Happy (World Cup) Anniversary

July 7, 1994 was our wedding day. Sixteen years ago. Amazing how fast it has gone but also how it seems like we've always been together. We honeymooned in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and while we were there I learned something about by new husband that I hadn't previously known. He is mad about soccer! Especially World Cup soccer. While we enjoyed the sights and did other honeymoonish things, we also spent some time watching the World Cup which was held in the U.S. that year so it actually got a lot of coverage. And every four years after that, I can count on the craziness to commence yet again. So as at tribute to the World Cup and to my husband, here is an anniversary post about our marriage as measured by the years of the World Cup.

July 1994: The World cup was held in the USA and the final match was between Brazil vs. Italy. Brazil won. At the same time we moved into our microscopic first apartment and began adjusting to married life. We were both students at Utah State University. Kalen was majoring in Spanish and I was majoring in Early Childhood education. We spent that summer settling in and working summer jobs. I cleaned dorms all summer and Kalen worked at Foto Express developing people's photos from all those non-digital cameras that were still in existence back in the day.

July 1998: This year the World Cup was held in France. The final match was between France and Brazil and France came out victorious. At that time we had moved to Tucson, Arizona. Kalen was working on his graduate schooling at the University of Arizona. We had been married four years and had added our oldest son Taylor to our family. We lived in a small apartment complex which we managed. Kalen was in charge of basic maintenance and I was responsible for the bookkeeping and renting out the apartments to people. I was also babysitting for another little boy. I loved Arizona; Kalen not so much. He missed the four seasons most of all but it was also a really stressful time for us trying to make ends meet and get through those long years of school.

July 2002: This world cup was held in Korea/Japan and the final match was between Brazil and Germany. Brazil pulled off another win this time. And this World Cup found our family relocating from Wisconsin, where we had spent one short year to Albion, Michigan. We moved into a small 3 bedroom townhouse on the outskirts of town which we disliked terribly right from the start but which we had to endure for a whole year because of the lease we had signed. Kalen began work at Albion College. Taylor who was six, was getting ready to enter first grade and our second son Kendall was 2 1/2. I was also expecting our third child who, though we didn't know it yet, would be Lynnsey, the daughter I'd always longed for. Even though we didn't like where we were living, we loved the new town, made friends quickly, and felt right at home.

July 2006: This World Cup was held in Germany and the final game was between Italy and France. Italy won that time around and Kalen watched the final match even though he couldn't stand either team. By then, we had been married for twelve years. We were still living in Albion and finally had a home of our own. Taylor was getting ready to enter 5th grade, Kendall was heading into 1st grade. Lynnsey was a busy three year old and Spencer who had joined our family the year before was getting ready to celebrate his first birthday. It had been a terribly rough year due to Spencer's mulitple food allergies but we were finally feeling like we were able to handle them better now that we had finally found a great doctor who gave us a proper diagnosis and treatment.

July 2010: And finally we have reached the present day. This year the games are being held in South Africa. We are anxiously awaiting who will take the cup this year but with the U.S. and Argentina out of the running, we are hoping to see Spain make it through to the end. Currently we are still enjoying living in Albion. We have added one more daughter Kaya, to the mix (the cutie who's peeking around my legs in the above photo). Life is busy and full and crazy with lots of ups and downs but so much happiness. I love my husband and the beautiful kids we have brought into the world. It has been an amazing sixteen years. Here's to many more World Cups and even more years of marriage! Go U.S. and go us!