the love tree

We got married almost four years ago at a local fish hatchery (sounds weird, but it's very lovely). As part of the ceremony we planted an ornamental crab apple tree. It was touch and go for a few years, but the director of the hatchery was a good friend, and he bravely fended off deer and took good care of the little guy. I think it paid off. Mike snapped a few pics when he was there for a social a few days ago, and it actually looks like a tree now! Kari and Cliff did the same thing during their ceremony, so it's becoming sort of a family tradition.

It's actually a pretty good metaphor for marriage, isn't it? Slow going, a little fragile at first, but it gets stronger and more worth it over the years.