One Year Down...

Today marks our first wedding anniversary. It feels strange going back to celebrating one, when we're coming up to our decade anniversary in just a few short months. It's been one heck of a year! Let me backtrack to June 11, 2011.

It's all the little things that stand out so clearly now, a year on. Standing alongside friends & family members.

Being paranoid about getting to the church on time; in the rush I forgot my veil & didn't have any bridal shots done.

Searching for my soon-to-be-husband's face as I walked down the aisle; wanting to see his expression.

My nervous husband practically whispering his wedding vows & sneaking little smiles at me.

Getting rained out during our wedding photographs and having to break out the gumboots & the brolly.

Holding his hands as my bustle got stitched into my wedding dress, thanks to a button malfunction.

Seeing him crack up into hysterical laughter as I fell on my ass in the middle of our reception.

Our first dances together. Awkwardly, in front of our friends and family. And emotionally, with just us.

The wedding was lovely, but so was our first year of married life. We had lots of great things happen!

In December, we brought home our second kitty - Evie. Her & Oscar are now BFFs. :)

In January, we moved into our brand new home - thank goodness for finishing the building stage. Phew!

And in May, the newest love of our life, Spencer, joined our little family. We love our fur babies so much.

The year hasn't been all positive, though. We've continued to struggle with our efforts to have a baby. There were many months of frustration, of sadness, of disappointment. Other people around us fell pregnant with ease, gave birth, celebrated milestones. We went through months of failed ovulation, thousands of dollars worth of fertility treatment, and a failed IVF cycle. We have another IVF cycle coming up in the next few months.

There's one good thing that has come out of our infertility journey: we've made it through together. Most people trying for a baby won't experience the emotional (and sometimes physical) trauma that comes with the territory. There might be disappointments & impatience, but ultimately they'll get there in the end without losing too much sleep. For us, we've learned to talk things through more - to share more. It's all too easy to keep the hard stuff under wraps, to try and protect the other person from the hurt. We have had a rough road to future parenthood so far; we've still got a long way to go. No matter what, we'll get through it together.

To my husband, happy first anniversary. I love you so much (as do the cats... and the dog) and I'm so blessed to be married to you. Thank you for looking after me & for letting me look after you, too.