Five

I suppose there comes a time in every marriage (or relationship) when you forget certain things. Or even when both people forget something. Even something significant. Like a day.

This time has come in our relationship. *sigh*

On October 11, we "celebrated" 5 years of being together. We celebrated by going to my doctor's appointment, Joe going to work afterward and then bringing home my prenatals. That's right folks, both of us forgot. I mean, completely forgot. Want to know when I remembered? When I was laying in bed one night thinking of all the things we had to do that week. I grabbed my phone to see the date and suddenly realized... We forgot. Or if Joe remembered he didn't say anything. =P

I actually think it's kind of funny that both of us forgot. It's not unusual for Joe to forget dates (other than our wedding anniversary and my birthday; he's good about those), but it is unusual for me to forget dates. Especially significant ones. What's even funnier is that when I scheduled that doctor's appointment, I knew that there was something important about the 11th. I just couldn't figure it out... And there wasn't anything in my iCal to tell me otherwise. Lo and behold I was forgetting an important Joe & Sarah date. Pregnancy brain definitely is taking the blame for this one!!

After I realized the important date (as in the next day), it made me think of how completely different our lives are now...and not even in a way that we imagined those 5 years ago.

Taken a few days after our first date in 2006.

We were in college, both seeking teaching degrees and our "significant other." I think maybe we hoped we would be that for each other, but didn't really have a clue. Well, I guess we didn't really have a clue about a lot of things back then (and I'm sure we still have a lot more to learn!). I highly doubt that either one of us thought that Joe would be in the Army 5 years later. Or that we'd be living in Hawaii. Or that he'd be sent to Iraq; to spend a year far away from me in a strange desert, being shot at on an almost-daily basis. The only thing we were certain about then was that we were going to be teachers. And even that isn't true today. Teachers at heart, maybe, but definitely not by profession.

One week ago.

Geesh, we even look different now. Not in a huge way, of course, but in subtle ways. Both of us have gained a few pounds - even discounting my baby belly. Joe likes to call that his "happy fat" because he was so happy - and extremely well fed - when we got married. He's got a high and tight these days and is only unshaven on the weekends. My hair kinda looks the same. =P There is one difference though:

Hellooooo baby bump! That's definitely the biggest change from 5 years ago. I definitely couldn't have told you back then that in 5 years I'd be married to Joe and pregnant with our first baby. =) It's absolutely exciting (even a little scary at times), but so completely different from back then. I can't even begin to imagine what's going to happen five years from now. And maybe it's better that way. But at least I know that whatever happens, it'll be with Joe. With him I think I can pretty much handle anything.

So here's to many more years...and even years when we forget to remember our first date. ;-)

P.S. If you'd like to send in photos this week, I'd love to start the Fall Foto Contest! Make sure you email them by Thursday.


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