11 YEARS - An Anniversary Post

On June 7, 1998, I married David Paul Key, and we began our adventure together. I do not use the word adventure lightly. David graduated on June 6, we were married on June 7, and we were at Ft. Eustis, VA with a Ryder truck full of our worldly possessions on June 9. And we haven't slowed down yet!!

Since this is the first anniversary I have had since I started blogging, I must do a special post. . .

The first time I met David was right before R.C. (aka Rose Carnation - the Phi Mu Spring Formal). I was not dating anyone and had no clue who to take. My roomie Heather said she might know of someone. . . Bless his heart, he agreed to take me to this formal without ever even seeing a picture of me! And he says he knew that night at the formal that he would marry me. I was a little harder to convince. . . But luckily for me, he was patient and persistent.

Our wedding day was PERFECT! Here are some random memories. . .

I was so emotional and so excited. I cried happy tears for days! Every time I saw someone, I would burst into tears! So many of our family and dear friends came to share in our day - I was overwhelmed! It was SO special. The church was packed! They even had to bring in folding chairs. And some people watched from the sound booth! My Daddy avoided me all day because he did not want to cry - I thought he was mad at me. When the doors opened and I saw David standing there, I practically ran down the aisle with tears flowing. Seriously, the organist did not even get through the first part of the song!! Daddy and I stopped and "picked up" Momma so they could BOTH give me away. David was wearing the same Dress Blue Uniform that my Daddy wore when he married Momma. I was wearing the veil that my Momma wore when she married Daddy. I was carrying the prayer book that Mimi and Momma both carried at their weddings. The preacher was the same preacher who married Momma and Daddy. (He also Christened Jessa and Spencer!) Can you tell I LOVE tradition????? My bridesmaids were beautiful and so precious. My sweet brother read 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. My Phi Mu Little sang "I will be here." While she was singing, David had tears in his eyes that I wiped away - thanks to Rebecca with the tissues! When we were saying our vows, he stumbled because the minister said to say "I David, take you Dana." He NEVER calls me Dana unless I am in trouble, so he said "I David, take you, D, uh Dana!" My roomie and oldest friend bribed the ring bearer down the aisle with a handful of gummy bears, thanks Heather! David learned never to trust "friends" to polish your shoes - Jason Pletsch wrote "I love men" on the bottoms that showed when we knelt. (it never came off and he had to buy new ones!) We had the best reception! We danced, we laughed, we had fun with all of our awesome guests. We cut the cake with Daddy's military saber. My feet hurt so bad, and I asked Daddy why he did not work at a sneaker company like Steve Martin in "Father of the Bride!" We sure know how to throw a party!! We never ate anything more than one bite of cake. Momma gave us $20 before we left in the limo, and we ordered a pizza from room service at the hotel. No one decorated our car because Mimi and Poppy helped him hide it at the hotel before the ceremony. What an awesome day! What a great way to start our life together.

A few days before the wedding, someone asked me if I was worried or stressed or nervous. I hardly thought about it before I replied, "A little, I guess, about some details. But there is one thing I am totally sure of and that is David." And it was true then and it is still true 11 whole years later! He may not be perfect, but he is PERFECT FOR ME! I am so lucky and so blessed that he never gave up on me. I am so grateful for our life together and our beautiful children. I am so looking forward to the rest of our lives. . .

For the record, an anniversary tally:
First: He was in Albania; I was in Georgia.
Second: Together in Germany
Third: Together in Germany
Fourth: Together in Germany
Fifth: Together at Ft. Stewart, pregnant with Jessa
Sixth: Together at Ft. Stewart
Seventh: He was in Iraq; I was in Georgia, pregnant with Spencer
Eighth: Together in a hotel room, moving to Louisiana
Ninth: He was in Louisiana in the field; I was in Georgia - the day before Lucas's transplant
Tenth: He was in Iraq; I was in Georgia
Eleventh: Together in Illinois!

I guess in an Army marriage, 7 out of 11 ain't bad!

Happy Anniversary, D!