10 Years

10 years ago I spent the day at my Grandma's house.

10 years ago today we were celebrating my cousin's return from his 15 month deployment to Iraq.

10 years ago today I drove up to my boyfriend's house to pick him up.  He had surprised me two days before...5 days of leave before he had to deploy to Iraq.

10 years ago today I was confused when he met me at my car, and brought me around to the back yard.

10 years ago today I left his house a fiance, because when he asked to spend forever with him "yes" was the only answer I needed to give.

10 years ago today we celebrated with family and friends.

10 years ago today my intense joy was marked by just a touch of sadness as I wondered if this man I wanted to spend my life with would ever come back home again.

10 years ago today at 21 years old, I said yes as Skip slipped a ring on my finger.  I had never been so sure of anything in my life.

Skip and I didn't have a typical engagement most people seem to have these days.  There was no engagement party or pictures taken.  We had two days of celebrating and then a day of crying as we said goodbye.  The church and reception hall let me pencil the dates in without having to put down a deposit because we didn't know if or when Skip would be home.  We didn't spend hours wedding planning together, mulling over napkin colors.  But we loved each other, fiercely.  It didn't matter if we were young and he was leaving, we were totally in love and wanted to commit to each other forever.

10 years ago today I let myself hope and dream of a wedding and a future life with Skip.  I am so lucky that all those hopes and dreams have come true.