Tuesday, May 1, 2012

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!




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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. 
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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.



 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.
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

13 comments:

  1. You are one lucky lady :) I can only hope to meet someone who will one day make me feel this way!
    Congrats on 8 years!

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  2. Happy Anniversary! What an incredible blessing your words were to read!
    Jessica

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  3. Happy Happy Anniversary to you both!! Congratulations on 8 years!!!

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  4. Yay, Happy Anniversary! I liked that you pointed out it was easy at first but you knew the story would come and that it's all about having each others backs. Passion and all that can fade but true commitment, now that's forever.

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  5. Beautiful post Casey! You guys look so happy and in love:)
    Enjoy your date night!! xo

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  6. wow Casey, this was so beautifully written. You are beautiful inside and out and I love that such a young love is growing and growing, common denominator JESUS! You guys rock together!

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  7. congratulations friends!!! Go Team Martinez!!!! :)

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  8. Happy Anniversary Casey! Congrats on 8yrs and many more to come.

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  9. Happy anniversary! This post was so fun and cool to read. I pray that God blesses me with a man that is perfect for me as much as your husband is for you :)

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  10. Love you girl, and your eight wonderful years of marriage. You two STILL are such an example for mike and I, we are truly blessed to have you in our lives! Something that Mike and I have been chewing on lately, in the arena of marriage "stuff": Is that yes the past several years, or the beginning years of marriage were fairly "easy" and they had their typical fights, arguments, and growing pangs...now when stuff gets really hard and wears on us day and night...we have been wrestling with the fact that as Christians...this, THIS is maybe how is was supposed to be! I mean, did God say life was going to be easy when we followed Him? NO! So when life was "easy" for us, why did we think that was ok? We are living on the idea that God has given us a foundation the past 6-8 years of our marriage, and now when it starts to get tough, we see that great foundation, rely on it, and are able to move forward knowing that God has us right in His hands. Here is to another 8 years!!!

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  11. Wow, 8 years, that is a long time, congrats! Hope you had fun on your date night.

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  12. Happy anniversary to a beautiful couple! Chris and I celebrate our 20th in 4 months!!!! Damn! Am I that old? Marriage isn't easy for sure but it is so worth it and Chris and I are more in love now than ever! I always feel like I don't deserve him and he tells me all the time that he is amazed that I still get so excited when he comes home from work and hate when he leaves! Wishing you and Joey many more beautiful years together!!!

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  13. Happy anniversary! These pictures are so cute and wonderful! What a blessing! I am sure the sushi was delicious and the night fantastic! have a great day!

    Mama Hen

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