Dear Jake...

March 31 marks the 8 year anniversary since Jake called me up after school one day and asked if I wanted to go out. Actually, that was the second time he called me that day. The first time was just our usual catch-up of the 15 minutes we didn't see each other on our journeys home from high school. As soon as we updated each other about how we got home, we hung up and I called my best friend Andrea. She asked me if Jake had asked me out yet...nope! Then she goes "hang on!" and we hang up. 5 minutes later, my phone rings again- it's Jake. I don't even think he said hi or made sure it was me on the phone. He just blurted out "you wanna go out with me?" I giggled and said of course. That was it. 8 years later, Jake is sitting on the couch next to me, holding our baby girl who is passed out in his arms.

Crazy to think that I am 24 years old and Jake and I have been dating 8 years. For you non-math majors, that's a third of my life. In 8 years we have gone through a couple years of high school, a break up that lasted about 2 months, Jake going to school out in Wyoming for 9 months, and now we have been living together 4 years as of this May. Crazy to think that I have spent a third of my life either saying or texting good morning and good night to him; high school dances, late night rides in one of his many different trucks, 9 months of long-distance, and years of love.

But what I can say is our strongest bond? Friendship. We are best friends (corny, I know) who tell each other everything. Literally, everything. Like, if you have ever told me something that was a secret, Jake knows it. Unless it was too gross to tell him, then you're safe ;) We share a love of anything Ford, country music, and our baby girl. For some couples, an unplanned pregnancy tears them apart. For us, we realized why we were brought together- to make babies and love them <3

I love you babe...here's to lots more years together, and lots more babies. Yes, I said lots. LOTS more...

PS- Your feet really stink tonight.