I Do

Thirty-three years ago today, as a 20 year-old, I married a young man who was barely 19 1/2 years-old! Some might ask "what were you thinking?!?!" I know many people question the wisdom of getting married so young and while it is true that we were naïve and definitely lacking maturity when we embarked on our marital journey, we were able to make it work and I don't regret it. Would it have been better to be older before we took such a huge step? Possibly. Possibly not. One never knows the path not traveled. I believe what is right for one person/couple may not be right for another and that doesn't necessarily make one way "right" and the other way "wrong." (Now that I've given my mini-sermon, I'll get on with my blog.)

It is with a great deal of pride that I can say that I have been married to the same man for 33 years. Together, we have weathered the bumps and curves that life threw at us. Together, we have shared innumerable joys as well as countless disappointments. Together, we have raised four amazing children to adulthood and together we have welcomed two lovely daughters-in-law and four adorable grandchildren into our family.

Trust me, there were plenty of times that we struggled mightily--financially, spiritually, emotionally, etc. There were times when we were so mad at each other that we couldn't even find words to express our anger. There were times when we didn't even like each other at all. There were times when we felt like walking away from each other. Thankfully, there were also times when we were so happy with each other that we couldn't find words to express our happiness. There were times when we liked each other a lot. There were times when we just wanted to be alone together and spend time with each other.

We learned what makes the other person happy and what makes them sad. We learned to appreciate each others gifts and talents. We learned to compliment and encourage each other in our strong points and not to focus on each others weaknesses. We learned to give a little and compromise even when we didn't feel like it. We learned to put God first in our own lives and in our marriage. We learned to trust God's leading and to trust each other. We matured individually and as a couple.

Life has taught us a lot of lessons and I hope we are the wiser because of them. When we are going through tough situations they seem so difficult and discouraging. However, I realize these hard times along with the good times have shaped and molded us into the people we are today. I can't honestly say that I am glad for hardships but I can say that I appreciate what they teach us. I have learned that you can't always control what life throws at you but you can control how you react to what is thrown at you.

When I think of all the memories Steve and I have created together, it makes me smile. There have been so many good times we have shared together with each other, family and friends. For many years the house was busy and active as our children were growing up. Now we are entering the "empty nest" phase of our life. Although this is not without its sadness, we are enjoying doing some things that we didn't do when we were younger. We play more golf, travel a little bit more and buy a few more luxuries. We also love spending time with our little grandchildren.

Thirty-three years is a long time to live with one person. We both have changed so much since we said "I do" in that country church so long ago, but I like who we have become and am looking forward to sharing many more years with the man I love. Happy anniversary to us!