7 Years

Don and I celebrated our 7 year anniversary last week (from the time we started dating). I think the true measure of a relationship is how you can deal together when life changes. Since Don and I have been together we have: driven back and forth from MA about 7 times, backpacked for a month through Europe, lived in Wales together, lived in a shoebox size apartment, moved to a new state on a days notice, lived with my mother, dealt with death in the family (on both sides), graduated from college, lived in different states from each other, been together 24 hours a day for months at a time, lived through planning a destination wedding, lived through the hormones of pregnancy, and lived through the first 4 ½ months of Ryan’s life. That is a lot of life together (over ¼ of my life in fact).

I have said it before and I will say it again, I have no idea how single parents do it. Parenting is hard; the biggest challenge is that it is 24/7. I love it, I really do, last night I wanted to wake Ryan up because I missed him (luckily Don stopped me). When you have support you can get a moment for yourself and feel good about yourself so when you come back to your child you are so much better of a parent.

Don tells me almost everyday that he appreciates what I do. He does night duty, which means that while I get to sleep through the night he gets up at least once (sometimes 2x) to feed Ryan. He tells me I look beautiful when I brush my hair and put real clothes on, but more importantly he tells me I am beautiful when I am in sweatpants covered in rice cereal (he even seems to really believe it!). He is loving and calm when I am dramatic and miserable which can kick me out of the mood. He smiles when I walk into the room. So this is my shout out to Don and what a great husband and father he is. I am a much better mother and person because of it.