Alvin’s 30th! {First Look and Bridal Party Photos}

My man turns 30 today!

Besides the fact that I get to celebrate his entrance into his thirties with him, today is especially exciting because it is the first birthday I’ve ever gotten to celebrate in person with him! Long distance was killer guys. The only “holiday” we had ever celebrated together before we got married was my birthday! I guess that’s what makes our first year of marriage extra special though- so many firsts.

Alvin, I compiled a fun collection of 29 memories from your 29^th year to share. I love you and am so thankful for your playful, loving, and gentle self. Looking forward to all this next year will bring!

The countless times we FaceTimed, the countless hours of sleep you lost in travel to come see me, and the countless “I miss you” messages we sent.
That time on our honeymoon when you drank all the juice in the minibar that was meant for the mixed drinks and we never opened half the alcohol.
That time the diamond fell out of my engagement ring and you ordered my wedding band early so I could have a ring to wear while it was getting fixed.
That time I made you propose to me again with the wedding band, just for kicks and giggles.
That time we visited your grandma and she tried to force feed me.
That time when we’d just moved in and wanted to take a shower, but couldn’t find the shower curtain in all our boxes (or the toilet paper or soap for that matter).
That time we got a flat tire and spun off the side of the road and survived.
That time we danced in an RV after spinning off the side of the road and chose our first dance song “One Safe Place.”
That time we had chocolate dumplings at Ding Tai Fung.
The countless times we sent each other photos of the cutest Asian babies.
That time we rode my scooter together like I had dreamed about for months- your arms around my waist, zipping through the streets of Asia together.
That time when I hurt my back really bad and was so scared and you just let me cry and reminded me that you’d take care of me and get me a robotic back and it would all be alright.
That time we went to visit your grandparents in Colorado and it snowed- in MAY.
That time we had to go to Target and buy me random cowboy boots because all I had packed was flip-flops and it was snowing (in MAY).
That time you bought a little grill and brought it all the way home in your suitcase and we used it to make Chinese BBQ at your friend’s house.
That time right before the wedding when we realized we left the wedding band in St. Louis.
That time on our honeymoon when The Brownie King tried to sell us pot brownies.
That time you pulled me off the couch just to dance with me in the middle of the living room to Luke Bryan’s Fast.
That time I sobbed and sobbed and neither of us really knew why but you just held me and brought me tissues and loved me.
That time you bought me a new phone for Christmas just so I had enough storage space for all my photos.
That time we took the most epic cooking class and learned how to make lobster mac and cheese and blueberry crumble pie.
That time we packed our car so full of IKEA stuff that I had to sit on the center counsel practically in your lap while we drove the 20 mins home.
That time we went to Vegas together and ate our hearts out.
That first time you brought me home flowers- and haven’t stopped keeping our vases stocked since.
That time we worked our butts off to get all the groomsmen’s suits handmade and converted all the measurements into Mandarin.
That time you flew to Taiwan and were crazy jetlagged and then we spent the next three days modeling in the most elaborate photoshoot of our lives and you never complained.
That time we blew through all the seasons of The Office in the span of a few weeks while we were unpacking our apartment.
That time we ate the best La Mian and wandered around the streets of Shanghai and my lip swelled up like a balloon.
That time I bought you a pool table for your birthday and it was too big to fit down the basement so you had to take the whole day off to help me return it.

Oh goodness honey. These are just a handful of the memories we’ve created together over the last year, and I can’t wait to see what the upcoming year of 30 will bring!