8 Years (woot woot!) - Marriage Is An Adventure

Source: joyshope.com via Casey on Pinterest

Today my guy and I celebrate 8 years of marriage!  Wowzers!  We've been together since we were juniors in high school when I was just shy of 17.  Before meeting my guy I was much more introverted than I am now.  I hadn't yet discovered my love for sushi or spicy foods and I had no idea how much I would love having sub woofers in my car.  I didn't have a natural servant's heart and I had never been kissed.  I wasn't competitive at all.  I hadn't traveled a whole lot and I wasn't terribly adventurous or spontaneous.  I used to cover my mouth when I ate food because I was a slob and I got embarrassed easily.  I hadn't yet realized my love for dancing.  I wasn't an animal lover (I know I'm terrible) and I never stayed up very late because I loved to sleep!




************************************
And then I met my guy and all of those things changed.  Thanks honey!  We met in a keyboarding class at the start of my junior year in high school.  He was funny, outgoing, spontaneous, wild, a surfer (somehow I always knew I'd marry a surfer!), dark haired and dark eyed (yum) and he made me feel like a princess from the very start.  One of the things that drew me to him like a moth is drawn to a flame is the way he pursued me.  He was SO persistent!  He called often.  He wrote me sweet letters and brought them to school.  He came to my house all the time and seemed to thoroughly enjoy chatting with my Mom and Dad (I wanted that quality in a guy!).  He bought me nice things all the time.  Really he spoiled me rotten and never expected anything in return.  He drove me places.  He wasn't a negative person and I seldom ever heard him complain.  I truly began to understand my own worth even more because he valued me so highly and the most beautiful thing of all is that he continues to pursue me that way even today.  Every day he asks me, "how can I serve you today my wife," and every day he serves me without complaint and with joy.  He helps me with things around the house and he takes my daughter off my hands when I am melting down from toddler drama.  He lets me buy things without scrutinizing my purchases because he trusts me.  He works so hard...harder than just about anyone I've ever met.  In fact he hardly ever slows down.  He loves to get me coffees and flowers and he always tells me I'm beautiful.  I really do have the guy of my dreams. 

s

Source: gramfeed.com via Casey on Pinterest

I often hear women say that they ache to have a husband who pursues them after marriage. They ache to be wooed and served. Perhaps many men feel that upon being married that they no longer need to make the effort to adore their wife or find ways to continually bless her. Men, if you are reading this, don't ever stop buying your wife pretty things. Don't ever stop surprising her with your love or telling her how beautiful she is. Don't ever stop serving her by helping around the house or by taking the kids out to give her a tiny little sanity break.  She will glow and thrive like a well watered flower if you take good care of her heart.

Source: img2.etsystatic.com via Casey on Pinterest

 My greatest caution to wives is to remember that real life and a Hollywood chick flicks play out much differently.  Try not to place such unattainable expectations on your husbands and always evaluate your own actions and motives first.  Are you being the best wife that you can be?  When I'm honest with myself I can always answer that question with a simple, no.  I can always, always, always be better.  There is always room for me to grow and if I ever get to a place where I forget that then I will have a problem.  I want to serve him without expecting something in return.  I want to listen more without needing to be heard.  I want to find new ways to bless him and surprise him.  I need to understand how hard he works and to express my gratitude more often. I want him to know that I think he is the handsomest guy I've ever laid eyes on even if we are a little older, grayer and wrinklier than we were 12 years ago;-).  I want him to know that he is my Superman and my Prince charming!  I want to build him up and not tear him down.

Source: inloveandwar.net via Casey on Pinterest

We have weathered many ups and downs as husband and wife over the past 8 years.  Namely the past 3 years have been exceptionally trying and most of you know the jist as to why.  During our first several years of marriage life was pretty easy and stable.  We fell into our new roles as husband and wife quite naturally and we immediately enjoyed being married.  In fact we thrived.  It wasn't a hard transition and I think we were proud of how well we communicated and worked through our every day issues.  Don't get me wrong, we had our share of hiccups but, we worked hard, prayed hard and we worked together so those things never rocked the boat too much.  I remember thinking that if this was what married life was like then we would have a pretty blissful 60 years.  I knew that storms would inevitably come and I always prayed that God would give me the strength for when they did and I can truly say that God has answered those prayers from years past. 

Source: pinterest.com via Casey on Pinterest

You could say that this is a year of reflection for me.  A time to reflect on all of the years that I have shared with my husband.  So up and some down and some all around.  Through it all one thing has never changed...God's faithfulness.  God has been faithful to provide for us time and time again when we didn't think we would have enough.  God has been faithful to guide us when the path ahead has been confusing.  God has been faithful to challenge us through our circumstances to make us stronger.  God has been faithful to mold us and shape us into his image.   God has been faithful to teach us about love and what it means to really love someone when the world is crashing around us and when the sun is shining high in the sky.  God has been ever faithful to us. 

So, tonight as my hubby and I go out to sushi (WOOHOO), we will toast to another year of this adventure called marriage.  We will smile at each other knowingly and without saying a word we can look into each others eyes and see that we will always be each others partner in crime.  He knows that I've got his back and I know he's got mine.  We know that the road ahead of us is might be crazy yet but, if God is for us who can be against us?

Happy Anniversary babe!  You are my best friend forever and always. XO