Thirteen years ago today Sherri and I were married.

Today we are sitting on the same beach we came to on our honeymoon.

In thirteen years many things have happened:

• We have five wonderful children.
• We have lived in multiple states.
• We have made many friends.
• We have laughed a lot together.
• We have cried a lot together.
• We’ve made love.
• We’ve fought.
• We’ve bought and wrecked cars.
• We’ve worked out like crazy some years and grown pudgy on others.
• We’ve made budgets and blown them. We made budgets and mastered them.
• We’ve made it through one bachelors degree and two masters degrees.
• And on and on it goes…

I love Sherri.

She can roll with the punches as good as anyone I know. When times are good she knows how to celebrate and have fun. When times are tough she knows how to tighten the belt and survive. I’ve seen her do both. She rarely complains and always has more than a fair share of common sense. Her priorities are right, and the value she places on family and relationships serves as a constant reminder to me of “what is important.”

We talk often of memories. She says that “the only thing that will matter tomorrow are the memories we make today.” I think she’s right.

In an hour or so, five little ladies will pop out of bed ready to head to the beach. We will head to the beach and play hard all day long. We will laugh, eat sand, catch crabs, get submerged by big waves, get sunburned a little bit, and love one another like crazy! This is going to be a fun week! BUT, this week, this rest, this fun, these memories are only possible because thirteen years ago Sherri became my bride!

Happy anniversary to my favorite and only soulmate, Sherri Peterson.