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Celebrating Four Years of Marriage & A New Series

July 18th, 2013: Today marked the four year anniversary of the day that I said “I do” to Mark Lanker and danced the day away in his arms.  We got hitched on the Jersey shore where my family has vacationed since the days of playing with paper dolls.  And unfortunately, because of certain reality TV shows, whenever I tell people that fact, it’s often met with the follow-up question: “Was Snooki there?”  To which I reply, “No, but there was plenty of fist-pumping.”  ‘Cause that’s what people do on the Jersey shore when there’s something to celebrate along with a good down beat…right?

Celebrating Four Years of Marriage & A New Series | The Thinking Closet
Photography by Emily Johnston

Let’s Talk About the Hubs

Now, I know that most of the time, when I mention Mark on the blog, I often includes mention of his love of pallets

We heart pallets.

…and his prowess with a cordless drill.

Handyman at work on our IKEA wardrobe hack! | The Thinking Closet

And yes, he is my favorite handyman, no diggity doubt about it, but he is so much more than that to me.  And since it’s our anniversary, I’m going to take this opportunity to gush about him right here and now.  K?  K.

He is my best buddy to laugh with, often about Michael Scott or Ron Swanson or Judy Grimes.

He is my protector from critters great and small (in Florida, we have critters a’plenty).

He is my shoulder to cry on…ugly, snotty cries and all.

He is my adventure-seeker, always planning our next bike ride, or date night, or road trip.

He is my sailing instructor, teaching me how to run the jib and how to not freak out when the boat keels.

He is my biggest cheerleader, powering me through interviews and auditions with pep talks and hugs galore.

He is my dream-catcher, reminding me of my goals and helping me seek after them with reckless abandon.

He is my outdoorsman, opening my eyes to see the beauty in the world around us.  A sunset.  The breeze on the lake.  An owl overhead.

He is my Mark.  And the fact that God brought him back into my life (through Facebook of all things!) over five years after being classmates in Romantic Literature class together at Wheaton…well, that’s providence.  And a much better love story than any I had dreamed up in my paper-doll-days.

Wood Pallet Sign Tutorial via The Thinking Closet
Remember this?

“Oh how the years go by….”

For the sake of a little walk down memory lane, here’s a photo collage starting in July 2008 when we first started dated and continuing through our cruise this spring!  I was inspired by Lil Blue Boo’s collage cataloging 12 years of marriage.  If time continues to fly at this rapid rate, I know it will feel like a blink before the collage has grown to 15 years…30 years…60!  Bring on the smile lines, I say.

Flashback Collage via The Thinking Closet

Mark, here’s to many more years of d.i.y. collaborations, deep-bellied laughter, and adventure-seeking together!  I love you.

A New Series

Our DIY Wedding - A New Series By The Thinking Closet

Annnnnd, as some of you may recall, one of my goals for this year was to do a special blog series on the DIY elements of our wedding.  Well, I figured that the perfect timing for launching such a series would be right around our anniversary, so starting next week, I’ll be sharing 1-2 posts a week on everything from The Cardinal Rule About Wedding Dress Shopping that I Broke to The Great Wedding Invitation Disaster of 2009 to Planning a Wedding Before There Was Pinterest.   (Despite what you may have heard, it can be done.  Ha ha.)  In fact, that’s the first post in the series so click HERE to start there.

I hope you’ll come along with me, my friends, as I take a look back at our fist-pumping wedding from 4 years ago and all the planning and d.i.y.-ing that went into it!  Even if you’re not planning a wedding or if weddings make you nauseous, my hope is that you’ll find some inspiration for party planning in general and maybe get a chuckle at a few of my crazy stories.

To Close

To close, I’ll share a favorite quote that I posted on Instagram today…one that I think holds true, and not just for marriages, but friendships, too.  (That Ruth Bell Graham was one wise lady.)

Wise words from Ruth Bell Graham
Follow along on Instagram!

Goodnight!

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31 Comments

  1. What a special gift this post is to Mark on your anniversary. And we are so blessed to have Mark join our family! God really multiplies the LOVE when He brings two people/families together!
    Looking forward to more wedding posts coming down the road and chapters ahead (as Mom L. said) of your marriage story!

    1. I like what you said about the love multiplying. It’s so true, isn’t it? I love how God has given our hearts such capacity to love…and it’s ever-growing. Thanks for all of your help already in gearing up for this series. I could not have taken it on without your help! (Much like wedding planning, too.) #grateful

  2. Dear Lauren – and you could add chapters & chapters about how happy you have made “your Mark” and how blessed his family is that God brought you two together!! Thank you for sharing, this post was a tear jerker 😉

  3. omg, i laughed out loud at “Planning a Wedding Before there was Pinterest”!! I often think how different my wedding probably would have been if Pinterest had been around!!
    Happy Anniversary! 🙂

  4. I just love reading your blogs! Your marriage is truly a gift and something we should all inspire to have (including myself). Mark is a very lucky man to have been able to marry his best friend:) I am so proud to say that you are family! Keep inspiring and enjoy life!

  5. Happy Anniversary, Lauren and Mark! You all obviously make a great team!

    I’m looking forward to hearing about your DIY wedding.:)

  6. Happy Anniversary Lauren and to Mark too! 🙂
    you make a lovely couple, I love how you both look very happy in those pictures
    can’t wait to read your new series too, even if I’m not planning a wedding could be great inspiration for a great party like you said 🙂
    wish you a beautiful weekend Lauren!

  7. Happy Anniversary to you both, my friend! Thanks for sharing a glimpse of your life together. It is obviously one filled with joy and love. Here’s to many more years of wedded bliss with your sweet Mark!

  8. Happy Anniversary, Mrs. Lanker! You guys seem like a couple who has fun together – and that is SO important. More important than people realize.

    Also – you said “no diggity”. You’ve got be kidding me with that awesomeness. I say “no diggity, no doubt” all. of. the. time. The dork is strong with us. I can feel it. 😉

  9. Happy Anniversary you two Lanker lovebirds! So happy to have been there the day you said “I Do!” Hugs to you both!

  10. What a great story!! Thanks for sharing it. Great about being in Romantic Literature in college and reuniting via Facebook 🙂 . Certainly providential. Happy Anniversary, and many, many more. We’ve been married 37 years and I can tell you there are ups, down, in-betweens and f.r.i.e.n.d.s.h.i.p. and 2 great forgivers <3
    Janet

  11. Happy Anniversary to the two of you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    What a sweet and lovely post! Much happiness to you both for the next 60, 70, 80,…. years. 🙂

  12. Happy anniversary! Can’t wait to see your DIY series. I should whip up a few of those posts myself. I’m glad there are so many of us pre-Pinterest DIYers. I feel a little hipster sometimes when I’m like “I was upcycling before they even called it that.” Honestly, not having Pinterest probably saved me a fortune ON TOP OF not getting me in way over my head… make no mistake, I was in over my head but it would’ve been exponentially worse if I had spent that 2 year engagement pinning.

  13. Such a sweet love story! I have a Mark, too 🙂 My Mark and I have been happily married for 5 years and he is my everything. I’m so happy for the two of you! Happy Anniversary!

    I look forward to your series – I, too, had a DIY wedding before Pinterest (gasp!) I know, right? And yes, it was fabulous 🙂

  14. So sweet, Lauren! Happy Anniversary! I love the yearly photo collage. I will have to do that for the 8 years with my husband (married almost 2). I also love the idea of your new blog series. Isn’t it a shame how much you learn planning a wedding that you will (hopefully) never have to use again? I am so excited to help with my brother’s and best friend’s wedding next year to put that information to good use!

  15. Ugh, this is too much sweetness – I CANNOT HANDLE IT!
    In all seriousness, I am so happy that you have found your One, and admittedly, slightly jealous of all the super-skills Mark has.. except for the outdoors-y thing, because I’m more like Melman (“Nature! It’s all over me! Get it off!).
    Happy Anniversary, friend – can’t wait to see the next collages.
    Hope you’re having a fabulous trip!

  16. This is SOOOO sweet!!! I love the collage and your story. And seriously this new series sounds like its going to be totes amazeballs!!! Have a fantastic anniversary getaway! P.S. this will be the closest you and I have been to one another since meeting in blog land!!!

  17. Your eyes has sparkles in every pic you are with him, no doubt how much you love him and he loves you! That is so wonderful when after years you still feel like you chose the best man for you. For me it’s been 4 years too and I still feel like it was yesterday when we had our first kiss and still feel the butterflies in my stomach LOL. I really wish you so many more years of love, happiness, comprehension, support, smiles, joy, the blessing of being parents…. =D

    Congrats!!!!! yayyyy!!!
    Manu Hugs and XOXO
    Cami @ TitiCrafty

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