12 Years

Well, I am a few days late, but last Saturday (January 15th) Philip and I celebrated our 12 year "Know-a Versary."  For some reason, this date seems to get celebrated more than our actual wedding anniversary.  Who knows why.  But it's a special day, to be sure.  Perhaps it's because our meeting was so memorable.  Who could forget the fact that I very nearly didn't make it on the plane to Seattle in the first place, or the effort it took my friends to find a 4th person to join us on our swing dancing adventure (thanks Mayson and Laura!)?  Or the way Philip kept "showing" up everywhere I was that weekend.  Or the look on his face when I casually mentioned my "fiance."  Haha...that's another story. :)  Or the totally unforgettable departure-morning breakfast that Philip made me and my friend Laura.  You know, the kind of breakfast he made all the time?  Cinnamon rolls, swedish pancakes, orange juice, linen table cloth, violin music.  Normal.  Everyday.  Obviously.  Anyway, it was a really fun, special weekend and though it took quite a long time before our relationship turned into a relationship, I think it's safe to say we knew from the start that something pretty extraordinary had happened.

(I have to include this picture, just like I do every year.  I mean, seriously, what's not to love?)

Marrying Philip was the beginning of fulfilling a life-long dream to be a wife and mom.  We have certainly had our fair share of difficult times (mostly my fault...I know), but he has always loved me and supported me, no matter what I doing: from my job at Marsh, to those scary 10 days in the hospital while pregnant with Caleb, to supporting the decision to be a stay at home mom, my foray with Direct Sales, countless hours spent creating cakes, supporting and embracing the decision to home school our boys, standing by my side as we lost three babies, caring for our boys as I have spent evening after evening away from home over the last five years serving on the MOPS leadership team, and now with my health issues....supporting my desire to follow God's direction.  And so many, many more things.  He has never wavered in his loyalty to me, and I am so blessed because of that.  I can only hope that I have been half the wife to him that he has been husband to me.

Ahhh...this picture makes me happy :)

We tried to speculate the other day on what our lives might be like when we hit "Know-a-versary" number 24.  I'll be 42, he'll be 45.  OLD. :)  (just kidding)  We'll have just passed our 20th wedding anniversary, have 19, 17 and 14 year old sons (and hopefully a few more blessings pulling up the rear).  What will life be like?  Who knows.  But we pray that we will be fully engaged in serving the Lord, have the pleasure of seeing our children walk with God and able to look back and say that, in comparison, we barely love each now.

Here's to the future.  To God be the glory.