8 year dativersary

oh yes ladies- he's mine! Today marks 8 years of togetherness for Ryan and I.
May 28, 2001 it became "ryan & bekah", the beginning of us.

8 short years ago today he asked me to meet him at Hager Park so I could practice my speech for gradution the next day and maybe to flirt a little bit too.
Hook line and sinker, I was all his after the invite out for ice cream that followed. If I'm honest, I was already beginning to fall for him over those Spring months of our senior year as we had a few nights out to dinner, ordering every appetizer sampler platter known to man and just enjoying the ease of one another's company. The bus rides home from softball & baseball games, the rounds of mini-golf, the late night drives, holding hands for the first time on our senior trip. so sweet.

And I feel like in these 8 years we have grown up together through fighting for our relationship through my Taylor years, he harder than I at many times, pursuing me with no end, determining my major, changing it, changing it back to my original choice. Weeks apart, 2 breakups, late night laughter, hoping summers would never end, emails and emails, and some more emails (now saved in my email folder entitled "love letters").

I wouldn't trade this growing up for a thing. We now stand hand in hand walking forward in a new direction as Ryan pursues school, future ministry and whatever God has next. And this 8 years feel like a firm foundation of friendship and love, bringing my heart so much joy.