My best friend, Dee, was helping me lace up the bodice of my wedding gown when we heard the sounds coming from another bathroom on the other side of the house. Dee looked confused, but I just smiled. I knew that sound. I knew that voice. That was my soon-to-be husband, singing his heart out in the shower just an hour before our wedding.

I took so much comfort in hearing him sing like that. Here he was getting ready for this monumental step and his heart was full of joy.

Ten years later, it still fills my heart with comfort and joy to hear him sing in the shower – and it takes me right back to our wedding day.

We packed a lot into these ten years: 3 degrees, 5 apartments, a bout with cancer, and  longer period of healing from that battle, 14 emergency room visits, too many hospital overnights to count, and the most amazing little girl.

Today was our 10th wedding anniversary, and it was like a snapshot of the entirety of our marriage: It was a crazy day that included me being sick, taking Gem to school, picking her up from school, going back to the school for a conference with her teacher, going out to eat to celebrate our family, and stopping by the party  at her school on our way back home. A busy, and at times overwhelming day full of ups and downs, love, illness, school, celebrations, learning, communicating, and just being happy being together.

It’s a beautiful life.