10 Year Anniversary

August 14, 2009 and here we are ten years later.  These pictures are just a snapshot of what these last 10 years have been like.  This doesn't in the least show the ups and downs we have been through.  This has been the hardest but most rewarding times of our lives.  Just look what all we have accomplished.  Our biggest accomplishment being our 3 healthy, happy, beautiful children.  

"A strong marriage requires two people who choose to love each other even on those days when they struggles to like each other" -davewillis.org

"Love is an unconditional commitment to selflessly serve, truthfully communicate, fearlessly protect, gracefully forgive, compassionately heal, and enduringly remain in relationship with and for the sake of another." -davewillis.org

"Love your family.  Spend time, be kind & serve one another.  Make no room for regrets.  Tomorrow is not promised & today is short."

"The best things in life are the people we love, the places we've been, & the memories we've made along the way." 

"Your marriage will not be defined by the size of your struggles, but by the size of your commitment to overcome the struggles together" - davewillis.org

"Always pray to have eyes that see the best in people, a heart that forgives the worst, a mind that forgets the bad, and a soul that never loses faith in God." 

"Two are better than one ... for if they fall, one will life up the other." - Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

"The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother." 

"Its not what we have in life, but who we have in our life that matters."

"Life is better and much happier as hearts turn toward family and as families live in the light of the gospel of Christ." - M. Russell Ballard

Marriage isn't "I promise to love you until I stop loving you." It's "I promise to make a conscious decision to continue to love you even when it's hard because I'm aware no one is perfect, but you are worth it. - Brandalin

Relationships need love, but they don't stay alive on love alone.  Choices keep them alive; choosing loyalty, faithfulness, sacrifice, commitment, etc. keeps relationships alive.  Even choosing to love when you don't feel like loving.

God is going to work it all out for the good.  All the pain, frustration, heartbreak.  Somehow, and in some way, he is going to use all of the broken pieces to make a beautiful masterpiece. - Ashley Hetherington

Happy 10 year anniversary Ryan Barker.  Looking back I thought it would start out hard and get easier.  Boy, was I wrong!  It started out easy and has only gotten harder.  But our love for each other has gotten stronger along the way and I think that is what has pulled us through.  Just look at this life we have together and how blessed we really are.  We have a life that others only dream of.  We got this!  Here is to another 50 more years together.  Can you handle that?