Three years ago today,I was nervously driving to the hair salon to get my hair twisted into an up-do. I kept double…triple checking to make sure I had everything…my makeup, shoes, jewelry…my dress was on its way to the church with one of my bridesmaids. I sat down at the salon and could see that I had the “bridal glow.” I was excited….so very excited and I was scared…so very scared. Today was the day I became a wife. The day my last name changed. This was the day I vowed before a church full of people “For better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health; from this day forward til death do us part.” And vow I did…My nervousness changed to joy, pure joy.

Wedding Day
As I sit and reflect on the past 3 years I can see all the work God has done in our marriage. We fought a lot our first year of marriage. Maybe I should pretend it was all fairy tales and romance…but it wasn’t. We loved each other and we had so much fun…but the immaturity was unbelievable.

1st Anniversary
Our second year of marriage was much easier. I believe we both had the realization that we needed to grow up and their was a lot of growth. Nothing causes maturity like a baby on the way! Our 2nd anniversary was 2 weeks before Cora was born.

2nd Anniversary

Major Baby Belly
My mom always says, “marriage is not for the faint of heart.” She is right. For a marriage to prosper it takes a lot of hard work. I am still new at learning this lesson. Much growth and many challenges face me in the years ahead. One thing I do know. I love Justin more than I loved him on August 11, 2007…more than I loved him August 11, 2008…more than I loved him August 11, 2009…more than I loved him yesterday. I will love him more tomorrow than I did today. He is a part of me. He is my other half. He is my best friend. He challenges me to be a better wife and a better mommy. He challenges me with his character…maybe some day I will have half the patience he has and half of the good attitude he has…and half his servants heart. After all…after three years of marriage his character should be rubbing off on me, right?

3rd Anniversary
A great Martin Luther quote I found: “God has set the type of marriage everywhere throughout the creation. Every creature seeks its perfection in another. The very heavens and earth picture it to us.”
We are far from perfect…so very, very far! If you even knew the ogre of a wife I can be. He gets to see the true ugliness of who I am. The fact that Justin still loves me is proof that God ordained this marriage. I do hope and pray that as we continue to live on this earth and as our family grows…as we age, that together we will be refined…conquering our biggest sins. That together we will become sanctified. That we will raise our children to love Him. That we will love others well and that we will love each other well.
Justin, I love you. Thank you for working hard to provide for our little family, thank you for making this house ring with laughter, thank you for being the best husband and daddy. Happy Anniversary!
“When I have learned to love God better than my earthly dearest, then I shall love my earthly dearest better than I do now.”-C.S. Lewis