15 years annoying the same person

Today is mine & B-rads 15(!) year wedding anniversary.  Ya'll - 15 years is a long time.  We dated for 5 years before that (we did break up a couple of times) so we have officially been together for over half our lives.  And we have both lived to tell the tale...

In true Jaime Mac style - I don't do mushy...I do funny.  So I wanted to take you through a journey of old(er) pictures to make you laugh at how young & weird looking we used to be & all the fun things we've done together.

Our wedding day June 12, 1999.  It was the era before digital photography so you get a picture of a picture from a thick, white leather book...

I LOVED my dress.  It had flowers embroidered on the skirt.

While looking through actual pictures I found one single ribbon left from the day.  Mom & I painstakingly tied these on what felt like 9,000 little packets of Hershey kisses in the weeks leading up to the wedding.

This was right after we started dating.  We met in July 1994 & this was at B-rad's family reunion in the fall.  I had just graduated high school in May.  I am wearing a white t-shirt under my sweatshirt.  Yes, I was.   & I was skinny.  Dang.

1995

B-rad graduated high school. 

We went on a cruise on the Belle Of Louisville with his parents to celebrate his graduation.

 I'm guessing this was 1997 because Brady is a baby (he will be 18 in August...).  Check out my attire - white t-shirt under the sweatshirt...  A GUESS sweatshirt to be exact - all the rage in 1997.

I got a fancy new technologically advanced digital camera for my birthday that came with a timer.  B-rad & I had to make sure this newly invented creation worked.  I know this is 1998 because the pic had a nifty date stamp on it...

This was right after B-rad's brother & sister in law built their house.  I think it's also circa 1998.  Check little Erin Ashley giving me bunny ears...

One of our many trips to Florida.  This was before we were married, but I'm not sure the year.  B-rad looks thrilled, huh?  It's probably my cut off shorts & scrunchy on the wrist making him cringe.  He's cool dressed in all black...

This is one of my favorite pictures of us...because I look really pretty.   Mar. 1999 according to the nifty date stamp from my new technologically advanced digital camera.  We were in his parents semi at the truck show in Louisville.  I'm wearing a gold necklace he bought me. (and AGAIN- a white t-shirt under a sweatshirt...)

Ah, the wedding day.  He hadn't worn glasses long & I TOLD him to take them off before the wedding.  See how well he listened to me-even back then?

Not sure when this was.  I know we were at Doe Run Inn w/ his parents & grandparents.  I'm holding on to him pretty tightly so I'm guessing we weren't married yet or had just gotten hitched. ...

There is a gap in pictures from the late 90's until here.  I couldn't even find actual photos from this time.  I assure you we were still together, but there is no photographical proof of that...

2004.  I wasn't ready to let the 't-shirt under the sweatshirt' go...

This is also when you'll notice B-rad's facial hair taking on a personality all its own.  I think he has changed it more over the years than I have my hair style...

Our first trip to Vegas in 2005.  We went to the Grand Canyon & stood near the edge for this pic.  I had a death grip on him so he couldn't push me over w/out causing peril to himself...

Going out to dinner for a friends birthday in 2006.

2007 at Derik's 8th grade graduation.  B-rad still has that shirt - the clothes I'm wearing are long gone...

At the wedding of a friend of Erin's in Jul 2009.

One of my other favorite pictures of us because I look pretty.  This was at a Journey concert in the summer of 2009.  We missed Heart because we were stuck in traffic...I'll never forget how pissed I was it.

Again, B-rad still has (& wears) that shirt, mine is gone...

Cole's preschool graduation in 2009.

Halloween at the Groves' 2009.  I am the only thing I know how to be...a witch.

We got some friends together for bowling in 2010 for B-rad's birthday... Please notice I graduated from wearing a white t-shirt under a sweatshirt...

Fourth of July weekend 2010.  I have NO makeup on & I am surprisingly ok w/ this picture...

We saw Jeff Dunham w/ another couple at the Kentucky State Fair in 2010.

With the Groves' at Halloween in 2010.

This is another favorite because A) I look pretty & B) all of our nephews are with us.  Christmas 2010.

Our first cruise in December 2010.  Saltwater is murder on my hair.

When you're on a cruise, you can have professional pics taken.  This still sits in our entertainment center.  I can't bring myself to part with it even though it's 4 years old because, well - you guessed it - I look pretty.

Derik's high school graduation in 2011.  I'm really sad I couldn't find a pic of us with Erin when she graduated in 2005.  It was a simplier time & you didn't keep all your pictures on a computer for easy retrieval...

(But GOD BLESS digital picture storing on a computer!)

Our second trip to Vegas in 2011.  We went to the new & improved Hoover Dam.  This is also when my hubby agreed to go see Celine Dion w/ me & pay a ridiculous amount of money for tickets to sit on the 13th row.  I mean - that's LOVE, people. 

Ironman 2011 with Butterfly & Rhonda.

Our trip to Hawaii w/ my family in 2011.  That is Kilauea erupting behind us.

Our THIRD trip to Vegas in 2012.  This is when my hubby agreed to go see Faith Hill w/ me & pay a ridiculous amount of money to sit on the 3rd row.  He MUST love me...

Halloween at the Groves' in 2012.

Chicago trip to see Jason Aldean at Wrigley Field in 2013.  It poured down rain during the concert.  

This is also B-rad's 'strike against facial hair' stage.

Halloween at the Groves' in 2013.  Another favorite.  I'll let you figure out why...

B-rad made me a heart w/ our wedding date & names on it out of metal.  That's what he does at work.  He drew it up & had the laser guy write the program for it then he cut it w/ the laser machine thingie.  He said he triple checked that my name was spelled right.  THAT'S my man!

Not that you asked, but I think the 'secret' to staying together 15 years & not killing each other  is to not take anything too seriously.  Yes, there are times that are stressful, scary & infuriating but you have to take them all in stride.  YES we fight (oh my we had a good one just the other night) but we don't stay mad long & most the time get over things pretty quickly.  We bicker about lots of things, but mainly money & sex.  Doesn't everyone?  He always wants more (of both) & I want him to not spend so much money & to leave me alone.   Of course we don't have tiny humans to take care of to add that extra stress level to our marriage, but we have the farm.  I think that totally counts. 

We have different personalities but we deal w/ the differences the best way we can.  If we were the exact same how boring would that be?  Getting mad at him is the best cardio I get!  

Difference #1:  

I hate that I have to pick up after him.  

He hates that I pick up after him & he can't find any of his 'stuff'.  I can't tell you HOW many times I've heard, "I can't find xxxx.  YOU were in here cleaning & put it up somewhere where I can't find it."

Difference #2:

I hate he always make me late.  

He hates I always wanna be early.  Usually he's getting ready after I have been ready at least 15 minutes before am done & I hover like an annoying fly because I think it's magically gonna make him go faster.  He will say, "Don't rush me." or "I KNOW what you're doing." 

Difference #3:

He hates that I side seat drive.  

I hate that he just doesn't let ME drive.  He also hates that I 'follow too close' to other cars.  

Difference #4:

He hates that I watch so many tv shows that our living room dvr is always taping something when he wants to watch tv. 

 I hate that even though he has 5,000 'Ridiculousness' shows taking up space on MY dvr on the dvr he chooses to watch "Friends" episodes that he's seen a million times. 

Difference #5:

He hates I won't add the "sportsman channel" to our programming.  

I hate that he wants the sportsman channel.  

Difference #6:

I have no hobbies.  

He has had many hobbies over the years.  Sometimes he finds new ones & sometimes he'll pick one from the past back up again.  I always tell him, "You're never happy with what you have - you always want something else.  I'm surprised you have kept me around all these years."  

Unlike his hobbies - it would be WAY more expensive to get rid of me... I make sure he knows that...

Now, I could tell you the things I love about him...but what's the fun in THAT? that would be mushy... & ya'll know how I am about mush.  But to satisfy all you mushy, gross, lovey-dovey romantics (ugh) -  I WILL give B-rad credit for making me brave enough to be able to go all the places we've been.  His family traveled all over when he was young - the furthest my family went was Holiday World or Kings Island.   And because he made me brave, I'm not afraid to go by myself or with friends anywhere... so thank you, Mac for that.  (Happy now?!)

Here's to 15 years of annoying the same person...