See previous Anniversary post: 8, 9, 10, 11 , 12,  13, and 14

15 years, 15 feels like one of those markers of an anniversary to take time and celebrate. It is parked between 10 and 20… and as fast as 10-to-15 went, I can only imagine 15-to-20 will fly by. In the last 5 years we’ve added 3 girls to our family… but for the first 10 years of marriage it was just you and I. As much as those 6 years of infertility gutted me, it also had gifts woven in, like those 10 years together with you to build our friendship and love.

When I was reflecting on what to write for our 15th one memory specific memory popped in my mind and I thought of all our years together, it raised to the top because it is a reflection of our relationship.

I had just finished reading Love Does and his booked made a deep impression on me to live with some whimsy. One Summer evening we were out driving in the farmlands of Oregon just as the sun was setting and I convinced you to pull over so we could run through Corn Stalk fields.

That memory of something so small and silly is what has made these 15 years a blessing, a gift and a joy in the midst of really hard things we have endured.

Life is and has had it’s sweet moments and it’s also had the hard, through it all… we hold onto our joy, we laugh together… we kept on walking forward, we remain friends.

When hard moments came we’d go do something together– surprise trips to Hawaii… last minute trips to the Oregon Coast… a hike in forest park… a random Salt and Straw Run in the dark… early morning Blue Star Donut Date… whatever it was, we did things together.

Together.
Looking through the pictures of all the things we’ve done and places we’ve over the last 15 years it has been together.

We’ve led youth ministries, camps, done missions, served others, and traveled the world– Uganda, Australia, Hawaii, Austin, and more. We’ve done life together, side-by-side as friends.

Our deep-seeded friendship is the bedrock to our love.

We now have 3 little daughters, blessings and gifts of our love. There were many years I didn’t know if this would be and here we are… building a legacy of love for them. Our marriage and love, not just about us, but about the legacy we are leaving ahead for them to follow. I think of the 9 little eyes that will watch our every move and word and I pray they see our love for one another in the way we speak, serve, and hold on to the joy, the laughter in all seasons.

The day you became my husband and I saw you for the first time I had a sparkle in my eye and a smile I couldn’t contain… I still feel the same way today as I did 15 years ago… I just want to be with you forever.

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Anniversary Weekend at the Coeur D’ Alene Resort. 

 

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15 years together…..