In the summer of 2003, I had decided after my first amazing year at Mizzou, I would stay the summer in my college town to work and play. I had randomly moved in with three other college students: two guys and another girl. If you would have told me at that moment in time that almost a decade later, I would be happily celebrating my third wedding anniversary to the guy with the greasy, unshaven scruffy face and have two beautiful children with him, I would have laughed hysterically and called you insane. This is the guy:

Fast forward to today, I realize that I was the one that was wrong. Within that decade time span of having first met Ryan, we became friends, then became more than friends, moved away from each other, got sad, moved back, got married on a beach, bought a house in the boonies, had two kiddos. Crazy, I know.
This guy turned out to be everything I could ever ask for in a husband and father. He's kind, generous, funny, witty, smart, caring, mechanically inclined, manly - I could go on. He was my diamond in the rough, and I'm sure he would say the same about me.

Our relationship after three years is stronger than ever. We celebrated our anniversary by topping it off with the most expensive dinner I have ever had in my life (and will ever have again).
Like any relationship, we have our moments of course. Ryan is pretty stubborn and hard headed. But then again, I'm pretty emotional and indecisive. Our disagreements are mostly about silly things that outsiders would laugh at.
But we complement each other as crazy as it sounds. We both support each other in everything (well, except duck calling in the car). We are quick to make fun of each other too. We went out with some of his co-workers one night, and someone said, "Your relationship just seems amazing. Its like you guys are best friends or something." Yep - thats how I would sum it up.
Like that country song goes, "God gave me you for the ups and downs. God gave me you for the days of doubt. And for when I think I lost my way, there are no words here left to say, it's true. God gave me you."
Happy anniversary Rynie, and I hope to have many more with your stubborn butt 🙂
P.S. To the folks reading, can you tell we're not really a sappy couple?

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