five

Brent and I have been together for a long while, as you can tell from our little baby faces in the above picture. 

But as of today, we've been married for FIVE years. Five. 

We aren't perfect, but by golly I like "us". We bicker, I whine, he punches the shed when the weed whacker won't start, but you know what? God has given us this beautiful grace to keep plugging along together. We've learned how to sacrifice things of value to ourself for the others well-being. The sacrifice is hard in those moments, but when they happen the love is so easy.

Five years ago when I was praying that the rain would hold off so we could get married in my grandparents' yard, I was sufficiently twitterpated with Brent. I was beside myself with giddiness to marry this man; to call Brent "husband" every day would be the best thing in the world!

And though I no longer wake up feeling giddy, and though the word "husband" doesn't taste new on my tongue anymore, I'm still so thankful that Brent chooses to love me everyday.
Though two moves, five jobs between us, and one beautiful addition to our family have added their bits and pieces of stress and chaos, Brent is always there to be my one-thing-stable.

Interestingly enough, I turned on the radio today and heard not one but two sermons on marriage and love. The first one said, "Today many people marry for social reasons, not biblical ones." Though I know there are days I don't express this gratitude, I am eternally thankful for a Godly man who understands the sheer power of forgiveness and grace and mercy, and liberally uses these tools in our marriage. 

The second message I heard said, "Hate is not the opposite of love, APATHY is." Hate is volital. Apathy is not. Apathy is slow and creeping and lurks in many homes. To be indifferent toward your spouse is often times easier than hating them. I pray that Brent and I would be vigilant in our interest and concern for one another always. I don't always care about a story he is telling, and Brent surely could care less about a new craft I am working on-- but we fight the natural feeling to ignore or tune out . I hope we keep fighting.

And lastly I heard, "Love is a demonstration, not an intonation." Even though it's easy for me to write this post and express my appreciation and deep love for Brent, it is harder to live it. Brent, may my actions behind "I love you" always say more than those three words. 

Happy Anniversary, Brent! 

If you've never read our LOVE STORY, click HERE. 

Two years in to our marriage I wrote 13 Things I have learned/observed/am-still-learning/would-like-to-be-better-at because of my marriage to Brent: PART ONE and PART TWO. I could add to this list now!