4 years ago today....

... Cole and I got married at the young, young age of 21. Seriously, we were just babies :) Sometimes it feels like just yesterday and sometimes I can't remember a time when we weren't together. I am so thankful that God put this man in my life.

I remember meeting him as a freshman at Covenant College (he was still 17!!!) and thinking, "Gosh, he's cute. But there's no way this guy will ever be interested in you Julia. Don't even go there." So I didn't. I was resolute in being "just friends" for a year and a half. During that time we got to know each other better than we probably would've otherwise. We played on an intramural team, had a few classes together, went on a few study dates, and eventually realized that we were more than just friends. We started dating and within a few months I knew that he was the one for me and vice versa. The rest is history.

Now as I look back on our dating and marriage, I'm so thankful for how God brought us together. I really did get to marry my best friend and he really has stuck by me for better and for worse. Four years ago we never could have anticipated the ups and downs of this last year, but God has been faithful in keeping us close together.

Just for fun, here are my top five favorite things about my husband:
1) He is an amazing daddy. Watching him with Claire makes me so thankful!
2) He is super smart! I will never have to worry about keeping up with technology because it's in his blood and he can always solve my problems for me :)
3) He is deeply mature and yet amazingly immature at the same time. I don't know how he does it. One minute he can be preaching the most amazing, convicting message I've ever heard, and the next minute he's teaching Claire how shovel food into her mouth.
4) He is incredibly (and naturally) athletic. He can not work out for a month and eat cookies every day, but he will still have his 8-pack abs and be able to chase down a frisbee faster than anyone else. I hope our kids inherit those genes!
5) He is a people person. He never meets a stranger and he is great at loving everyone, not just the popular people. While I tend to get caught up in tasks and goals, he always puts relationships first.

I love you Cole and am blessed to be your wife! Happy Anniversary!