Everyday Joys: Five on Friday - Anniversary Edition

Today is my five year wedding anniversary! A lot has happened in the last half decade, we moved into our first home, we had two children, we changed jobs, we made a few renos to our home, we lived and loved.

I thought today I would pick one thing or picture from each year that we've been married that kind of encompasses what that year of marriage was for me.

ONE

I guess the biggest thing that we did our first year of marriage was move into our home. I'm from a fairly traditional family and I myself uphold very traditional values so there was no way that I would move in with the hubby before the wedding. The house we purchased was only going to be ready the month after the wedding so it all worked out for the best anyway. I look at these first photos of the house when we moved in and see all the hand me downs that friends and family gave us that helped so much after paying for a wedding ourselves. Also all the little changes that we've made throughout the years that have made this a home and not just a house. More nostalgic is looking at a picture of the two empty rooms that we used as office spaces and now are filled with sleeping babies at night.

TWO

Our second year of marriage was consumed with babies on the brain. Shortly before our first anniversary my sister had our niece, and until that point we had been trying without really trying, but decided to kick things into gear. We very soon realized that something was wrong. I had not been having regular periods for years now and we realized that it was obviously affecting our success in conceiving. We spent the year back and forth with our fertility doctor and finally conceived a few months before our second anniversary. I know that some infertility journeys take much longer but trust me when I say that every month that goes by feels like an eternity when you desperately want to see those two bright lines. This picture from our maternity shoot really shows the happiness of impending parenthood.

THREE

Oh year three you were good to us. We welcomed our wonderful son Lucas in September and our lives just got a little sweeter. We adjusted to being new parents and that was not without its trials, but I found a new appreciation for my husband. He excelled at being a father, he would cuddle, feed and change that little man like it was his job (it sort of is lol) and everyday I fell a little harder for him. There are so many pictures that could encompass that year like this one after our son was born.

I also love this one of the two us from a Christmas photo shoot we did that year.

But this candid shot from Christmas is one of my favourites from that year. Our new family of three. The many of what we affectionately dubbed our silly family selfies. The tired eyes of new parents. Still holding each other like it was yesterday.

FOUR

Year four was kind of busy. We spent that first summer as parents just filled with fun activities as parents. We celebrated our little man's first birthday. We made the final decision that I would be a stay at home mom. We celebrated holidays. Oh and we got pregnant again hehe. Yup just before our anniversary we found out we were expecting another boy. It wasn't really a surprise we had been trying again shortly after Lucas' birthday, we just weren't expecting to conceive so soon. There are so many amazing memories from that year I just can't pick one picture.

FIVE

Another stellar year really. We spent the summer really soaking in everything with Lucas knowing that come September he would have to start sharing our attention. Then we welcomed his little brother and life was never the same. Its really wonderful this feeling of explosion that happens in your heart for your spouse whenever you see them with your children, and know that he is your partner in every way. We have loved so far the adjustment of being a family of four, which really occurred a lot easier than I think we were expecting. Its not without its moments of frustration and extra guilt but so far I think we have been making it work. I admit that it sometimes puts a strain on how much patience we have for one another, since we put our stresses on each other, and we have yet to have a date night out, which we are rectifying this weekend. I do believe though we have tried to make more of an effort to connect in other ways. Having talks at the end of the day when the kids are in bed. Making sure to say hello and kiss one another when the hubby gets home from work (you would be surprised how this little gesture is important), and making time for ourselves when we can.

Its been five years of highs and lows, but incredible highs and lows that we faced together. There's no one else I would rather do life with than you.