3 Years Strong

My Hearts Treasures...

Manny and I ready to celebrate our 3rd Wedding Anniversary!

Lucky me, he's my date!! ;)

My "Prince." Love him to pieces!

The Montes Family

June 9, 2010

Marcus popped into the picture when I was trying to get one of just Manny and I.

Elaina's turn to be with just Mommy and Popi

Just Me...ready to celebrate with my family! **So Blessed**

Yes, this is the kids with us out to dinner on our anniversary. This year our anniversary fell on a Wednesday which is our always anticipated day of the week with Marcus! I really, really wanted to go celebrate our day but didn't want to cut our family time for the week esp since I worked the previous night which meant sleeping a few hours in the AM since Manny was off. When we reflect back on our wedding day we have a lot of GREAT memories but with the great times we're also reminded of the hard ones...Manny fought with his ex to get 3 measly hours with Marcus for our wedding day. I felt like everything was completely rushed and chaotic to get the important stuff done in just 3 hours. We rushed through pictures and I missed getting a lot of pictures I wanted. It was really hard esp. for Manny to not have his son there but for what seemed a glimpse of time. Remembering what we would have given to have Marcus be a bigger part of our day I really hesitated to do anything just the two of us on our actual anniversary this year...after all we did get married to start our family including having more children together - our family is THE most important thing to us.

How nice it was this year to spend our day with our children and enjoy one another's company. I am also grateful for how things have progressed over the past few years with Manny's parent time with Marcus also. I never second guessed our love for one another, only thing I worried about or was apprehensive about knowing the goals I had for my own family was if I was a strong enough woman to raise a blended family knowing SOME of the challenges that would face us and could I be a strong wife to endure what Manny had to when it came to losing time with Marcus. In my wildest dreams I couldn't have imagined some of the challenges and hardships we've faced and I'm sure it's only the beginning. I am so grateful though that Marcus is allowed to be a greater part of our lives. Our time with him is still strict in a lot of ways but not near as calculated and harsh as in the beginning. It's hard to build a strong, connected, close family when you have all your kids home all the time but esp a challenge when you have a blended family. Don't get me wrong, this is what Manny and I chose and I'm so glad we did because I couldn't imagine my life without these three angels in it. The hard times have been worth the wonderful/blissful times. The sacrifices we've made to have the relationships we do with them are ones I'd do all over again. Like I've said, it's difficult at times but I'd much rather live in a world where there is Marcus then in one where there isn't. Our family without Marcus [or Elaina] would be like the Earth without the Sun and having him for even an inking in time is better than none at all.

I reflect back on these last 3 years especially and wonder what I did to be blessed to experience all the things I have. We don't have extravagant, exotic lives but we do have ones full of unconditional, pure love and that's all I could ever ask for.

Thank You Manny for being an amazing husband, Popi and man. You are my perfect match and have blessed my life with your love and 2 amazing children. Because of your love, I have experienced it in the deepest, purest, most meaningful sense. My love for you grows with each breath I take. My dreams came true when you said, "I do," thank you for choosing me to be your queen by your side. XOXOXOXOXO

Forever Yours,

Jana