Today we are celebrating 12 years of marriage. I woke up this morning thinking about what I was doing 12 years ago today. Getting up early, eating on a nervous stomach, getting my hair done, lunch that my wonderful German aunts made, then pictures, ceremony, and party! It was all such a blur, moving so fast.
There are two moments when I remember time standing still. The first was when my bridesmaids had finished helping me get ready and left to find Andrew. He came in to see me for the first time and it was just the two of us. I just remember the look on his face, one that I still see often today. His expression told me how beautiful I was and how much he loved me. It did seem like time stood still for a little while there.
The second was when the party was over and we finally had made it to the hotel. We plopped on the bed, utterly exhausted and stared at the ceiling. We both said, "Can you believe it, we're married!"
Now, 12 years later, we often don't say, "can you believe it, we're married!". Now we often say, "Can you believe it, we have six kids!" Boy, what 12 years can do!
We got married young. I was 18 and Andrew was 21 and there were people who were sure we wouldn't last more than a year. And, unfortunately for a lot of people that's the case. They get married young, think they have it all figured out and then realize, it's a lot more work than they first thought. We went through that too. Thinking, no problem, this will be easy. Then realizing that marriage is actually hard and takes work. In fact, we're still trying to figure it all out.
But the difference is this: we went into marriage without the word divorce. We had promised each other, ourselves, and God that we would never use the word divorce and we've stuck to it. We have had our fair share of arguments and being angry with each other. But we've never even thought of throwing in the towel. No matter how hard it is, we stick it out together. And we've had more good times than bad in our marriage.
So now, 12 years later, we love each other more than we did on our wedding day, we know a little more about how to get along, and we are enjoying our crazy, chaotic, life together!
Thanks be to God for his glorious riches and abundant love and wisdom that he so willingly pours out on us so that we can glorify him and make it through this life victorious.
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Those memories that you shared are still new in my brain (except slightly different), but I hope (and think) I will remember them 12 years down the road like you. :)
ReplyDeleteI remember you and Andrew, pre-marriage. We were playing soccer at the park by your house. I don't remember why I was there, exactly, but it probably was some pretext to take a shot at your friend down the street from the house. I'm a dirty dog, I know. But that memory, and quite a few others (mostly from Grandma's basement) are ones I cling to.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I hope you are doing well; I'm living in Las Vegas. I wouldn't be at all sad if a mountain fell from the sky and erased this place. Alas, all I can do is pray for that glorious and judicious use of some good old fashioned Old Testament wrath.
Anyway....good night!