1st Anniversary

We've had an amazing first year, and we wanted to write a little about it.

As for today, our 1st Anniversary, we made sure it was a perfect day! We slept in until 11am, leisurely got ready for church, went to church at 1:30 and stayed with each other throughout the meetings (Drew came to Nursery with me), made chicken curry together once we were home (and had a great time!), watched Up!, opened up some sparkling cider and chocolates, watched some Law & Order: SVU, and then went on a late late late night adventure (at about 2am) to the gas station to get some snacks! We had such a great time being together all day long!

This year has brought so many new experiences, and we'd like to individually share some of those memories...

Carissa: Oh, Drew... What many wonderful memories we have... ALREADY!

• I remember when we used to go on late Sunday night adventures! We'd go after midnight to get fresh donuts and chocolate milk at the nearby Byrne Dairy/Shelby's Donuts! Can we do that again?
• I loved when we would take our Sunday afternoon naps together and wake up after 4 hours and I would tickle you to wake up...
• It's sweet how you like my quirks... like fixing your shirt collar and sleeves. I remember one time you messed up your shirt on purpose a few times when I wasn't looking because you knew I'd re-fix it every time.
• People watching is always better with you, like at Universal Orlando while we were off on our own. We had a fun time sitting there talking about what those people were thinking or saying.
• One of my favorite memories is when we were laying on the couch at my parents and were blowing up each other's noses! We're so goofy! My mom looked at us funny...
• I loved it when you would sing "Ring Around the Rosie" for the kids in nursery just because you knew they needed another person singing. They have so much fun with you.
• When we were at Universal, it made me so happy when you were willing to go to the kids' part of the park with me. : ) We had a great time on the Carou-Seuss-el!
• Remember how we went to Applebee's on our wedding night? Then we got a free dessert to-go (that we never ate) because I told the server that we had gotten married that morning. Yay for free stuff!
• I loved being introduced to your family's traditions and non-traditions. It was the perfect New Year's Eve going to the Watertown Regal to be with your family. Then we watched Marley & Me. And we cried.
• Thank you for taking care of me every 12,000 times I got sick during the first year. And thank you for never getting frustrated with how often it was and how needy I got.
• Hey, remember that time (not too long ago) when you taught me about what is going on with football? Thanks for finally letting me into the club! : ) I'm all knowledgeable!
• The first haircut I gave you turned out pretty great! We sat out on the deck, then in the garage. It took forever, an hour PLUS, even, but it was fun. And now that the beginner's luck has run out, I can only use clippers, and the haircuts are getting worse and worse... Haha Thanks for being a good sport!
• One thing I love about you is your sensitivity. I remember when you and I first talked about having children once we were married. Something you told me made my heart skip a beat and made me tear up. You told me that someday you would like for us to adopt a special needs child. Am I really so blessed to have such a sweet husband?
• I will always remember your smile from the first time I showed up at the movie theater unannounced. I was so glad I could surprise you, and then I stayed and watched a movie and you brought me a free drink. : ) This memory, and all the others at the theater, were more than just the free movies and drinks, it was how happy it made me to know that you loved seeing me and that I could make you feel good. Sometimes I started to feel like there was no reason for you to get so excited to see me because you were with me all the time, but you made me feel so special, so beautiful, and so loved. I love you.

Thank you, honey, for all of our special memories. I wish I could write so many more...

Drew: This has been a great year for me, where I have learned and grown so much with you. Here are some of the great memories that come to mind when I think about our first year of marriage:

• I remember our wedding day, when your mom was worried about you being late to the temple, but it was actually me that was running late, and after the ceremony, when we were out in the snow forever taking pictures until it started pouring so hard that we finally had to stop, and then our moms were stuck under the same umbrella running out to the car! That was a really eventful and great day
• I remember our first time going "out" as a married couple, to Kyle and Whitney's reception the week after ours, and how happy both of us were to call each other "my husband" and "my wife" to our friends
• I remember when you would come visit me at work on a Friday or Saturday night, when I was closing, and you would watch a midnight movie even if it wasn't one you wanted to see or you had already seen it, just so we could ride home together
• I remember Easter together, when we hid eggs for each other in the morning in the family room and videotaped each others "egg hunts"
• I remember the multiple times we went to the pet store and played with the little puppies and talked about having our own (it will happen someday)
• I had a lot of great memories with your family members on both sides in Youngstown, Zanesville, and Kansas City, and with my Uncle Kevin and his family in Orlando
• I remember all the times you would drag me out of the apartment this past semester to be social - Halloween, the ward Christmas party, the temple, you would help me get out and then we would always have a good time when we did
• Most of all, I will always remember and be grateful for the times that I really needed you and you were there for me. Its been a rough year in a lot of ways, and between losing a friend in February, my grandmother in September, and all the other little struggles and issues we had this last year, you were there when I needed you the most and you have been such a great support to me through it all. Thanks so much Carissa, I love you and look forward to many more years of memories!