Lucky Eight.

Eight is my favorite number. I'm the eighth child in my family (out of nine), H (for Hannah) is the eighth letter of the alphabet... it's just a nice, even, pretty number.

Well, today is a special day because it is our EIGHTH wedding anniversary. I'm convinced that this year is going to be a lucky one for us. In just over a month it will also be 2018, so YAY for all the 8's!

Landon and I often talk about all the things that had to line up perfectly for us to meet and to fall in love. Obviously there are big things, like we both had to attend BYU. But then there are the small things that just seem too much like fate to be a coincidence. Like how I was supposed to live in Glenwood building number 1, but a few weeks before school started I moved to building number 4 because I met someone at my job who was going to be living there and didn't have a roommate. And how Landon only lived at Glenwood because it was one of the only places that still had openings, and how he happened to live in building number 4. Thank goodness.

We fell fast, and it all came so naturally. We were instantly best friends and I'm so grateful for that foundation for our marriage. We never wanted to be apart, and I'm happy to report we still feel the same way. I can't tell you how many people told me in the early stages of our married life that this would "wear off" and I was just in the "honeymoon phase." Well, sorry to let everyone down, but I actually like my husband and still like to be around him. :)

These past eight years haven't been perfect, and I never want to sound like I'm bragging or not being authentic. Because there have been some pretty epic fights. But at the end of the day, we love each other and we work through our disagreements. We say we're sorry (which is actually SO hard for me to say haha!) We forgive. We try to learn and grow from our mistakes and we try to communicate when we have had our feelings hurt. We compromise. We try to do things to make the other happy. Marriage is all about the big picture, and the big picture is that we love each other FOREVER. Sometimes the small things, like a little fight, can seem big. But when you take a step back, you remember that the person you are SO mad at, is the person you are SO in love with. It doesn't feel good to stay mad, so don't.

This year has actually been a really hard one for us, especially for Landon. I can't go into the details right now but it is health related and he is actually going to NORWAY on Monday to hopefully get better. There's nothing worse than watching the person you love suffer. This problem hasn't just been hard physically but emotionally as well. Landon is such a strong, level-headed, logical person... so to see him so beaten down has been completely heartbreaking for me. There have been many tears and many sleepless nights. But he is SO strong and continues to put on a brave face and go to work every single day, even though it has been extremely hard for him. He does it for me and he does it for Charlie. I couldn't be more proud of him and the person that he is.

Landon Dean, I am so grateful that you found me. I can't believe we have been married for eight years. They have truly been the best and most beautiful years of my life. Thank you for always thinking I'm beautiful, even when I haven't washed my hair in 5 days and have yesterday's make up on. Thank you for being the best dad in the whole world to Charlie. I love watching you love him. Thank you for loving your family with all that you have and for working so hard for us. Thank you for teaching me how to live authentically and for helping me develop self-worth. Thank you for making me laugh every day and for always teasing me and playing with me. Thank you for taking me on a walk every single night (even though I complain about it when it's cold/wet/late).

Thank you just doesn't seem like a big enough word to express all the gratitude that is in my heart for you and the person you are. You will never know how grateful I am for you.

Happy Anniversary, Love!