nineteen years

We are celebrating nineteen years of marriage today and as I look back on these past years of married life it seems only fitting to write a tribute to man who made me a Mrs.

Here’s to the man who caught my attention as a blue-eyed drummer at a youth camp. The man who became my friend, my confident, my dream of someday. The man who wrote me long letters in his best cursive, sent me surprise roses at work, made me feel loved and beautiful. The man whose sweet voice I couldn’t wait to hear coming through the phone line, the man who I couldn’t wait to see after weeks and months apart, the man who distracted me from school. I spent hours in class doodling about him and spent days dreaming about him.  This man and I spent hundreds of dollars to buy tickets to visit each other across the province. We planned out lavish surprise visits and gifts for each other. We lost sleep over our late-night phone calls.

This is the man who proposed to me on a snowy January night… This is the man who I prepared to see as I curled my hair, pinned on my tiara, laced up my white dress, slipped into my high-heeled shoes. This is the man I walked down the aisle to meet amidst the admiring gaze of our families and the sweet music filled that room. This is the man I left everything and moved across the country for.

On that cold day in May, we stood before God and proclaimed our vow “to love and to cherish until death do us part.” We toasted to our life together and we had no idea what the future would hold for us.

After 19 years of marriage, I still could not ask for more. 19 years is not really that long of a time but looking back at all that has happened between now and then, it feels like a lifetime. Here’s to the man who has stood by my side all these years.

We  moved from our newlywed apartment to our starter home. We have bought a house and survived remodeling projects together. Then we bought another home ( hopefully our forever)  We have a beautiful daughter who is a graduate this year, how did that happen

We made it through job changes, opening a business and now a pandemic

We have traveled thousands of miles, walked sandy beaches hand in hand, re-visited our romantic dating spots, celebrated life together. We’ve learned to live together, how to compromise, how to forgive, how to grow as a couple.

We’ve laughed, we’ve cried, we’ve fought, we’ve prayed, we’ve loved, we’ve dreamed, we’ve planned. We’ve realized how much more we still have to learn about marriage, about each other and how much we need God to be at the center.

We’ve built a relationship, a family, and a life together.

So, here’s to you, the man I am so thankful and blessed to have walking with me on this journey of life.  These words are just as true now as they were when I doodled them as a love-struck teenager, daydreaming about my someday with you:

No matter what happens, what trials we face, or what lies ahead of us in life, Now and Forever, It is you  

Here’s to many more joyful, adventurous, grace-filled years with you, my beloved spouse and best friend! Here’s to us and to our nineteen years of marriage.

                                         

I love you with all of my heart,

Terri