older*women*make*beautiful*lovers

Thirteen years ago today, Jared married his high school sweetheart....ME! (Can I consider him my high school sweetheart when we got together the last three and a half months of my senior year? What qualifies one as the "high school sweetheart"?)

I was a senior and Jared was a sophomore when we 'hooked up' so he spent his high school career dating me and I went on to college to get started on the life that I had always dreamed of having. There were three dreams: get married, have kids and be a teacher. And look where I am today. Triple blessed.

Here's the rewind of our marriage in fast forward.

* August 3, 1996: the big day. Jared never smiled once. It's a memory I'll never forget.

* August 3rd- 8th 1996: the honeymoon in Durango, Colorado. I cried every night, homesick.

* other things to note August 1996: we bought our first "house", a 30 ft. travel trailer

* September 1996: Jared left for Fire Academy for three months in Kilgore, Texas. I cried every night again.

* February 1997: moved into a rent house in Seagoville, fought the roaches (joy of a rent house), found out we were gonna have a baby.

* November 1997: Clayson was born :)

* December 1997: I graduated from college, Jared was hired by Ennis Fire Department

* January 1998: We moved to Ennis. More tears.

* July 1998: Found out we would be parents again- babies, 17 months apart

* Early 1999: moved into a rent house in Combine on a huge ranch - fought the snakes (joy of a rent house in the country), Jared was hired by Seagoville Fire Department.

* April 1999: Trey was born :)

* May 2001: I decided to quit babysitting and being a stay-at-home-mom and to become a teacher. I was hired by Crandall ISD to teach 5th grade in the fall.

* June 2001: moved to a rent house in Crandall.

* August 2001: I started my teaching career.

*August 2002: built a house and moved in - our first home - in Combine.

* October 2002: found out we were having baby #3 - wishing and hoping for that little girl

* June 2003: Ashlyn was born :)

* June 2005: took our first trip since our honeymoon - Cozumel - had such a good time and decided to work harder at our marriage that had become a little shaky (the truth hurts). What doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger.

* June 2006: back to Mexico - we had made such progress from the last trip

* March 2007: sold our first home, moved into Jared's parents house while we made decisions on what to do with the 5 acres that we had recently purchased

* June 2007: Cozumel with friends

* November 2007: moved into our "love shack" in the metal building while we continued to make decisions and come up with house plans

* March 2008: started building our current house

* August 2008: moved into the house that we built

* July 2009: bought a boat that has brought our family together for something we all enjoy

* TODAY: married 13 years. We spent the afternoon on the lake, stopping to eat at Texas Land & Cattle.

We have learned that marriage is compromising, allowing room for growth and change and lots of communication and prayer.

Jared married me straight out of high school (graduated in May, married in August). Many people thought we would never make it. We have been down and we have been out but we have come out of those valleys and now we are better than we have ever been. We have truly grown up together and are enjoying every bit of the life we have created.

Happy 13 years to us! Thanks to all who have supported us, guided us, prayed for us and showed us how to love.