6 Adventurous Years and Counting

Friday marks my 6th wedding anniversary.  It marks the day I married my best friend.  I could type all the ways he is amazing, but that might make people want to puke.  Instead, I will say this:  we have had some crazy adventures in these 6 years.  Here are a few in no particular order:

• We got married over our spring break.  We were seniors at Calvin and thought Spring Break would make a fun honeymoon.  We weren't disappointed.
• We moved to Detroit hoping Joel would get into Wayne State for medical school.  Joel ended up not getting in and worked that year while I went to school and received my MSW from the University of Michigan.
• We waited a total of three years for Joel to get into medical school, but it was worth the wait.  He got into DMU and we made amazing friends in Des Moines, IA.
• We had a baby.  I can't imagine my life without Kyper.  Okay, maybe a little gushy, but Joel is an amazing dad.  I wouldn't choose anyone else to parent with.
• We moved 4 times in the first 6 months.  
• We have moved a total of 7 times (not including our four week stays in AM's house, Tim and Melanie's house and in Traverse City) in our first 6 years.  We are going to make it to number 8 before we reach the 7 year mark.  
• The last time we moved, we had a 7 day old son!  Yes, days.
• So far, we have only had six months to one year in which we were DINKs--double income no kids.  I guess that won't ever happen again since we now have a son.  Hopefully this July, we will be DIOKs--double income one kid and in the future DIMKs-double income multiple kids.  Haha.
• We are really used to living in limbo due to some of the above adventures.  We lived in three years of limbo while Joel applied to medical schools.  We lived in limbo during his second year when we didn't know if he would be placed in Des Moines or Detroit.
• I am glad we moved back to Detroit.  He has been able to do all rotations in the area. (well except Traverse City, but that was our choice.)  This means I have seen him every night or day when he has been doing his third and fourth year rotations.
• We have taken vacations together.  We circumnavigated Lake Michigan when we first moved to Des Moines.  We went to Maggie Valley, NC this year.
• He's had adventures on guy's weekends.  I have had adventures on girls' weekends.  Including the time he ended up having to pick me up from the "wrong" train station when I was coming home from Chicago.  We ended up driving through three hours worth of torrential downpour, so he could pick me up, bring me to my car at the next city an hour away and then back to Des Moines.  
• He had lung surgery and was in the hospital for our first Christmas and New Year's as a married couple.  He has a great scar to show for it.  One cut and two chest tube holes.
• I am finally starting to get into some grant writing.  Okay, some more gushy talk:  Joel is so supportive with me and my professional goals.  He is a great encourager and pushes me to do my best.

Wow, we have had a lot of adventures.  The ones listed above are just the major ones.  It doesn't even mention some of the day to day adventures we have.  I could not have been blessed with a better partner for these adventures.  I thank God everyday for Joel.  I am excited and, let's be honest, scared about what future adventures God is going to call us on.  One thing I know though is that I am super excited to be on the adventures with Joel.

Happy Anniversary to us.  I love you, Joel!

We actually are going out for a date on our anniversary.  I'll do a separate post.  The deal I got on it is totally worth it!