Dear matthew

meet the sweethearts

I can still picture the first time we met. It was a cold evening in December, after everyone had gotten off work for the day. Some of our mutual friends were meeting up at Starbucks for a game night. Even though you had worked a long shift at the Apple Store, you came anyways, despite how tired you were. So tired in fact, that you were actually still asleep in the corner when I arrived and had to sit by “the weird kid asleep at a coffee shop!” Ummm, have you ever heard of espresso? Anyways, by the time you woke up, I was settled in and comfy and wondering about the guy who could sleep in all the ruckus caused by our friends.

Fast forward to about a year and a half after that evening...to the summer of 2009. We had hung out in a group setting, but not really just us. We texted and talked on FB, but nothing serious. I remember planning to celebrate your 21st birthday. We went to Monterrey’s Mexican restaurant and I had gotten you just a little something...Haribo Gummy Bears! Your favorite! But not just any gummy bears, I had purchased 4 bags of these suckers and picked out your favorites...the red and pink ones and made your own bag! After lunch, we went to the Sunsphere in Downtown Knoxville and hung out! I was pretty smitten then, but I just didn’t know where you stood! A little bit later, we had our first like real big date. Even though it wasn’t really even a date...it was the turning point for us! I came to your college where you were working and we shredded paper together, went to Taco Bell to grab food and came back to watch The Lake House on opposite ends of the couch together! This is when it really hit home, I really liked this guy!

We both had so many things going on between working and taking full class loads at school...we’re both nerds at heart! We still just hung out all this summer and that semester off and on. You went on mission trip to Cambodia. I went on local mission trips. We drifted apart. Hung out with other people. It sucked. But then, something awesome happened. You texted me and asked if I was up for an adventure on a yellow brick road. The Wizard of Oz was playing and you took me to dinner and to see the musical. Shortly after, we started dating!

Our relationship had it’s ups and downs, like everyone else’s, but one thing I knew...I loved you. I knew that you were the one I was supposed to spend the rest of my life with, even when you weren’t so sure yourself. I knew deep down, Matthew, you were to be my husband and my best friend. It took some convincing, some tears and some hard conversations, but on November 23, 2010, you made me the happiest woman in the world when you got down on one knee in Market Square and asked me to be your wife! To this day, you still make me the happiest woman alive.

Our wedding day, I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I was. I was finally going to be Mrs. Davidson. Married to the guy who works harder than anyone I know for those he loves. To the guy who sacrifices more than anyone even knows to make sure his loved ones have what they want and need. To the one who loves Jesus as his Lord and Savior and who chose me to be his wife! To the one who loves Chick-Fil-A just as much as me and can always go for a Starbucks! Best day ever!

Matthew, you’ve always been such a hard worker. You do whatever it takes to realize and achieve your dreams! I envy that push and drive you have! Between going to school full time and working full time, to running every single day of 2017, to getting not only a masters degree but an education specialist degree too ALL WHILE WORKING FULL TIME and pursuing your passion for photography. You spend late nights and early mornings learning, editing, photographing, lesson planning, and all the time in between being a husband, father to our two beautiful children, teacher and friend. Your passion is what drives this family! I knew nothing about photography until about a year ago when we decided for me to second shoot with you! You poured into me everything you could to help me learn. While I know I still have far to go, being able to photograph and on shoots with you have been some of the best times...even when it gets stressful. Getting to work together, as we document such a joyous occasion in the lives of our clients, reminds me of our love story and my love for you grows deeper and deeper with each waking moment.

To you Matthew, the love of my life, you are my everything and I am so thankful to share in this adventure called life with you!

Wonder where it will take us next?

I can still picture the first time we met. It was a cold evening in December, after everyone had gotten off work for the day. Some of our mutual friends were meeting up at Starbucks for a game night. Even though you had worked a long shift at the Apple Store, you came anyways, despite how tired you were.

So tired in fact, that you were actually still asleep in the corner when I arrived and had to sit by “the weird kid asleep at a coffee shop!”

Ummm, have you ever heard of espresso?

Anyways, by the time you woke up, I was settled in and comfy and wondering about the guy who could sleep in all the ruckus caused by our friends.

Fast forward to about a year and a half after that evening...to the summer of 2009. We had hung out in a group setting, but not really just us. We texted and talked on FB, but nothing serious. I remember planning to celebrate your 21st birthday. We went to Monterrey’s Mexican restaurant and I had gotten you just a little something...Haribo Gummy Bears!

Your favorite!

But not just any gummy bears, I had purchased 4 bags of these suckers and picked out your favorites...the red and pink ones and made your own bag!

After lunch, we went to the Sunsphere in Downtown Knoxville and hung out! I was pretty smitten then, but I just didn’t know where you stood! A little bit later, we had our first like real big date. Even though it wasn’t really even a date...it was the turning point for us! I came to your college where you were working and we shredded paper together, went to Taco Bell to grab food and came back to watch The Lake House on opposite ends of the couch together! This is when it really hit home, I really liked this guy!

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