Happy 10 Anniversary!!!

Ten years ago today, I became Mrs. Dalton David Dowdy and my fairytale began. It’s so hard to believe that ten years have already passed by! In one sense, it feels like I have been with Dalton forever, but in another, it’s so hard to believe that ten years have come and gone! I never knew that I would be so happy, I honestly did not know that this level of happiness exists, but it does!

Now get ready for a "blast from the past" ~ our engagement pic! Don't we look so young??? ha!

When we went to premarital counseling with my preacher, he asked us to make a list of goals, both short term and long term. I found my list and was so pleased to see most all of them have been accomplished! This is the list that I made before we were married.

Short Term (1 year into marriage)
1. Move to GA
2. Finish college (both of us!)
3. Join a church and become active there

Mid Range (5 years into marriage)
1. Buy a house
2. Start a family
3. Own land (other than our the land our house will be own)

Long Range (10 years)
1. Be able for Dalton to have a tractor
2. Finish family
3. Build or buy our “dream” house
4. Own a farm
5. Go back to Caneel Bay to celebrate what I know will be the best 10 years of my life!

I am so happy to say, that we met and exceeded ALL these goals, except #5 on the long term ~ You see, we started and finished our family in 17 months, and therefore, that does not lend itself to much traveling alone outside the US! ;) I also think I am going to make another list ~ at the time...10 years seemed forever away, but it has come and gone in a flash!God has blessed us more than I even express. I love to sit and think of the thousands of ways I can see God’s hand at work in our lives and in our marriage. He’s given us so much more than we could ever ask for and way much more than we deserve. I especially like to look at the way that god worked through so many circumstances to bring us together ~ It’s amazing.

I know without a doubt, that Dalton is my soul mate and that God made us for each other. I have never “worked” so well with anyone! He is truly my best friend and my heart still skips a beat when he walks in the room. He always treats me like a lady and can make me laugh no matter how sad or mad I may be! He has the BEST personality and I hate to be apart from him. (I thought we would “get over” this after 10 years of marriage, but I don’t even like it when he is at work! I like him to be home or for us to be with him! Good thing he loves me! Ha!) I pray every day that God will lead Mary Dalton and Jackson will to Christian spouses and that they will be able to experience the joy of a happy, fulfilled marriage.

We have had our trials ~ a house fire, high risk pregnancies, baby with reflux and colic, a *surprise* baby (that we ADORE, we were just a weeee bit shocked at the time!), job changes broken bones, 4 surgeries, misread x rays that lead us to believe Jackson could have had serious health problems, horrible car wreck that all 4 of were in, financial questions and decisions, problems within our church, etc. ~ BUT ~ in everyone of those things, God had a plan. We learned from them, we moved on and we are stronger because of it ~and we are the couple we are today because of them…and for that….I’d do them all over again!!!

I am so thankful for my marriage. I honestly don’t think my heart could be any happier!

Happy Anniversary Dalton ~ the past 10 years have been the BEST of my life and I so fortunate that I get to spend the rest of my life with you! I truly love you more every with every second that passes!!!

Amber