One whole hand of years

Five years ago today, I was . . .

• realizing I would not, actually, be sleeping, and just gave up
• sending Sam a text asking him how he slept and not getting a response until 9 or so, since he slept great [This after him telling me, quite firmly, that he was in no way going to be able to sleep. Hah.]
• going to get my hair done, little knowing the evil intentions the misty rain had for my curls
• going to the mall to get my makeup done [which sounded like a good idea, but when they were running 1+ hours behind, despite my appointment? yeah, not such a good idea after all]
• meeting Sam at the Oakland temple
• getting sealed to my sweetheart "for time and all eternity"
• getting probably the single shortest talk from a sealer in the history of sealings
• taking pictures outside the temple with a white umbrella, due to the aforementioned drizzle
• being blissfully happy
• driving with my husband to our reception
• getting some impromptu bridals done while Sam went with my dad to pick up the food
• wearing my husband's suit coat and possibly slippers or flip-flops instead of my pretty wedding shoes [which, it must be said, are sadly uncomfortable and ridiculously cute]
• telling people that yes, I actually had gotten married and that the absence of my groom was due to the caterer losing our order and he and my dad (as well as my aunts) having to scavenge around local grocery stores
• putting olives on my fingers [Now really, if someone put jumbo-sized olives in front of you and you loved olives, would you be able to resist? I submit that you would not.]
• driving away with my husband in a car that got sadly graffitied, in the tradition of weddings, despite Sam having parked it so carefully away
• knowing I'd just made the best decision of my life

So, in case you couldn't tell, today is our five-year anniversary [that's a whole hand of years, by the way]. I thought then that I knew what happiness was; I realize now that happiness isn't a static state but a dynamic one, one that increases and intensifies the longer you give it reason to.

Now I'm going to get a little mushy, which is highly uncharacteristic of me [for some reason, the whole PDA stuff just makes me squirm, whether I see it or am the perpetrator], so if that makes you uncomfortable, feel free to stop reading.

Dear Sam,

Thanks for making these past five years the happiest of my life. I love how much I can trust you to always stand beside me and support me, regardless of the metaphorical winds and rains buffeting me and trying to pull me down. Saying yes to you was the best decision I ever made, and if I'd known then how much happiness it would bring me I wouldn't have been at all irritated by the way you led me on the whole day prior to you proposing. ;)

Thanks for being such a wonderful example of Christlike love and service and for always making me want to better myself and prove myself worthy of an eternal relationship with you. You're so much more than everything I ever dreamed up whenever I imagined my eternal companion. Every day I can't believe how lucky I am that you picked me and how blessed I am that Heavenly Father led us to each other.

I love you so much and am so excited about the eternity I have to spend with you. You're the sunshine to my every day, even when it's nasty and snowing outside.

Love for eternity,

Holly

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