Our Years Together

This is the year ...

that we met, right around twelve years ago to the day. This picture was taken the day that we were guests at our friends’ wedding; we’re with Brad’s friend Reid, who brought him as his guest to Mexico and the wedding. My mom is the one that brought me on the trip, and she was able to dig up this photo, that I knew existed but couldn't find in my own collection. Thanks Mama!

PS: I can’t get over what babies we were.

This is the year ...

I moved North, back to my hometown of Prince George, to be with Brad. Technically, I moved in with him and never left, and I’m sure everything thought we were crazy. I still kinda do, though I wouldn't change a thing.

This is us at Science World on the first weekend that Brad came to visit me when I was living in North Van, the weekend he truly stole my heart.

This is the year ...

a lot happened for us. Brad and I took our first trip overseas together.

Here we are at the top of the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, Ireland. It was a gift that we got for our birthdays from my best friend Rachael. It was the last gift she got us before she disappeared; I'll cherish the memory forever.

This is the year ...

we got engaged! June 11, 2011. There was a lot going on around the same time. It was just shortly after my birthday and we had taken a road trip to Seattle for the first time together. We toured the city and explored so much all day before going to the Whitecaps game.

Here, we took a nice little drunken selfie after the soccer game, after many beers and only an hour or so before Brad asked me to become his wife.

This is the year ...

we tied the knot! Four years, almost to the day, after we had met, on a beach just down the coast from where we met, we said our vows in an intimate beach ceremony.

Here we are with our friend Richard--Ashley, where are you? We did the Colour Run together, running through liquid sprays of colour and chalky-bombs that stained our clothes, shoes and faces. It was the first (and probably last?) time Brad and I did a run together.

This is the year ...

we adjusted to life as a married couple, though I'm still getting used to referring to us as husband and wife.

Here we are on a night out with our friends Marie and Tyler on a trip they took to visit Vancouver. It was a foggy night we hung out with our dear friends after a Whitecaps game. It doesn’t happen often enough anymore, but I look forward to getting together with the kids again one day soon, post-Covid.

This is the year ...

we became parents! Little Mr. Archer Bruce joined us on June 3.

Here we are in the hospital. It was a big year for us in other ways: we bought our first home together in Port Moody and brought our little fur ball Eddie home.

This is the year ...

we travelled overseas as a family of three. Just before his first birthday, we went with my parents to Croatia and Bosnia, where we visited family and explored this amazing pocket of the world. We had a mini-getaway ourselves, spent time at the beach and explored places by plane, boat and car.

I can’t wait to go back!

This is the year ...

my cousin Semir came to visit and stay with us from Bosnia. He stayed with us for 6 months starting at the end of 2016 and while we haven’t seen him since, we will definitely go back to visit when we can.

Here we are with Semir at a Whitecaps game--with teeny, tiny Archer. So cute!

This is the year ...

Mr. Maverick Everest joined our family. He has done everything on his own schedule, in his own way, ever since.

If you are signed up for my newsletter, you will have received an email with a special Christmas story I wrote for my followers this year. I promise to publish it as a blog post soon, but sign up for my newsletter so you don’t miss the exclusives next time, here.

This is the year ...

we took our first vacation as a family of four. It included a beach at a place that none of us had ever been before: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. We had a lovely, relaxing time together and we’ve all been dreaming of the waterslide and kiddie pool—and pina coladas and open bar—some more than others.

This is the year ...

of firsts! I became a published author and we took a surprise trip to celebrate my cousin Eric's 40th birthday in the Dominican Republic. We camped, we shared a beautiful post-Christmas with friends in PG. We were all over the map.

This picture was taken in the fall, from our yearly family photo shoot. Pictures together at this point are hard to come by, eleven years and a couple of kids in.

This is the year ...

we started surviving a pandemic. Of all of the things we have been through together, this one has been the most challenging so far. Being home, the four of us, and the dog, homeschooling, potty training, and staying within our four walls has been challenging … but it’s not over yet.

To so many more years tackling the hard things and travelling the world with you, Brad. I love you the mostest, I hope you enjoyed the recap of our years together so far.

Happy Anniversary Brad!

Anya