11th Anniversary

Today Russ and I are celebrating our 11th anniversary. Time goes unbelievably fast. I was looking through pictures to add to this blog and I couldn't believe how young we looked when we first met. (This picture sits on my nightstand. It's at our first week of camp)

Russ and I met at Bible Camp the summer of 1994. I had just graduated HS and was 2 weeks away from starting at the University of Iowa. I had a HS boyfriend of over 2 years and was following him and my best friend to U of I. But Russ quickly interrupted my plans.

I was a counselor to a group of 10 and 11 year old girls. I remember setting up my bunk when these 2 little girls kept asking me if I knew their Uncle Russ. I had no idea who he was, but they kept insisting that I meet him when he got there.

I had on a blue hooded jacket, and a baseball cap. I had extremely short hair, so I looked a little like a boy. Russ came up and pulled my hood onto my head and said, "so you are counselor Michelle." I said, "so you're Uncle Russ".

I wanted to spend every minute with him. And by the 4th day of knowing him, I knew I was going to marry him. I went home from camp, broke up with my boyfriend, and told all of my friends that I met the man I was going to marry. Only my friend, Carrie, believed me. But I just knew it. I felt it in my gut. I don't know if I really believe in love at first sight, but this was pretty darn close.

So even though I was at U of I and he was in grad school at OU, we "dated" for a semester. Then he broke my heart by breaking up with me. He said I was too young and too far away. I needed to date more. ( He actually had met another girl he wanted to date!)

My sophomore year, I transferred to Harding. I think it bothered him a little that I was going to date, so then he started pursuing me again. He then convinced me that if we were ever going to date, we had to live in the same state. So site unseen, I transferred to OC in Jan. of my sophomore year.

Russ proposed to me that August (at camp) and we were married in December. Sometimes I regret that I didn't have a "college experience" like other people. But I have never regretted the time I have been with Russ. I knew at 19 years old and I know at 32 that this is the man I want to spend the rest of my life with. We were blessed to have 5 1/2 years of marriage before Maddie was born. We have been blessed with countless trips to all over. I love spending time with Russ. And I can truly say he is my best friend.

The bridge of Sighs in Venice, Italy. On top of Mount Pilatus in Switzerland. We traversed through the Jungle in Jamaica.