~ Thirteen Years Later ~

Thirteen years ago today he pulled me into the living room (I think that's what you call the one that you don't ever actually use, right?  And the one that gets used is the family room?) at his parents' house.  He sat me down in the rocking chair, looked me in the eye, took my hands in his (cold) ones, and said these words which I will never ever forget: "Will you be my girl?"

It'd been a long time coming.  There were some obstacles in the way.  We'd been friends for about a year.  We'd talked on the phone daily-or more-for months.  We'd spent hours and hours together at church events, family events, each others' houses.  We'd been on a real date, even!  

I said, "Sure."

True story.

I probably giggled a little.  I remember he kissed me.  Then we went back to the family room (living room?) and watched a movie with his parents.  And then I went home.  End of story.

Well, not really.

Not long later we both had to decide on colleges.  We chose the same school.  For two years we took nearly every class together, and those we didn't (ummm...calculus, in particular) he tutored me through in the evenings.  I figured if he could love me during 4 hours of crying calculus every evening, he could probably love me through everything.

Two years later, he transferred to another college 800 miles away.  We dealt with that.  I figured if he could love me from 800 miles away, he could probably love me through anything.

People, it's been 13 years.  Thirteen!  And we've been through...well, just about everything.  It feels like it, anyway.  Some days, it feels more like it than others, that's for sure.  We've experienced both life and death.  Sickness and health.  Richer and poorer.  Hot and cold.  We've been there.  

And I'm pretty sure he still loves me.

I like that about him.

Thanks for a (mostly) great 13 years!  Here's to another 13...and another...and another...and another after that.  I love you.  Forever!

I can't wait to see what giant plans God has coming for us!

30 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 14

Some days it's easier to think of things to be thankful for that it is other days.

Today has been one of the "other" days.

It's not that nothing good's happened today.  It's been an amazingly motivated day.  I've swept and mopped the kitchen and bathroom and reassembled both rooms, folded 6 loads of laundry, refolded 2 loads of laundry after the kids knocked them off the couch, washed and dried 4 more loads of laundry, disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled the dryer, taught preschool, fed 4 children, picked up my car from the shop...and the night's still young.  There's been no shortage of things to be thankful for, I suppose, but it's been one of those days when it's really hard to find them.

As I sat and pondered my day, I realized part of the reason I was having so much trouble being thankful today is because I miss him today.  

Mondays are the worst.  You see, I get to spend the weekends with him and I get a little spoiled.  Then Monday comes.  Mondays are horrid.  Mondays are back to work and back to school and back to the general craziness that is currently our life "together."  I hate Mondays.

I love him, though.  

Today, of all days, I am thankful for you, Michael.  I am thankful for the hard work you're putting forth every day to earn the money we need to pay our bills.  I am thankful for the time and effort you're putting into your education, working so hard to do a great job so that some day we can be in a different "place" than we are now.  I am so thankful that every night, no matter how late it is when you get home, you sit with me for a while.  I'm thankful that you make the time to wrestle with the kids, read with the kids, study with the kids, every day that you're here when they're awake.  They are thankful for that too, even though they probably don't realize it.

I know everything's not perfect right now.  Life's a struggle some days, financially, emotionally, physically.  We're exhausted.  We're stretched thin.  We don't know whether we're coming or going.  We're not always communicating very well.  We don't see much of each other.  We don't have time or energy to nurture our marriage right now.

But I love you, and I'm so thankful for you!  

Things haven't been easy for the last few years.  I'm not sure anyone really understands the toll the events of the last 7 years have taken on us physically or emotionally.  I'm not sure we could explain it to anyone.  But you've always been right there by my side, no matter what.  You've been my rock and my support through everything.  Every trial, no matter how big or small, you've been there.  I couldn't ask for anything more.

I am thankful for you!

Dear Lord, thank you for my husband.  Thank you for putting him in my life.  Lord, you know the struggles we've faced, the struggles he's faced.  You know his heart.  You know him even better than I do!  Lord, today I ask that you just lift Michael up in your hands.  Hold his heart.  Guide his steps.  Encourage him.  Uplift him.  Bless him beyond his imagination.  Strengthen his resolve.  Give him rest when he needs it.  Give him refreshment when he can't go another moment.  Lord, thank you, thank you, for putting him in my path.  Show me ways to support him each day.  I love you and thank you.