I’ve been writing about my greatest blessings in life during the month of November. Today is a day where I reflect on one of the very, very best ones- My marriage to my husband Allan.

Today is our 13th wedding anniversary. We were together for three years prior to being married so all in all we have been together for 16 years.  It has not always been good.  We started out with a number of strikes against us- very different family backgrounds, different views on faith, different goals and pursuits in life, different educational backgrounds.  I am sure that many of our family and friends were thinking that we probably weren’t going to make it- heck most days in the beginning I thought we weren’t going to make it…….

We had a few good things going for us though. First and foremost, we said that divorce would never be an option.  We just didn’t allow ourselves that out.  We came really close once but because we both had committed to fight for our marriage at all costs- we did not cross the line where it was too hard to go back. We both swallowed our pride and did whatever it took to get back on track- counseling, visits with our pastor, prayer, joining an amazing Christian couples group, getting help from mentors.  The fact that we were part of a big Church family (and by that I mean “big C” Church- not just one congregation or denomination) helped a lot.

The main thing that we have had going for us all of these years- apart from lots of help from God- is that we really and truly just like each other. We like to make each other laugh.  We love spending time together and going on adventures. We love supporting each other and sharing each other’s lives.  At the end of the day, after 16 years, I still can’t wait to get home and see my husband.  He is still the first one I want to talk to and share about my day- whether it was a hard day or a wonderful day- I want to tell him all about it.  We finish each other’s sentences.  We laugh at each other’s jokes.  We get each other.

This wonderful, Spirit filled , joyful yet sometimes challenging relationship has been (apart from my salvation) the best gift of my life. I simply cannot imagine my life without this man- to even think of this freezes my heart in fear.

It has been a busy, busy week. I am working on two writing and research projects for my Seminary class and today is Parent Night in my preschool classroom. I won’t even be home tonight to spend my anniversary with my husband.  I have no gift for him.  After 16 years it gets harder and harder to think up ideas for creative gifts- and after all- we both have everything that  a person could need.

So this is my gift to him- to get up a little earlier than I would usually get up this morning and write this post. To let him, and others know how awesome I think he is as a husband, friend, believer in Christ and just as a plain old wonderful human being.  He and this marriage are a huge blessing in my life. I pray that we will have many more anniversaries to celebrate.

I love you Allan. The day we met was truly one of the best days in my life……….Happy 13th Anniversary!!