This past year has probably been the hardest out of all of them. There has been a lot less time for us. We have worked hard to remind each other that “we” are important even when we could not stop for dates and flowery expressions of love. Daily emails to pour our hearts out to each other, connect, and pray over the hurts/challenges. It was a year full of anticipation, joy, grief, and exhaustion. Sometimes our emotions were raw as we raced about the busyness of the day but each day there was a conscious choice to choose each other...to remain steadfast to the covenant promise of our marriage.
I was reminded today, that there is no one else on earth that knows the details, the decisions, the hold your breath moments of our family story but you and I. You are the only other person that is witness to all the God moments, the exhaustion, the tears, the pushing through the day and barely making it moments. I am grateful it was you. I am thankful that we had so much history with each other that we could look across the room and check each other’s hearts without words being spoken. That the burden of this year did not break us because we trusted God to strengthen us. I am grateful that when my tongue was sharp and your patience was ending, we could extend grace.
For thirteen years you have chased me, protected me, served me, and loved me beyond what the world expects. Marriage to you has never been incredibly hard. Life has been hard. Instead of letting life consume us, you have gently reminded me that God put us together so we did not have to do it alone. Together we carry our family forward while holding the memories of yesterday in our hearts.
I want you to know that I am proud to be yours and will do my very best to always honor you. That I remain resolute to lift you up in prayer and support you. You are my dearest friend and I do not take lightly the trust you have in me. Daily we will continue to fight against the things of this world that try to destroy “US” and we will sharpen one another as iron sharpens iron. You will make me laugh at myself when I grow too serious and I will remind you that I do in fact, “love you more!” We will discuss large and small decisions over baskets of laundry. We will laugh at the inside jokes, we will flirt while cleaning the house, we will roll our eyes at each other over homework tears. We will do this thing called life together because thirteen years ago we made a covenant. Thank you for remaining true, honest, and upright. You are the man my heart desires and I celebrate that today.
