13 Years in Photos

Happy 13th anniversary to us! I need to stop counting the days to my retirement because 13 years get away much too quickly as it is. Rachel enters her 3rd year of college at UMR in a few weeks while Tammy and I find ourselves discussing more and more our plans for retirement. As I've learned this last year, one never knows what tomorrow may have in store. I prefer to keep swinging away and mixing it up in this life I've been blessed with, not one to sit still too long for fear the rust will begin to accumulate.

A small glimpse of our lives over the last 13 years together...



Two photos Tammy sent me before our first date



Our wedding day, July 30th, 1999, 4 1/2 months after our first date...sometimes you just know





The Black Hills, 1999



Rachel with best friend Camille



First day of school shortly after moving into her new home



Disney World, 2000



Tammy and Theresa, 2000




Wisconsin Dells



Ballooning over Napa Valley, California, 2001



Nerds!




With Grandma Elaine, 2002



With Grandpa at the Blueberry Festival in Ely



Halloween, 2002, half-woman, half-man



Ole and Lena, 2002



Christmas Eve with Grandma Sarah, 2002



Toby and Allie join our family in the fall of 2003



Christmas photo, 2003 (we would get much more imaginative with these in years to come)



Pumping up before a single day 266-mile ride from Lakeville to Babbitt, Tammy's hometown



Downtown Minneapolis, 2004




We were republicans once



Rachel would put countless hours into her Homecoming pants



So happy with her bug vacuum, Christmas, 2004




A card from Rachel



Recital, 2004



2004



Goofing in Stillwater, 2005



Demolition derby, 2005



Rachel turns 14, 2005




Christmas photo, 2005



Skipping work and skipping school, Afton Alps, 2006



Pirate dance, 2006



Rachel's Confirmation, 2007



Christmas photo, 2007



Minnesota state fair, 2008



With Sue and Bryan, November 2008



With Grandpa, November 2008



Christmas Eve, 2008



January 2009, Charlie comes to stay with us for the weekend—he's still here



Near Las Vegas, August, 2009



Off to college, August, 2009



Charlie's toys



The things we dads do for our daughters! Dads' Dance, 2010



Tammy's not buying what this impostor is selling



Mom and Tammy, 2010



It was a snuggie Christmas photo, 2010



Goofing with new iPads



Out for sushi!



Charlie, Toby, and Allie



Winter, 2010/2011



Spring at last!



Summer, 2011



Our newest passion, 2011



College fun, 2011



Halloween, 2011 at Foci



Celebrating Tammy's birthday at Luna Rossa in Stillwater, 2011



Christmas 2011 photo



Ballroom dance competition, 2012



With Mom at a family reunion one week ago



The most recent photo of us from last week

So, that's a little of what we've been up to the past 13 years in our small corner of the world. Tammy just got out of the office and is done with work for the night so it's time to publish this and take my bride out for dinner!

Comments

Jackie said…
Aww this is so neat you guys. You have done so much in such a short time! I have really marveled at the way you have come together as a family and done so with so much love and support for each other! The time has gone by so fast! God Bless you all in the next 13 years of your lives and all the great things there will be to celebrate GRADUATION, WEDDINGS, GRAND BABIES just to name few. Thanks for sharing the special times with us.
July 30, 2012 at 9:22 PM
DeborahJane said…
Very cool photo memories!
"HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!"
July 30, 2012 at 10:29 PM
Kevin Gilmore said…
Thanks...it was fun assembling this little timeline of our lives together. Who knows how we'll add to it in the coming years?!
July 30, 2012 at 10:46 PM
John A Hill said…
Thanks for sharing, Kevin. Very nice.
July 31, 2012 at 11:00 AM
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