We were babies. Just twenty years old. Not even legal.
We were crazy. Crazy in love.
On Christmas day of our senior year he said, "I know I shouldn't, but I can't help but say it. I love you."
I told him I loved him, too. I had loved him since the ninth grade.
We took long walks that Christmas break. And we had serious talks...about when we thought we could marry.
By spring break he had a plan. We'd cash out our savings and buy some property in Colorado and live off the land. I told him my dad would kill me.
So we went to University together and were engaged the summer after our sophomore year. We married the following January.
We were poor. We were so poor. We lived on love. And ate a lot of Ramen Noodles. When you're married and you're young and in love, Ramen Noodles taste awfully delicious. And being poor is quite wonderful. Even when you are hot, hot, hot in the summer and cold, cold, cold in the winter because you don't run the window unit or the heater - because you can't afford to.
And here we are today. Eleven years later. All and only because of God's grace.
We went dancing in the minefields. And it has been the sweetest, hardest, most frustrating, dying to self, see my sin all the time, most wonderfully satisfying, would do it again in a heartbeat adventure of my life.
Happy Eleventh Anniversary, my love. I love you and I thank God for you.
Happy Anniversary to you both! Yes, God's Grace is amazing!!! How precious it is to belong to HIM!! HE keeps. HE gives daily all that is needed. And HE is the tie that binds. Keep your eyes fixed.
ReplyDeleteMuch Love,
Camille
Lovely post. We celebrated 12 years on Dec 30th. Also 20 when I married. I'm so happy that Providence led me to your blog. You teach me how to be self-reflective and poor in spirit (in the very best way). Love you and wish nothing but blessings for your family this year.
ReplyDeleteELEVEN YEARS?! TWENTY YEARS OLD?! THOSE ARE SOME NUMBERS TO HAVE AND LIVE BY! :))) Congrats!
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary indeed, sweetheart! Yesterday was wonderful, more than you know, and let me tell you why. It turned out to be quite an "ordinary" day. I got home from work, jogged with the kids, heated up dinner for them, put them to bed (did a little disciplining along the way), washed dishes, got take-out for us, watched a movie with you, and then we went to bed. I got to do all of this because you did not feel well at all. You were able to write this wonderful blog post, catch up on your blog reading, and browse the most interesting home design sites the web has to offer. All in relative peace while I herded the kids toward bed. So what made the day exceedingly wonderful? God did an exceedingly gracious thing for me. As we were getting ready to go to bed, and you were worried about how ordinary the day was, it was as if God lifted my love for you out of me. For a moment I could examine it from the outside, to see it more clearly than I usually do. I saw that I really did take great joy (not just joy in knowing I was doing what I was supposed to, but deep satisfaction in the act of service itself...something I have not experienced often) in serving you and the children yesterday while you felt bad, and that all the frustration and anger and pain and sin in our 11 years has actually refined both of us. This was wonderful because the knowledge of my sin seems to grow the longer I am a husband and father, but yesterday God gave me just a tiny outside glimpse of His work in progress that is our marriage. It is obviously far from finished (I'll take the heat for most of the remaining work), but it is wonderful to realize in a special way that He truly is at work. God's grace shined through on the "ordinary" day that was our anniversary this year. So, in the storms that will come our way this year remember that God has faithfully shaped us these past 11 years and His grace will not let up now. He has called us to great and difficult things and I am so grateful for His encouragement along the way. So happy "ordinary" anniversary, babe!I love you!
ReplyDeleteHappy anniversary my friend! God's grace is wonderful isn't it?
ReplyDeleteLove,
Stacie
A beautiful story He is writing in your life together...and that comment from your husband is just precious :) Happy Anniversary!
ReplyDeleteSince 9th grade?!? For real?!? Now that is some goodness.
ReplyDeleteOh Jenn...I stopped by to visit here tonight and skipped down to this post only to see that your hubby had written you a note on your post...precious! SO precious!! Yes, the *ordinary* is good. SO good. Because the LORD ordains the details and the days of our lives are in HIS hands...SUCH amazing thoughts!!! I cannot wait for our visit in 2015...it will be a joyous time!!!
ReplyDeleteMUCH love,
Camille XO