Our 8 Year Anniversary

Every time, this time of year comes around, I am amazed and so thankful to have made it another year together. It has been an amazing 8 years together and every year we become better friends and closer partners. Now don't get me wrong we have our ups and downs, but I love that we both feel very passionately that separating or divorcing is not an option and we have to work through our problems.

This year for our anniversary we had plans to go to Houston for a night. Last year, I bought Chris a 2 hour flight lesson. With life beginning so busy we have never gone. So we figured this would be the perfect time to go.

Well, as you read in the previous post, I got sick and so plans changed.

We ended up staying home for the weekend and on our actual anniversary date we went out to dinner, while Grandma and Pawpaw kept the kiddos. We had a really nice dinner and talked about how blessed we have been over the last 8 years and what we hope to achieve as a couple and as a family over the next few years.

I have this card that I buy every couple when we go to weddings. The first time I read it was at my friend Melanie's wedding shower and every since it is something I try to live by and like to share with other couples.

It goes something like this:

How to Make a Beautiful Life Together
Reflections on Marriage for a Bride and Groom

Let Love be your shelter.
The world is a noisy and confusing at times,
so MAKE A HOME that is a haven, a peaceful place
where you can listen to your hearts
and savor the comfortable closeness you share.

No matter how busy your days may be,
MAKE TIME for yourselves.
Hold hands. Unwind. Surprise each other.
Find little chances every day to show 
you're grateful to be married.

Life is not perfect.
You will MAKE MISTAKES,
but each time you meet 
life's challenger together,
you will grow wiser, stronger,
and surer of your love.

Cherish your yesterdays.
They are irreplaceable souvenirs
of you journey through life.
MAKE MEMORIES

that will bring smiles and sighs
whenever you look back.
(Look back often.)

Look forward, too.
Dream together. Plan together.
MAKE PROMISES to keep.
Believe in your tomorrows, 
because tomorrows are
what forever is made of.

To MAKE LOVE LAST,
put each other first.
That is the way to make a beautiful life together,
the kind of life 
you both deserve so much.

Now, I by no means always follow this, but as the years have gone by, the kids have come along and life has gotten busy, I try to live by this. And I hope to one day to pass this on to our kids, when they find their soul mate and best friend to share a life with.

February 18, 2006

February 1, 2014