life is good [dating anniversary]

today is me and joel's 4-year dating anniversary! yes, you're probably thinking, "and??" but while it is just a dating anniversary that is supposed to get wiped away once you get married, i still enjoy recognizing when it all began. getting ready in antipication of what's to come, hearing him drive up and wondering if you made the right outfit choice, one last look in the mirror trying to look "put together, but not that you tried too hard," and the list goes on. when we first started dating, joel would always show up with flowers (sometimes roots and all from flowers that parkview church so carefully planted) and would never tell me where we were going. it was always a surprise. it was such a special time in our relationship that i loved so much. but as much as i loved it, i love the dates we go on now even more. thinking of new things to do and places to go is just part of the fun.

so while it is just a dating anniversary and our real anniversary is coming up in august, it's a special date to me because it marks when so much of my life changed. i let my walls down, i learned what it meant to be selfless, and i entertained the thought of "the one" for the first time.

joel is so very precious to me and today is just a reminder of how lucky i feel that God led me to him. so in honor of our dating anniversary, here are a few of our past and favorite dates.

first birthday celebration together



picnic dates



study dates



more birthday dates



beach dates



bonefish dates (joel's fav!)



wedding dates



first date after marriage



double dates


wedding anniversary dates

how could you not love dating?? it makes me happy that i see and talk to couples of all ages, kids or no kids, that still date each other after many, many years of marriage. hopefully, we'll never fall into the mundane aspects of life and forget how lucky we are and how special time together really is.