back because I got so surprised by a sea turtle.  We lived in Durham, NH in a tiny, lofted, one bedroom apt.  We walked to work at UNH and to the gym together, too.  One night, when we were newly married, I got up on my haunches and GROWLED at Tim in my sleep; he was so scared that he woke me up by yelling "HEY!"

me dancing on the UT salt flat

Year Two '06-'07:  We moved to another apartment in Lee, continued working on InterVarsity Staff and adopted our first two dogs - Griffin and Tank.  We traveled across half of the U.S. together on a road trip from Kansas to California and back in a giant circle...I tap-danced on the Salt Flats in UT.  Tim's dad passed away and we miss him so much. 

Tim and I at Adams Point in Durham, NH

Year Three '07-'08  This was our last year together on IV Staff and by the end of this year we were both in new jobs - me at Phillips Exeter Academy (fundraising) and Tim at Bethany Church (youth ministry).  We traveled to France over New Years to visit Tim's family there.  We bought our house in Nottingham, NH.

Tank as a puppy.

Year Four '08-'09:  We lived in community with friends this year and the next in our house.  We suffered the most difficult loss when our beloved dog, Tank, was killed in a hit-and-run accident outside our front door.  We learned how to love each other in the midst of grief and loss.

Year Five '09-10:  We adopted our dog, Caroline.  I became pregnant in the summer of '09 and Tim waited on me hand-and-foot alongside our house-mates.  We prepared for the arrival of our daughter, Stella, in April of '10.  This changed our life in the best way!  We re-discovered life as a small family after our daughter was born.  We tried to refinance and then sell our house in anticipation of me staying at home - all to no avail.  We renewed our vows in celebration of year five of marriage.

Year Six '10-11:  We lost our house to foreclosure and we joyfully moved back to into an apartment in Newmarket (where we probably should have been all along!).  We watch Stella grow like a weed before our eyes.  We minister alongside each other and continue to learn to love one another.  We travel together to Maryland, Virginia, New York, and Cape Cod to visit family...and who knows what's next.

Tim, you are my best friend.  I truly thought I couldn't love you any more than I did when I first met you at age 18;  Over ten years later, the bulk of it we've spent together, I love you more each day.  You are an absolutely amazing husband, father, and pastor.  I admire you, I respect you, I look up to you, and I count on you.  Thank you for choosing me and showing me each day how Jesus loves His Bride.