Until The End Of Time

September 8^th, 2002 I made the biggest commitment of my life. I promised my life to a man. I promised forever. I promised to love, honor and obey. I promised to be his everything for always. I promised all of this in front of a preacher we didn't know, a photographer we just met, in a tiny little log cabin in the woods with only God present.

That day we eloped with the promise to each other that no matter what took place in our future together we'd never leave and always be faithful. 6 years later we've kept all our vows, all our promises and then some.

Who knew that day, hours away from our hometown, what we'd endure years later. The pain, the heart ache, the grief, the frustrations that came as such a shock to us. (thanks to my family) We've lived through more than most people will in a life-time. And it never shook our relationship. We aren't perfect and have had our moments, but they were always just moments and they passed quickly.

He has been my rock. My soft place to land. My support system. My best friend and easy-to-talk-with-soul-mate. He's now the Father of my children. What a great partner in life he is. And he feels the same things about me. How did we get so lucky?

Looking back on our lives together thus far I see so much love and joy. We've always been such good friends. We enjoy life and soak it up. We laugh…a lot. We goof around… a lot. We agree on almost everything and rarely ever have a "fight". We don't yell and scream. He doesn't hit me and never would. I never saw such a man in my own Father & I feel more than blessed that I didn't end up with someone like him.

Sometimes I miss it just being he and I. I love where we are in our lives right now. We are in a beautiful time in ones life where children bring joy and hope and beauty…mixed with frustrations, disappointment and ear piercing volume.

We're seeing our love in action everyday in our children. And we'll have unbelievable memories thanks to these little guys in our lives. When we're old and gray we'll look back on this time in our lives and remember it with fondness and likely will ache a bit wishing to relive it all.

But part of me still misses it being the two of us and I catch myself day dreaming about it being 20 years down the road, kids out of the house or at least grown and doing their own thing, hubby coming home from work, sitting down to a quiet dinner together, smiling and laughing and being so wrapped up in each other that we hardly notice anything else around us.

6 years … 6 years with someone who makes me feel safe and secure. Something my own Mother and Father could never offer me as a child. Something he offers me and my children. I'm forever indebted to him just for just those two tremendous feelings alone.

When I'm at home with my husband and kids, tucked away in our tiny little part of the world, kids in bed fast asleep without a care in the world, dogs curled up sleeping underfoot and my husband next to me I feel such security and deep gratitude for my life.

I promised him forever that day. And yet I really had no idea how great things would be. Or how forever was just a word you say on that day but may not really feel or understand until you go through hard times, good times, bring children into the world and plan for the time in your lives together when it's just the two of you again.

Forever…it is a good feeling.

To see more pictures and read my post from last year click here.