The Hadley Family: 10 Years!

This past Friday, May 18, 2012, marked 10 years that Billy and I have been married. What a fast, fun, adventurous, and exciting 10 years it's been! When you choose that one person you want to be with forever, you know that you love that person and that it's someone who will complete you. Yet there are SO many things you don't know about that person until you are with them each and every day. Marriage is an adventure. Not always the easiest adventure, but one of the most amazing and rewarding adventures you can take! I am grateful to have chosen Billy to take this adventure through life with, and I am even more happy to be with him throughout eternity! We have grown together, become parents together, cried together, and enjoyed many fun and happy times together. He not only completes me, but he compliments me in so many ways! I love him more than words can say!

10 things I've learned about Billy in 10 years:

1. He is one of the most generous and helpful people I know. He has taught me so much about giving of our resources. Money is only money, and it can make you so happy to share with and give to others.
2. He is an aggresive driver. Those of you who know Billy need no explanation on this matter. :) I do have to say that while he pulls some crazy maneuvers that drive me crazy sometimes, he is not a haphazard driver. He is always aware of the other cars around him and is in control of what he's doing. That doesn't mean he doesn't make the other drivers angry, however. Trust me, he DOES. I joke with him that his day isn't complete without his daily bird or honk.
3. He is a hard worker. It is a very rare occasion for Billy to call in sick to work, even if he really IS sick. He will push through and get the work done no matter how crappy he's feeling.
4. He loves technology and online chess. He would be one lost soul without his iPhone! And before those came along, he had just about grown a new apendature onto his body in the form of a laptop. If I had a penny for every hour he's spent online and a nickle for every online chess game he's played, I'd be one rich woman!
5. He loves to talk. Again, he would be one lost soul without his iPhone! When it comes to carrying on a conversation, he is definitely the woman of the relationship.
6. He loves to be clean. And I don't just mean a shower a day kind of clean. When we were first married, it wasn't uncommon that he would take upwards of 3 showers a day! My dad would joke with him and tell him he took the whole "cleanliness is next to godliness" thing way too seriously. Ha!
7. He is very thoughtful. He is great to remember people's birthdays and always makes an effort to call people on their special day. He also always comes up with a gift to honor me on special holidays throughout the year (even if I'm being honest in telling him I won't be upset without a gift). He is truly always thinking about the needs of others and how he can be of help to them.
8. He has an attraction to socks, luggage/bags, and flashlights. It is his opinion that you can never have too many of any of these items.
9. He has a great sense of humor. Billy and I make each other laugh daily. We don't care if anyone else thinks we're funny, but we find each other to be quite hysterical! I feel happiness and laughter in a relationship are so valuable. It makes me so happy that we can bring a smile to each others faces even on the crappiest of days. :)
10. He is an amazing husband and father. There is no doubt in my mind that Billy would do ANYthing for me or one of the kids. He is caring, loyal, and loving. We are so blessed to have him and to be an eternal family!

10 things Billy has learned about me in 10 years (in his words):

1. Wendy learned through example how to be an amazing mother.
2. Wendy is very selfless and always puts her children and family first.
3. Wendy is quietly competitive and likes to be right.
4. Wendy is very creative. Her ability to create, write, draw, decorate cakes, and do any other arts and crafts is phenominal.
5. Wendy is an extremely effecient, focused, and a dedicated, hard worker. I wish I could be more like her.
6. Wendy is a great example of following the Lord's teachings.
7. Wendy will sacrifice endlessy for her children. She has captured the true esscence of being the perfect mother. Long-suffering and patient with a steadfastness in Christ to ensure her babies learn and understand concepts and principals.
8. Wendy has advanced critical thinking skills that can reduce complex ideas down to simple ideas that even I can understand.
9. Wendy has the ability to make the best of ANY situation. She can work through ANY problem.
10. Wendy is the most perfect person I have ever met. I love my sweetie so very much.

10 places we've traveled in 10 years:

1. Cruise through the Mexican Riviera. (4 times! - Honeymoon in 2002, with Hadley family in 2003, with Farish family in 2006 and 2011)

Honeymoon - 2002

Hadley Family - 2003

Farish Family - 2006

Farish Family - 2011

2. Trip to Chicago for Billy's brother's Naval Academy Graduation. (June 2002)

Gotta love the overalls!

3. Road trip to Niagra Falls, Canada - We visited sites in Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Virginia/Washington D.C., and Delaware along the way. (March 2003)