Five Hundred Twenty Five Thousand Six Hundred Minutes...

....How do you measure, measure a year???

Seven years ago today, the face of a man I had spent an evening with chatting at a company Christmas party while my date was "working the room" appeared in my email inbox.  He was my "ideal match" or so said, Match.com.

Seven years ago today, I paid the last $29.95 I had until payday to send that man an email.

Seven years ago today, that man also paid $29.95 to answer that email.

Seven years ago today, we spent six hours on the phone talking.

Five Hundred Twenty Five Thousand Six Hundred Minutes ago, we finished with our first meeting with the foster care licensing social worker to begin our journey to become parents.

This past year has been challenging as we became parents and tried to parent not one but two teen-aged girls.  We often wondered what we were thinking.  Did we really want to be parents?  We often missed our lives of just being Jeff and Allison.  We have been "just" Jeff and Allison since November and it has been amazing.

I still go back and forth on if we want to accept anymore placements.  We're getting contacted every day.  They are contacting by text which I find weird but hey, whatever.  I still haven't been able to commit.  The longer we go without having children in the home the more I feel that I'm okay not having children in the home.

We will eventually make the decision that's best for us, but I know one thing will never change; I'm so thankful for the man with whom I will make this decision.  The man I reconnected with seven years ago today, the man who started the journey to become a parent with me a year ago today is the man I want by my side for the rest of my life.

I'm completely and totally in love and adore my husband.  He's kept every single marriage vow he made to me and kept it more than I ever could have prayed for or hoped any man would.  But then again, he's not just 'any man', he's The Man.  The one God made just for me.

I'm so humbled that after all the nights I cried myself to sleep just knowing I'd never find "The One" the REAL ONE was orchestrating a union that would be exactly what Jeff and I needed forever.

I love you, Jeff.  I love you more today than I did five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes ago.

Thank you for marrying me, for choosing me, for loving me, and for taking care of me.