15 May 2009

Thick and Thin



"We've come a long long way together
Through the bad times and the good
I want to celebrate you baby,
I have to praise you like I should."

The words to that song have been playing in my head all day. I couldn't write anything more fitting to sum up our 5 years together. How much we have weathered. How many odds we have beat. How many things we didn't know about each other when we first slipped those bands on our fingers and headed off into the sunset.

The man I married has made me a better person. I can see evidence each day of how working and living alongside him has given me more mercy for others, more grace for myself and our children and more hope for our future. He is one of the good ones. Worth his salt. As my Grandma would have said, "He's got a heart of gold."

And boy have we been through it. Thick and thin. Times when our proverbial wallet was so slim we could barely afford a few jars of baby food. Moments when together we had to face up to our mistakes and take responsibility for our very immaturity. And we have sat and cried together, not knowing what was around that next corner. We've struggled trying to understand where the other was coming from, prayed and studied for the best way to raise our little ones...

And other times, oh it has been rich. I have never laughed harder, dreamed bigger, loved stronger than in the days I have spent with him. I have sat on our front porch watching him swing our little ones in the air or hunt for bugs and rocks and thought, "It cannot possibly get any better than this.." He has given me space to grow, to find myself, to fail and grow and change. Quietly he has waited for me to work through a struggle and rejoiced with me when I've come out better in the end...

5 years together and now we are facing what could be our most challenging. I wish we could have more time with him, wish a year didn't have to be so long. But deep down I have no doubts that we will weather the storms of this year and enjoy it's sunshine together as well. We are made of strong stuff, he and I and with a good helping of grace for each other and the realization of what we are meant to be we will triumph.

Happy Anniversary Tim! I wouldn't want to be with anyone else.

1 comment:

Jennifer said...

Absolutely beautiful post, Sarah - and I LOVE your quote to live by.

Happy Anniversary!! Even in the midst....