8 is Gr8!

Looking back at the past 8 {can you believe it?} years, I can’t help but think that Brad Paisley is the soundtrack to our marriage! Without further ado:
Wrapped Around
Ben and I met on December 1, 2002. For the next 6 months we saw each other every.single.day {minus roughly 14 days in that amount of time}. We were both working crazy retail hours {I worked at Wal-Mart and he worked at Lowe’s} but we managed somehow!?!
When he purchased a ring for me, he was going to find a creative way to propose to me and wait at least a few days, but….he was so excited and proposed in the flip-flop aisle in Wal-Mart. He is such the romantic! {Or, straight to the point!}
He said he loved me the moment he met me. Even if he thought I had a daughter. Yes, he thought my niece was mine….but he didn’t care! I still find that information amusing.
Little Moments
Ben still holds it against me the first time he heard me swear {the first and last time, mind you.} A co-worker made me so upset, I called her a bad word {not to her face, just in frustration when I was talking to Ben.}
We used to cuddle on the couch and watch T.V. I miss that. We would take the back cushions off, and watch movies. That was B.K. {before kids}. Now, if we turn a movie on, I might last 10 minutes. Max. Then I’ll fall asleep.
It really is the little moments. Because that’s all we get. Especially in this stage of our marriage with 4 little kiddos!
She’s Everything
Ben loves me. All my quirks. All my imperfections. All my crazy ideas. He loves me. He would do anything and everything for me. He is a.maze.ing! I really don’t know how I got so lucky to find him. And marry him. And spend my life with him. It truly is amazing. Little girl from po-dunk Idaho meets country boy from big city Virginia Beach and falls in love. It’s perfect, really.
Waiting on a Woman
I know he finds it amusing. It takes him 2.5 seconds to get ready. And he’s constantly waiting on me to go somewhere. Get used to it, honey. It’s not gonna change! :) And, you like it, you know you do!
Then
Looking back to our dating months, I really didn’t see how I could love Ben more. I mean, I loved him a WHOLE lot! He was handsome. And sweet. And funny. And nice. And he loved me in return. I never had been treated like how he treated me. He was so, what’s the word? Perfect! He was perfect. It was in the little things. Like, when we would go to his house {that was 30 minutes away} he would come and pick me up, then bring me home. Whereas, the previous guy I dated made me drive {30 minutes} to see him.
As I was browsing through all our pictures, seeing all the pictures of our little family makes my heart so FULL of love. As the song says, and I thought I loved you, then! I love Ben so much more now—even if we aren’t able to spend as much time together—just the 2 of us. Even if some times it seems like we are like ships passing in the night. I love him so.much!
I’m Gonna Miss Her
What can I say? I married a hunter and gatherer! :) Ben loves fishing and hunting. A lot. I wish you could hear the excitement in his voice after a day out on the boat. At least he’s good at what he does, right? He is an amazing fisherman, and hunter. If all else fails, we should never go hungry! :)
Remind Me
It’s too easy to get caught up in the day to day busyness. Especially when we talk more about the kids than about us when we go out on dates.
So, Ben. After 8 years and 4 kids later, remind me what it was like when we were dating. Remind me why I married you. {Not that I need you to. Really, I don’t. Because I know you do} But remind me why I love you so much. And I’ll remind you why I chose you. Because, I know I am so lucky to have you. And I don’t want to forget that. Ever.
Happy Anniversary, Ben. You are the best. And I love you. Forever.
Here’s a video. It’s crazy to look back at the past 8 years! We {I} were so young! I was 18 in the first picture. {The YSA had a dance, a Ben, I mean, I asked him to go. I was technically in charge of planning it. So, he couldn’t say no.} That was the first week we met! Anyway, like I said. Here’s a video. And, after posting about how Brad Paisley is the soundtrack to our lives, the music in the video is NOT one of his songs. Go figure. I wanted to, but they were just too slow. :)

8 Years from kate on Vimeo.