Our 1/2 Wedding Anniverary

Six months ago today I married my wife. Six months. In some ways it seems just like yesterday, and in other ways it seems like so much longer. Time has flown past, and yet, there has been so much packed into the time that it is hard to believe we really could have done so much in only half of a year. Business has drastically increased. We’ve traveled many different times for out of town weddings. We’ve grown so much together. We’ve redecorated the house. Ok…she redecorated the house and I followed instructions, I should say. She did a great job transforming the bachelor pad, but I must admit…I still think that her refusal to allow me to keep my velvet painting of the three matadors was a mistake.  I have learned how to close the drawers or the dresser, straighten the hand towels in the bathroom, make the bed, take out the trash (almost) every week, put away dishes, and so many other things that previously existed only on tv and in the movies. She has learned to be patient with a domestically impeded male, how to instruct him in her ways without making him feel like an idiot, and what pitch at which to shriek to ensure that I will coming running to deal with the cricket/spider/moth related crisis. Also, she has learned that I really am as funny as I always told her I was.

Not only has she changed things around the house, but she has been a major boost to our business in wedding photography and portraits and events and everything else. Besides the massive amounts of encouragement she brings, she has helped get me more organized and on track with the more detailed side of things. Because of that, we have more weddings booked for next year than I ever have before.

For all of you who have been married for years, I am sure six months sounds like nothing in the scope of a lifetime together, but six months is all I have had up until now in this brand new life. Since Shannon and I were a bit older when we finally got married, there was so many years of anticipation building up for both of us about to whom and when we would be married. Was everything what I was expecting? No way. Did I have any clue how much my life would change once I was hitched? I think so. Did I know how truly amazing this woman was before we married? Not even close.

I am not sure how this happened outside of God opening up the heavens and making a miracle happen, but somehow this girl agreed to marry me, and because of that, I have the most amazing wife of which I could have ever dreamed. She has been such a blessing to me, and my life has been unvaryingly changed for the better because of her. Every day I wake up amazed by her, and every day I am in shock that something this perfect could have ever happened to me. There were so many other roads in life that I could have gone down and others that I tried to go down, yet all the while, God was watching out for me to ensure that I eventually made it to the right road. I am blessed among men because of this woman.

I don’t normally post things like this on my site, but I really wanted to. Here are a few photos of Shannon from the time of our relationship starting from our first date at the Sufjan Stevens concert to the present day. They are not necessarily the best photos of her, but they are some of my favorites for one reason or the other. Hope you enjoy them.

Shannon, I know we decided to not be nerds and make a big deal of our 6-month mark, but I still wanted to let you know how much I love and adore you…if you don’t all ready get sick of me telling you all the time. Our life together so far has been jam packed, exhilarating, at times stressful, exhausting, and wonderful…and I would not trade it for anything. Even as you are sleeping right next to me at this very moment, I cannot stop smiling. You are the most wonderful person and my best friend, and I love you more than I ever thought possible. I hope you are dreaming wonderful things and are not being weirded out by the dog’s strange snoring that she is doing right now. Even the cat is looking at her like she is strange. I love you, Shannon…my bride and my Tinuviel…even though you are hogging the blankets a little bit right now. Good night.

Joel

oh, and I did get you a card…I know, cheesy. I picked it up Saturday night which is why I was late getting home from the fine art photography event I was shooting. Just remembered, though, that I forgot to give it to you yesterday. Shocking, right? 😉