A Marriage With My Best Friend

6 years married, 10 years together. Warning, this is going to be a little lovey dovey for those that don’t want to read something like that. This is also not at all going to be about my children. While Hawk and Bear are two additional loves of my lives, the man of the house and our relationship together get some front page features today. 

Our wedding anniversary is May 19th, 2017. Six years ago we embarked on a chapter of our lives that we had no idea would take us to where we would be. I think I have already said this once, but, if you want to make God laugh, make a plan for yourself. He will not only surprise you, but likely have a better plan than you had for yourself. 

Photo Credit Andrea Laurita Photography

6 years later, Parker and I are still married, with two beautiful boys. Prior to them though, 10 years ago, we started dating through a long distance situation and maintained that relationship through many ups, downs, and obstacles. However, we made it out married and stronger. Read my other post from today called 10 Things I’ve Learned in 6 Years of Marriage to see what I have learned about myself and marriage through these last 6 years.

Parker and I met in high school, however we were just acquaintances and friends that occasionally shared music, laughs, and dances when we didn’t have a partner at a school dance. He was always one of the people I reached out to on holidays and wished a merry Christmas, but we never went past that surface level relationship. 

One day, I saw he relocated and reached out to see where he was living and what he was doing. We caught up as friends, put a pin in it for a little while, and a few months later we were dating, but not officially. In April of 2013 we were finally official. 10 years, many adventures, career changes, multiple moves, and two children later here we are. We never lacked excitement, our relationship kept both of us on our toes with its ever changing locations, careers, and now children. 

Photo Credit Andrea Laurita Photography

Going back to Parker being my best friend though. He is the first I want to call, first I want to be with, and the first I want to share any experience with. We have adventures on any given day, because we both love experiences versus “things”. We would much rather go and do something, than buy something. Or, we buy something that gives us an experience. He and I make a great team, because in our case, opposites really do attract (and sometimes repel, but we get through those days). 

Parker is the happy go lucky, take it as it comes, roll with the punches, adrenaline junky, who is humble, won’t tell someone no, and so laid back that sometimes it makes my eye twitch. I, on the other hand, am that A- type control freak, think through all things before acting, plan ahead, oversharer, and hate being late. But this isn’t about me, it’s about my best friend, and our marriage so let me tell you some more. 

What’s so cool about being together from the age of 19/20 is that you literally watch the person grow into the person they are now. We had no clue what we wanted to be when we “grew up” and quite frankly I’m still debating some days, but we sure as heck knew that we wanted to be with each other. We worked at it, and challenged each other daily. We also would discuss whether our relationship was allowing us to grow together, or grow apart. Luckily, we grew together and continue to grow now as individuals, partners, and parents. 

Photo Credit Andrea Laurita Photography

I have been able to watch Parker grow from a ski bum lift attendant at 19 years old that volunteered at a fire station, to a firefighter EMT working for multiple agencies in Oregon and Arizona, to a construction worker on his way to school for an electrical journeyman career. He is an incredible worker, and continues to surprise me in how he treats those around him, evaluates his work, and tries to be the best he can for his boss, and those he works with. His kindness and empathy shines through in everything he does, and he takes his time learning to do things right the first time, rather than having to go back and fix a mess. However, my favorite job I have been able to watch Parker grow into is that job of a parent. A dad. 

As a married woman, my biggest advice to someone looking for their person is, find someone that you want to raise children with. Find someone that you know is going to teach them, grow with them, show them how to respect others, demonstrate kindness, and love hard. Y'all I have found that. It’s weird to say that I am proud of my husband for being a dad (mainly because I feel like saying you are proud comes more from a parental place), however, I am so proud of how he “dads” our kids. I didn’t think I could love him more, and then I saw him be a dad, and show his emotions in a way I had never seen. That love, wow oh wow, it’s incredible to see.

Our son, Hawk literally calls his dad a hero. He told me just the other night that when he sees his dad, he wants to give him a big hug, and a high five. He also says that he wants to grow big and strong like his dad, and also have a mustache. That is love right there. That to me shows that Hawk knows his dad loves him, and he loves his dad right back. Our son, Bear, will see or hear his dads voice and immediately has a smile that no one else gets but Parker on his face. He hugs his dad like he hugs no one else. It’s incredible to see that love given to Parker, but also how much Parker loves his boys. 

Photo Credit Andrea Laurita Photography

That aside, this man shows me the most selfless kindness, and respect as my partner. He treats me like a queen, and is a chivalrous gentleman (I am not above a door being held, or a man sweeping me off my feet). He is a jack of all trades, and will jump in for laundry, dishes, cleaning the house, or taking care of the boys so mama can have a minute. He has always asked me how he can help me, and is ready to serve anyway he can. Not just with me, he does this with anyone and it truly just shows how selfless and giving he is to everyone he comes into contact with. 

So with that all being said, I love my husband. Parker is the best thing that happened to me when I got to call him all mine in 2017, followed shortly by my two other boys. He has changed how I see the world, and supports me in all my endeavors. We get to celebrate this weekend, 6 years together as a married couple. While it hasn’t been easy at times, the hard times have brought us together and stronger than ever. I am truly blessed to call this man my husband. I hope that you got a good picture of the man I am married to, because he is the quiet one in our household, and one that most people don’t get to know as deeply as I do. He is one incredible man. 

Thanks for sticking around, reading that mush, and hopefully appreciating a woman who loves their man. 

Cheers!

Monkey Babes Mama