Hi Lovelies,

I’m going to be extremely real today. I’m not here to tell you a sappy love story about a girl meeting a boy and them living happily ever after. Love doesn’t happen that way. Relationships are hard work. You have to wake up each morning and decide that you are going to continue to work at it and give that person everything that you have. That ‘work’ is what makes it all worth it.

One year ago tomorrow was the day I married my best friend. I know, I know…everyone says that. If he wasn’t your best friend you shouldn’t be marrying him, but for us it’s true. We met in high school at the age of 16 and have been best friends ever since. I had just moved to Michigan from Texas and he had lived in the same town for pretty much his entire life and knew everyone. Most teenagers have some sort of anger or depression about life, but I had an actual reason; My family had picked up and moved when I was 16. Yeah, no complaining from anyone else about feeling disconnected and like no one understands you! At the time, it was the worst thing that could ever possibly happen. Looking back now, I couldn’t be more thankful for that awful move.

I auditioned for the school play that fall and landed one of only eight roles, he landed another. I met him the first day of play rehearsal and automatically formed a huge crush. Unfortunately, he had a girlfriend. Now, I’m not the boyfriend stealing type, so I pretty much assumed that it would never happen. I thought, maybe we can be friends and if they break up it’ll turn into something more? So we were. We were really good friends. We hung out practically every day the summer after junior year and my crush on him grew stronger and stronger. If you would have told me back then that I would end up marrying that high school crush I probably would have laughed in your face.

I’m just going to say it, I don’t believe in soul mates. I don’t believe that there is ONE person out there that we are all destined to be with. That would be depressing in my eyes. What happens if that soul mate dies? What happens if you never find each other? What happens if someone else finds him first? I just don’t think that’s how it is. I think that there were plenty of other people in this world that I would have been content with. But that’s just it, I would have been content. I would have lived my life thinking that I had it wonderful; A nice husband, some great kids, a good career, but I never would have known THIS love. This is the greatest love I have ever known or seen, there is just something between us that no one else has.

I think that maybe it’s because though we have been around for some of the best times of each others lives, we have also seen each other at our absolute worst. Now, I’m not talking about the mornings when you have three zits, nasty morning breath, and a couple of extra pounds hanging over your shorts. I’m talking full on worst: mean, spiteful kind of worst. We hurt each other and we said things we didn’t mean. I’m not going to sugar coat it. I’m not going to say that we have this perfect little love story where we fell in love and that was that. There were times where I didn’t think we would make it. There were times where I just wanted to give up. I think maybe you have to lose someone entirely to really realize what you ever had to begin with.

There was a time where it was over. I was with someone new…..but deep down inside, I knew that we meant too much to each other not to be together. After all, we were the only people who could actually put up with each other:) I did a lot of dumb things during those years, and I definitely broke a few hearts (sorry guys) but for me all of that pain and all of that waiting was worth it. It took us years, but we finally saw the light. We realized that there was nothing in the world more important than us. There was just a time when we realized…this is it. This is what all of that was for…and from then on it was all about us. We appreciate each other so much more than anyone I have ever met, and I think part of that is from almost losing each other.

I do want to make a disclaimer though, for those of you who have a ‘tragic love story’ unfolding in your life. This is NOT normal. This is not going to happen to you. We are the exception, not the rule. Most of you will not end up like us, we are a rare case and I am so lucky that it all turned out the way that it did. I always fear that when I tell our story people get false hope from it. They automatically assume that their boyfriend will change, he will see the light, they will live happily ever after. I have no idea what happened to us or at what moment we came to our senses…but I can say that most people don’t change and only ONE relationship in your life will work. For most of you, if it started like ours, I hate to say that it probably won’t be this one.

Now, onto the fun stuff. One year ago today we were married at the Cherry Creek Golf Club in Shelby Township, Michigan. It is a beautiful venue for anyone in the area looking. Here are some of the highlights of our special day:

This is our first look. I encourage anyone getting married to do this. We got some great pictures, PLUS we got to spend the entire day together instead of just the end. It also helped to calm my nerves just being able to hold his hand.

Just one of the things I love about us, we never stop laughing. There we were the whole time giggling like little kids.

The clouds were gorgeous that day. The rain held off just long enough to let us take all of our pictures together.

I think this is my favorite one from the entire day. It makes it look just like it should, like we’re going on an adventure:)

It rained and it rained hard, but I still wouldn’t have changed that day for the world…

Our very first kiss as husband and wife.

This is shortly before he bit my nose. Yes, he bit my nose.

I have loved him since I was 16. It doesn’t get more real than this…

We had the most phenomenal photographers ever. They were willing to go out into the rain with us to get this amazing shot. Go big or go home!

The little details of the wedding that I spent hours and hours working on. It goes by way too fast.

Well, there you have it, probably the longest post of my blogging career. The past decade has been an amazing ride and the past year has been one of the best of my life. I have learned so much about myself and about Wes. We have grown together and taken care of each other…we have fallen even deeper in love than I ever thought was possible. Now, I will stop with the sappy, lovey dovey stuff and leave you with one last thing, my marriage advice…here it is: Don’t ever take them for granted.

Until next week!

xox Megan

***All photos in this post were taken by Prem and Cheridy at Arising Images– Rochester, MI**