big day

today is our eighth wedding anniversary. these have been eight of the most peaceful, productive, pleasant, joyful, challenging, frustrating, and wonderful years of our young lives. we feel so lucky to know each other, and are vastly proud of ourselves for having the clever idea to be married to one another. we're still this happy (but not quite this fresh-faced):



today is not just a celebration of a past event, but also a celebration of a new beginning. david was admitted to the wisconsin bar association today. he has graduated from law school, he has been found of fit moral character (obvi), and he has taken an oath. watching his oath and swearing-in today, in the lush marble supreme court chambers of the state capitol building, alongside a small group of fellow recent law school graduates, with an intimate group of family watching....my heart filled with pride, my eyes kinda filled with tears. that ceremony was better than any large graduation ceremony could have been. he looked pretty happy when it was over.

swanky supreme court chambers:


justice crooks delivering the oath, and all the nervous new grads repeating the oath:


staple, checking out the murals:


dr. staple, attorney-at-law:


we headed out into the september sunshine when the ceremony was over, and went for a delicious lunch at the university club. we had out wedding reception there 8 years ago today, and it is a lovely and nostalgic way to celebrate every year. we shared a drink in the bar where we first met, and strolled around the city we love. perfect big day.

here we are, right where the magic happened 8 years ago, about to stuff our bellies full of good lunch: