Happy 8-Year Anniversary!!!

Eight years ago today, Brent and I officially became a couple.  Yes, people you read correctly 8 YEARS!!!  And no, we’re not married nor are we engaged.  When will it happen you may ask?!?!  I don’t really know the answer to that question.  We get asked that question a LOT…from EVERYONE!!!  My answer to that question is, “You’re asking the wrong person.”  Haha!!!  Nah, no pressure honey, no pressure…because I know he feels the pressure at times.  In all seriousness, it’ll happen when the time is right…but hopefully it happens within a time frame in which I can still bear children…because one thing is for sure—I’m not getting any younger!!!  Haha!!!

I’ve gathered a few images to share of us during our 8 years together.  This is just a fraction of our time together…and to show you some of the reasons why I love this guy.  I will keep it real…we definitely have our moments together.  We are not a fairy-tale couple…the honeymoon ended a long time ago and I can definitely vouch for the fact that relationships take work.  Lots of work.  We’re together because we love each other and because we work together to make “us” work.  Well most of the time we work together…sometimes I swear that guy is sitting on the sidelines making me work…haha!!!  You know you love me honey!!!

This is one of our first images taken together.  This was at our first Thanksgiving together…my uncle took the picture and asked Brent, “So will you be back next year?”  Haha!!!

Our first trip together was to the Big Island.  Brent took me here for my Christmas and birthday present.  I was stressed out from school and work.  I would grumble here and there about needing a break…and he HEARD me!!!  I was not hinting to be taken anywhere (seriously, I wasn’t…we had only been dating for a couple of months) and he thought of this gift all on his own.  He even arranged with my mom, who was my boss at the time, to be off on the weekend he took me to the Big Island.  He wanted to help relieve my stress by taking me away on a romantic weekend getaway.  What a SWEET and THOUGHTFUL guy!!!  What happened to him?!?!  Haha!!!  I kid, I kid…wink, wink.

***I know I have a BIG five-head…don’t hate!!!

Here we are in Whistler, Canada…my first time seeing snow!!!

This was taken at Villa Paradiso where Brent used to be a waiter as a side job.  The restaurant closed last year so he no longer waits on the side.

The following set of images was taken on our Italy and Paris trip in 2008.  The first image is in Venezia.  The next is in Firenze (Florence).  The third image is us on a hike in Cinque Terre and the last image is of us in my favorite city—PARIS!!!  I LOVE Europe so Brent let me have my way with planning where would go and what we would see…yee-haw!!!  I had never been to Italy before so we traipsed around Italy for most of the trip and ended in Paris!!!

Here we are all dazzled up for a wedding.

Oh and this is at another wedding.  We were in Hong Kong for Brent’s good friend, Russell’s wedding.  Russell married Linda, a fellow photographer who will be here in November.  I can’t wait, because 1) We get to see them and 2) Linda and I have plans to get together and dork out with our photography!!!

I love this next image of us together at the Golden Gate Bridge.  We’re up in the Bay for my good friend, Alia’s wedding.  I met Alia on Semester at Sea…which I will blog about one day.

Here we are for my birthday earlier this year.

During 4^th of July we gathered with our friends.  We amused ourselves by taking night shots of each other while our friend Goose drew around us with a light.  This image was taken by Bryce Morihara.

Here we are in Toontown at one of my favorite places on Earth, because it’s the happiest place on Earth—DISNEYLAND!!!  I do love him for being a good sport and taking silly pictures with me AND for always satisfying my soul with a good ‘ol trip to Disneyland.

I love this guy because he is so darn silly and kooky!!!  He was trying on glasses in a store in Tokyo, Japan.  I was actually outside the store taking the image.

These last images were taken at the N Seoul Tower in Seoul, Korea.  We locked our love together and threw away the key!!!  The funny thing about this whole lock thing is Brent doesn’t really believe in all of this kind of “hoopla.”  We actually had the opportunity to “lock our hearts and love” together in Italy a number of times, but the first thing out of Brent’s mouth when we saw the locks in Italy and I told him the story behind it was, “You know we’re not wasting our money buying locks right?!?!”  Haha!!!  When I heard about the locks at N Seoul Tower I knew he wasn’t going to want to buy locks, but the softy that he is, felt bad because all the other couples on the trip bought locks.  We would be the only ones not to buy locks, which would have been okay with him, but he knew I would be a tad bit disappointed.  So while I was busy taking photographs of locks, because I thought we weren’t doing the “lock thing” he surprised me by buying locks.  Aaaawww so SWEET…but he still reminds me to this day that THOSE LOCKS COST HIM $15!!!  Haha!!!  The things we do for love!!!

Brent, my honey…even though you sometimes anger me to the moon and back…I LOVE YOU to the moon and back!!!  Thanks for a wonderful 8 years together and here’s to many more!!!  I cannot imagine a life without you and I hope that we are able to grow old together…wouldn’t that be fun?!?!  Sipping drinks on our porch, talking about the good ‘ol days when we were younger…and don’t forget when we are of the “right” age, we’re going on Semester at Sea as Senior Passengers!!!  Whoot-whoot!!!