4th of July (with a side order of sap.)

Listen, I tried with this 30 day thing.

It wasn't perfect. I'm not cut out to post every day.

But to be honest, none of the last few prompts interested me. So, that's DONE.


Today is July 4th. Independence Day. 

Also known as Brian and my unofficial 4th anniversary. 

I'm not someone who has ever been shy about wanting to someday be a wife. 

This picture was taken the first week of June, 2010. Brian and I met three weeks later. 

 This pic was taken 4th of July weekend, 2010. Our first pic together. 

We officially became a "couple" on 7/5, though this whole weekend feels like "ours." 

We were sitting on a bench on the Plymouth Waterfront. 

We look pretty young!!! 

4th of July 2010, with the girls...

My last one as a technically single woman. 

(I spent this whole party talking about Brian, whom I was already completely infatuated with.) 

Fast forward to 2011. 

Bridal showers galore. 

In my gut, I can tell something isn't QUITE right. 

I know we love each other, but we weren't on the same page. 

I continued to want "the ring" even though I knew it wasn't coming anytime soon. 

Our 1st Anniversary, 7/3/11

Fireworks at Manomet Beach

As my friends know, the end of 2011 was tough. 

We broke up temporarily. 

I was devastated. 

(Just ask Lane, Rachael, & Trish...who all tried to feed and comfort me in the days following.) 

This breakup, however, was the BEST thing that ever happened to me (us) , if you can believe that. 

When we came back together, it was with a better understanding of what we both wanted. 

(Which was each other, firstly.) 

But also with renewed resolve, clear heads, and APPRECIATION for each other. 

2012 was a year to re-build. 

Brian went outside his comfort zone for me on multiple occasions, including this one-and-only Halloween costume party. 

We enjoyed time up North, as we always have. 

We gradually became closer and built the relationship that would have evolved from day 1, if we'd been in the same head space. 

(In some ways, our "real" relationship began when we got back together.) 

2013 brought LOTS of changes

Our first big vacation together, the cruise

And yet we still found time on July 4th weekend to sit on the waterfront...

Weddings, galore. 

(Only this time it didn't seem like we were so far off.) 

People watching at the fireworks, as is our custom. 

We moved in. 

I made this little place my own as best I could. 

We developed intimacy by living together that took our relationship to the next level. 

So much fun. 

We have had so much fun. 

(One of the reasons we want an affordable house.) 

And in March 2014, after a few tense months of waiting (haha)...

We got the beginning of our happy ending! 

We didn't take a pic yet this weekend. 

So this is our most recent one, from May. 

4th of July weekend...my favorite. 

A great time to celebrate the most important person in my life. 

Love you.