5 Years Married 8 years together

Every year at this time Jacob and I celebrate a double anniversary, our 5th year being married and our 8th year being together. And as I sit here and contemplate how I'm going to make this post different than 2008s post I think really it's just important to celebrate this milestone. So I'm going to repeat some of this stuff again.

Jacob and I started dating near the end of November. He first took me to a bar to listen to some compilation of some guy from Dinosauar Jr. with another guy from Porno for Pyros with some other guy from who know's what. I don't really remember who they were.... what I do remember though is that we had a really fun time, even though he didn't get any kissin' at the end of the date (for those of you who know that story.. the onion rings were terrific!) After that he asked me to go to some work Holiday Party with him. And we actually have a picture of that.... (how many people can say they have a picture of their second date?)

(Don't you love my purse?)

In between that time we hit a really bad movie too but from that second date on we were pretty much inseparable. We knew pretty early on that we wanted to get married but we wanted to do it the right way... meaning we wanted to live on our own. NO parents, NO grandparents just us in our own place and that meant we had a lot of debt to pay off first. Most of it mine (what can I say? I had a lot of fun shopping and traveling?!... isn't that what you are supposed to do in your twenties?) So we worked for 2 1/2 years to get that paid off before we got engaged. We also did some other fun things.....

We spent a lot of time at Disneyland.

I took him to Ohio to meet my parents and siblings

We went to England, for a wedding we missed (still makes me a little sad)

And we spent a lot of time together!

We got engaged on March 18th 2004 and the poor Anderson family had 3 weddings in one year! (Jacob's brother and sister got married in April and May of that same year)

We got married November 20th 2004 at the very packed Los Angeles Temple (17 weddings that day.... we got married an hour after our appointment)

In the last 5 years we have had 3 jobs changes, 2 apartments and moved 241 miles. We have had our good times and our bad times, we have a beautiful little girl who brings more love to our family than we had ever thought possible. I am so thankful that the Lord brought Jacob to me. I am so thankful that Jacob didn't give up in the 8 months between when he got home from his mission and when I finally agreed to go out with him. I'm thankful for a man who loves me even when I am crazy, in a bad mood, being a bad wife or just having a bad day. I'm thankful for a man who works hard for his family and who is faithful in the gospel of Christ. He makes me a better person. Jacob, I love you!!!