Twenty-two years ago I was a twenty-two year old, walking down the aisle to that mysterious place where two arrive and one leaves.  Where butterflies abound, where far more than your name gets changed, where dreams soar, joy overflows and truth be told ~ you know scarcely little of what you are stepping into.

At that time, I was absolutely certain of God's faithfulness.

Today, I am even more so.

I've now been married for approximately half of my life.  I am so thankful for a husband who has been willing to stand behind the words "in joy and in sorrow, in plenty and in want, in all of the circumstances of life, I commit myself to you". He has done so with patience and kindness, over and over (and over!) again ~ many moments when it wasn't returned to him. 

There has been much laughter, great joy and sweet memories.  But, as it turns out, marriage isn't easy. Life is hard, families are complex, we often don't treat those we love the most the way that we want to. The scenario in the book of Romans is ever near ("I do not understand what I do.  For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate I do"). Sometimes we are blessed beyond measure, and other times our expectations are simply not met.  

On countless occasions, it might have been easier for him to walk away - but that isn't who he is. That option was eliminated when he held my hands, looked in my eyes and uttered those words.  

He meant them. 

I meant them.

 . . . and that has made all of the difference.

Thank you, Kevin, for being the man I always dreamed of walking through life with.



   

The things that I hear at my house! . . .

"Hey mom!, I haven't had a clumsy accident in a couple of days ~ like when I was dancing backwards in the kitchen and tripped over the dishwasher, throwing my corn (on the cob) against the wall!"

Handsome boys

These two are utterly silly, but they 'clean up nice'!  Heading out for the school dance (hosted by our enrichment program).  Truth be told, they only went for the food!