10 Year Anniversary

.Dear Chris,

Can you believe it’s been 10 years since we got married? Also, can you believe that we were practically babies when we got married?!

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In some ways it feels like more than 10 years- we’ve certainly packed a lot into that decade! Between job changes, countless moves, Gator games, trips, concerts, pets, loss of loved ones, births of children, and more bottles of wine than I care to mention…it’s been an adventure to say the least.

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Honeymoon in St. Lucia

 

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Horseback riding in St. Lucia

 Thanks for going along with every “Hey, you know what sounds fun?” idea I come up with. Thanks for thinking something sounds insane, but still going for it.  Thank you for making every moment of these last 10 years count. Thank you for always finding ways to make our life together meaningful and memorable. In short, thank you for a life that’s never boring.

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San Antonio,TX

 

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“Still wearing jerseys even though they middle-aged.”

 

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Boston, MA

 

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Just a couple of bad asses…”Every thug needs a lady.”

 

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World Series: Bucket List Accomplishment!

 

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1 of thousands of sunsets selfied together…

 

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Tampa, FL (Gasparilla)

 Thank you for being the world’s best teammate. Whether it’s splitting another bottle of wine or helping me untangle yet another necklace or earbud situation, I can always count on you. Thank you for never making me choose between the fried chicken sandwich or fish tacos because you always get one or the other and go halvesies. And thanks for always being up for a song, dance, game, or anything we can “win” at.

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Countless drunken karaoke nights…”Don’t Stop Believin'”

 

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At one of many concerts together…Jimmy Buffett

Thank you for never wanting “another shot-gun rider beside you, singing to the radio.” Thanks for knowing that “when the kids are old enough, we’re gonna teach them to fly.” And, thanks for getting all those references…because “I love you more than songs can say.”

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Gatlinburg, TN

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Red Rock Canyon, NV

 

 

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Key West, FL

 

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San Francisco, CA

 Thanks for being the best person to raise kiddos with. You make this journey of parenthood so special. You treasure moments with our boys and work diligently to ensure their future will be amazing. You also do a pretty fantastic job of showing them how to treat their future wives.

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Baby Brady in the belly!

 

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Baby ’bout to come out!

 

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We made ourselves a friend!

 

 

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Philadelphia, PA

 

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Lititz, PA

 

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New York, NY

 

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Pittsburgh, PA

 

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Niagara Falls (AKA coldest moment of my life)

 

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Virginia Beach, VA

 

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Boone, NC

 

 

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Grandfather Mountain, NC

 

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Thank you God for letting me marry a Gator!

 

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Outer Banks, NC

If this is what 10 years together looks like, I can’t wait to see what we’ve accomplished at 25, 50 or 70 years married. I’ll continue to give you a hard time about all the gray hairs you’ve earned, and you will go on making fun of my inability to make a pot of coffee. We’ll live life laughing at stupid jokes no one else gets and making decisions other people think are crazy or irresponsible. I’ll always be in awe of your ability to charm everyone you meet and you will continue to make me feel like the most loveable girl in the world. Thank you for this life, Chris. It is so much more than I could have ever hoped for or dreamed of.

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“A thousand miles seems pretty far, but they’ve got planes and trains and cars. I’d walk to you if I had no other way. Our friends would all make fun of us, and we’d just laugh along because we’d know that none of them have felt this way…I can promise you that by the time that we get through, the world will never ever be the same.”

Happy 10 Year Anniversary- Cheers to us!

Brady-boo is 5!

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It’s hard to believe our little B-Man has been with us 5 years already. We’re so incredibly blessed that this is the boy God chose to be our introduction to parenthood. He’s sweet, funny, so smart, and just plain easy to parent.

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We’re constantly amazed by Brady’s abilities to analyze situations, think about how the world works, and question everything. He loves to learn, build, and create. He’s even tempered and genuinely innocent at heart.

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He loves to please and cares so deeply about others. We couldn’t have picked a better big brother for Nolan and are so thankful for his loving nature.

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We did a little 4 year old exit interview for Brady and here’s how he answered:
How old are you going to be?
5
When is your birthday?
June 21
What’s your favorite color?
Red
What’s your favorite food?
Hot Dogs
What’s your favorite show?
P.J. Masks
What’s your favorite movie?
Firefighter Dusty (Planes Fire and Rescue)
What’s your favorite book?
“Rescue Vehicles”
What’s your favorite song?
“Cake by the Ocean” and “Bubble Toes”
What do you want to be when you grow up?
A police officer
Where is your favorite place to go?
La Cocina (Mexican restaurant by our house)
What’s your favorite animal?
Gato
What about Albert?
I love them both.
Who’s your best friend?
Sophie
What’s your favorite number?
5

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We’re so proud of Brady and his unique little personality. While it’s bittersweet that our first born is becoming such a big boy, we can’t wait to see what big things are in his future!

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Happy Birthday Brady! Thank you for making our job as your parents so fun and rewarding!

The End of the School Year 2016

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Recently the Smith family made the big decision to move back to Florida for a new job opportunity and to be closer to family (more on all that soon!). While we are excited for this new adventure, unfortunately it means saying good-bye to many of the things we love about North Carolina. One of the harder things for us to leave is the boy’s pre-school. For the last 2 years it has been such a wonderful, safe, and loving place that our boys have grown and learned so much from. While Brady will be starting Kindergarten in a new school either way, I was still looking forward to two more years of Nolan attending First Baptist Pre-School. While we’re confident we will love the new schools in Florida, the end of the school year here in North Carolina was very bittersweet.

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I can’t say enough fantastic things about Nolan’s teacher this year. This was his first experience in school and Miss Beverley made it so memorable. He was not an easy kid to transition into school (a whole lot of separation anxiety in the beginning!) but her patience and loving nature was life changing for all of us. I am forever grateful for all that Miss Beverley taught Nolan and I even gained a little knowledge myself on how to handle pre-schoolers! By the end of the year, Nolan had so much confidence and grew to love school!

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Brady has absolutely loved school this year! The 4 year old class was so much more like “big kid school” and he thrived. I am so pleased with how his pre-reading and math skills have come along. He also had a teacher who encouraged his love of building structures and engaged him with open ended science activities. It was so fun to see how Brady’s little personality developed this year as he began to foster new friendships and become more outgoing.

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Brady’s graduation ceremony was a perfect example of how much his confidence has grown as he was chosen to be one of the flag holders during the pledge of allegiance and stand in front of all his peers. I wouldn’t have ever imagined he’d have been that brave before!

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We’re so proud of both boys and how far they’ve come this year. While we are sad to say good-bye to First Baptist Church of Garner Pre-school, we are looking forward to seeing what the future holds for our little men!

Here’s a little beginning to end comparison!