Nine Years

Tomorrow, July 1st, Scott and I celebrate our 9th Anniversary of marriage. It is hard to believe we've been married nine years, and have known each other for 13! It is a long time in today's society, when so many people call it quits after a short time of being married. We have known many friends that got married around the same time as us, who are now divorced, separated, remarried, or thinking about one of the former currently. It is very disheartening to us to see so many couples who we know and love not together anymore, or thinking of not being together anymore. We know that every situation in a couple's marriage is not like our own, and we can't completely understand what people are going through. But one thing we do know, is that we are blessed to be in the marriage we are in. It is true that things have not always come easy for us in our marriage. We have had our fair share of hard times. But I can honestly say that we never thought about quitting, or giving up. God put us together for a reason, and we honor the commitments that we made to one another. It is not a small thing that we have lasted nine years, and hope to last at least 7 times that many years! Marriage in today's society is often taken so lightly. If the people in the marriage change, or discover new things about themselves that they didn't know when they got married, then why not trade that person in for someone new? Wouldn't things be so much better on the other side with someone that doesn't carry their baggage or mine too? I'm not speaking from experience, but only from what I've heard from so many other people. Well, guess what, every person has some sort of baggage, every person grows and changes. God would not want us to stay the same. He wants us to grow and change, and hopefully to grow closer to Him. I think the problem often comes when someone grows and changes away from God. If both people in the marriage are growing closer to God, then they are growing closer to each other too. I can honestly say that Scott and I have a great marriage and enjoy being married to each other. It doesn't mean it is always easy, or that it's not a choice that we make every day. But we do make that choice . . . we are on the same team. I often say that when we are in the midst of an argument or disagreement. We are not fighting against each other, we are on the same team! We may have different ways of seeing things or thinking we should accomplish the same goal. But normally we have the same goal in mind. We have to often put aside our selfishness to hear the other person's idea or way of doing things. But we always keep in mind that we're on the same team. Once we realized this in our marriage, that one of us was not going to take the option of "getting out" or threatening to leave each other, boy have things been smoother! Not that either one of us really ever thought of leaving as an option, but in today's society, it is a regular choice for many. Don't get me wrong, our marriage is not perfect and we have our things to work on daily, but we work on them. My heart is just broken so often for marriages failing, and people giving up. Nothing is too big for God to work out! This week I celebrate my marriage with my hubby. I am so thankful that he has not given up on me, and I have not given up on him. I love him for so many things. More today than the day I married him. I've seen him develop into a wonderful father, so devoted and caring to his two boys. It gives me encouragement to see the three of them together and spend time together. There is a bright future for my boys, with the example they have to follow of their Daddy. And I've also seen him develop into an even greater husband over the years. I've seen him put aside his time, strength, and energy to provide for us, not only in financial ways, with working two jobs when needed, to allow me to only work part time and be the involved mother that I've always desired to be. But I've also seen him provide for me in emotional ways too. He knows when I need to have time to myself, and takes the boys for me. He knows when I need time out with him, and takes me on a nice date. He pays attention and studies me. More, I admit, than I sometimes study him. How wonderful to have someone love me so much and care about me so much to take the time to show me that I'm worth it! I love you, Scott, more today than the day before! I hope we will always be on the "same team" with each other and always grow closer to God, thus growing closer to each other, and making our marriage and life together even better than it is today! Thanks for the past nine years of marriage. I look forward to so many more!