I also turned 30 this past year so it dawned on me that each time my age changes to the next decade, I will also celebrate another decade of marriage. So as I get older, which who knows, may not settle as easy, I can smile at the fact that with that also brings more years to celebrate the life I've made with this man by my side.
It was 105 degrees that day, 10 years ago. I remember a couple of my bridesmaids came to the rescue when I realized I'd forgotten to buy the flower for my hair that I'd wanted instead of a veil. It was important to me that Justin not see me until I was walking toward him down the aisle, so many of my favorite photos from that day he's actually blindfolded. (The first photo above he's closing his eyes really tight.) That photo takes on a new meaning when you realize that. Gosh, it was just such a wonderful day. I messed up the words in one of the worship songs we led together. We wrote our own vows to one another. We had cupcakes. An iPod was our DJ. So many family and friends there to support us. My dad changed out of his tux immediately following the ceremony so our father/daughter dance photos are him in jeans and a polo. In the end, everything was perfect. I'm thankful for the random things that I remember about that day.
A lot will happen in 10 years. Justin and I, with only the strength of God, didn't live together or share a bed until we were married. We honeymooned in Colorado, it was beautiful, but unfortunately for me, I was only 20, so I could not partake in the brewery tours we thought would be a good idea to go to. We road tripped through Colorado with Sufjan Stevens, Better Than Ezra and Coldplay as the soundtracks to our first adventure together as a married couple. Then we came home. I cried after one of the first homemade dinners I made for us. One of the first lessons I learned as a wife, Justin does not do casseroles. Maybe Justin would say one of the first lessons he learned as a husband was how to make his own peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
That first year was wonderful and interesting and challenging. I was still in school. Justin was a worship pastor. It's so good to remember back to those days and know that God lead you through every day. I can only imagine Him smiling down on us now saying, "Way to go. Keep trusting in me."
The next few years would bring new jobs and first time home ownership. More responsibilities. More decisions. One of the things I most remember about that time was going through Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University which changed the trajectory of how we handled our finances and has stayed with us since. I'm confident to say that this is one of the main reasons our marriage is so successful. From early on, finances have never been an issue. Praise the Lord.
The next stage brought our eagerness to start a family. Happy and exciting days. With that first positive pregnancy test and complete and utter joy, soon after came gut-wrenching sadness of pregnancy loss. Tears fill my eyes as I think back to that difficult time in our lives but thankful it was not difficult on our marriage. To be at the top of the world only to fall down as far as you came. But thankful to have had someone there to hold you while you fell together. Thankful to have come out of that season scarred but not broken.
At almost six years of marriage, our joy overflowed with the birth of Eloise Margaret. Experiencing pregnancy with Justin by my side will always be one of my favorite memories. He loved it. He love caring for me. Feeling my belly and the baby moving inside. Planning, always planning with me. Putting up with my never ending check lists. Putting furniture and baby gear together. Going to classes with me. Supporting me in my decision to breastfeed. Cloth diapering. Gosh, he was just amazing. And he was a swaddling master. Seeing him become a Daddy. What a ride. What a blessing.
The forever season of parenting since Eloise has come along has obviously brought a whole new aspect to this marriage thing. So thankful and happy (most days) of course, but sheesh, being a parent takes up a lot of your energy and time that you were previously devoting to yourself and your husband. More work changes came. Working part-time at my job has been a life changer and I can't imagine what I would have missed if we hadn't trusted God with that and with our finances. Justin supported his family and never once expected anything less from himself.
First birthday party and a year of parenting under our belts. Always thinking of the future and what's next. Again, so thankful we have a God who we give our lives to to lead the way. Knowing we'd want more children someday we sold our house, moved into a small apartment, bought a house that wasn't built yet and got pregnant with our second child. Whoa. That was quite I year, now that I think about it...
Year eight brought a beautiful new home and a new way of living. Thankfully the new home part came 13 days before we were blessed with the birth of Mirabel Olive. My husband, a father of two daughters. And thankful for it. So many times we'd be out getting groceries and the checker would comment to him, "Uh, oh. Two girls! You're gonna be out numbered!" He always knew he'd been blessed by his girls.
More birthdays to celebrate. Job promotions to celebrate. Family to celebrate. So many memories.
Now, here we are. 10 years. Yeah, I guess that makes sense. So much has happened. Good, great, terrible, messy. Justin, you are everything to me. There is no one I'd rather have as my partner in life. You've shown God's love and grace time and time again to me. My thankfulness overflows as I think back over the years of this marriage. I love you so, so much and maybe one of the best things about being married to you for 10 years, is knowing that there will be 10 more. And 10 more after that. And as for as long as God has you and I on this earth, we will be together. You are my number one. I'm so, so excited to get to spend a week with you. We will miss our girls so, so much, but we'll be missing them together. Love you always.
