Celebrating Marriage

I was 30 and a single mother of a 5 year old. 
He was 24 and didn't know what hit him!

And 13 years later we are even more in love than the day we were married.  Why do people say that?  Do they really mean it?  I certainly do.  Why?  Because it is easy to fall in love in the beginning of a relationship when everything is new and exciting.  It is harder to keep that spark alive through 13 years of marriage.  Have there been times when we didn't like each other very much?  Absolutely!   But the key is we didn't allow ourselves to stay in that place very long.  

The one that has been a constant for us:  

COMMITMENT! 

Yes, we took our vows very seriously, and commitment comes within that package.  But this has been something above and beyond our vows.  

We don't take this blessing for granted.

We put each other first above all else.

Our family takes first place.

We don't allow hurts to fester.

We talk things out until it is finished.

We respect each other as individual people.

We spend a lot of time together.

We watch our words carefully.

We celebrate each other.

We laugh with each other.

We praise God for the family he has created here.

No it hasn't always been easy.  We had some real rough patches early in our marriage as we fumbled through figuring out how to survive being a blended family.  I won't lie, it was brutal sometimes.  But our COMMITMENT to each other and to D, our little one, got us through.

In the photo above, Scott wasn't reciting vows to me, he was reciting vows to D.  I've never met a man who exemplifies commitment like he does.  He promised amazing things to D that day; to love her as his own, to discipline her as his own, to care for her, provide for her, play with her and encourage her,  and to love her mom.  He has kept every one of those promises.  He loves that now 19 year old young woman without conditions or boundaries.

In 2000 and 2001 we added two more girls to our family.  Our children are the love of our lives, as we absolutely adore each and every one of them.

Our COMMITMENT continues as we work and play together as a family.  Our prayer is that our children learn to live out the word COMMITMENT in everything they do, but especially when it comes to their own marriages and family someday.

Lord, thank you for the amazing family that you have bestowed upon me.  I praise you for the man you led to be my husband.  I adore the children you have entrusted to my care.  Thank you Jesus, for your unending blessings.