{Nine}

I met my Husband, Ryan, nine years ago today!  I was seventeen at the time, and I had heard so much about Ryan, how smart and hilarious he was, what a great friend everyone thought that he was. We had apparently been to several of the same parties, but had never spoken or even seen one another. The summer before my Senior year at Kelley, Cara and I went to our friend Kevin's house to celebrate the 4th of July. It was at that party that Ryan and I met for the first time. Cara and I normally stuck to each other like glue at parties, but we did our own thing this particular night. The pool party slowly trickled inside after the fireworks had all finished, and it was just Ryan and I on the patio. We struck up a conversation that changed our lives forever. We knew that night that something spectacular had happened.

Two days later Cara and I were in a terrible car accident. We were headed home from Grand Lake, and she was driving us to Jared's house so we could see our friends, and I could be with Ryan again. That crash landed us both in the hospital, battered and bruised. As time passed that night, Ryan got news of our accident and came to the hospital. Cara thankfully was released, but I had to stay in the hospital for a while. I had the most overwhelming amount of love shown to me by all the faces of loved ones that kept appearing at my bedside. Ryan was right there with me for my entire recovery. I could barely walk or stand, but when I did, his arms were around my waist to support me. I remember everything but him fading away as we stood there in the hospital hallway. My loving and protective parents didn't question me once as to who this new boy was that never left my side. They knew that there was something special between us, and so did we.

I knew within a week that I had met the man of my dreams...that I would marry that boy someday.
It is so amazing to look back at all the years we have spent together - all the time that has passed and all the memories we have made. I could have never dreamed that it would turn out this wonderful! I am so blessed to have him in my life, and to share the overflow of love we have with our sweet baby boy.

Happy Nine Years, my dearest Rywren