(It’s my anniversary – and this is a repeat – but, well . . . it’s my anniversary)
About 32 years ago, in a red and white truck at a stop light by the university, as the semester was ending – and we’d spent the afternoon studying for exams down a dirt road, actually studying – but at that stop-light, you looked so worried, so quiet – and when I asked, you said you didn’t know whether you just liked me a whole lot or were beginning to love me
I had heart, you’d said – that’s what separated me from the other girls – my heart.
A red stop-light in the middle of town on a Sunday afternoon – and you asked if I’d thought about whether I felt the same way –
I told him I hadn’t been going to think about it until he said something – and since he’d said something, I’d think about it – whether I liked him a lot or whether I was starting to love him, too.
We were on our way to a lifetime of together. He’s promised me to at least 100 – we’re half-way there.
A lifetime of things we never imagined,
5 boys, sock fights, 3-Stooge night, building a family and loving them to the moon and back. The sweet stuff – we imagined that. I don’t think we imagined the teen challenges, the homework not turned in, the faith come alive in the determination to not lose a one – and that unconditional love has lots of grit and crazy-glue, not-letting go attitude.
That fresh-faced college girl in the front seat of that truck hadn’t a clue about the depth and breadth of the challenges we would face – but my heart had it right – and he was sitting right there beside me looking solemn at the prospect of a life time of love – because his heart innately understood commitment. God knew I needed someone with heart for a forever-kind-of love.
And all I can think of right now is that through all this together – I am the lucky one.
Because when I struggle with the challenges – whether it’s raising these boys-to-men, or injustice – or when my blood pressure gets a little out of whack and I can’t really talk or handle the challenges – and I can’t seem to find myself – he reminds me of who I am, he sees the beautiful in me – he helps me shove all the garbage that either life or me has dumped on me – and the heart in me finds itself – and gives it to him.
I love living this kind of together – and, it’s almost if you give a Mouse a Cookie, in a good way! No day is too ordinary for big-hearted love!
This is so incredibly beautiful. I could picture every part of the story you were telling – and I find myself so much like you in your ideas about love and family and parenting and all of it in between. Thank you for spinning this beautiful tale that I got to fall in to. Keep on keepin’ on, Mama, you’re doing great 🙂
thanks for sharing these pieces of your beautiful story together! congrats!
Mary Leigh,
Congrats on 31 years and I love that poem…so happy he saw and continues to see the beautiful in you…what a gift…funny, but I wrote about our anniversary, belatedly, today also…love to you 🙂
Oh my! So, so beautiful! Happy 31 years together. “I love living this kind of together.” A few tears over here because yes..this is it…and even when my husband is miles and miles apart while he’s deployed I know we are always together. Many blessings to you. Thank you for stopping by my place the other day. 🙂
Mary Leigh,
This is soooo beautiful! You have such an amazing gift. I felt like I was right there in that red and white truck with you!
I cannot agree more with your husband about your sweet heart. And that is what makes a woman beautiful according to our Lord, a still, quiet spirit. I had a friend who always used to tell me that when a mom raises only boys, her ticket to heaven is already booked! So, my friend, hang in there amongst all those men in your life.
Blessings XX
Mia
I am the blessed one for my son inlaw and MY delightful daughter
This was a beautiful post. God is SO awesome to grant such beauty to our everyday lives. There is something so profound about staying in love with the same man for a lifetime. Sharing the ups and downs, the trials and smiles, and building that history together are things those who don’t stick it out will never understand or be able to appreciate. God’s peace be with you, Cheryl
A woman with a heart will always be beautiful. Your story is so lovely and love was there in that red and white truck, it was beginning to blossom. Love grows and your husband still sees your amazing heart. Also thank you for the poem at the end. Awesome. Thanks for sharing at “Tell Me a Story.”
What a tribute to your husband and family. And your the half God made to make him whole… What a blessing… Think I’ll tell my wife how special she is to me again tonight… Thanks for the reminder of grace.
Sweet story.of a love that surpasses all. Thanks for sharing. Dropping by from Tell mea true story. My entry: home again. From joysnotepad.blogspot.com
Just beautiful, my friend! You showed a submissive spirit with your hubby even as you waited on him to think about whether you loved him. Congrats on 31 years together! But most of all, congrats on a marriage that has been well-lived and well-loved. Such an inspiration to us all!
This is sweet! So glad you two crazy kids are still doing life together! 🙂
Happy Anniversary!
deep and wide heart-love.
he saw it coming.
happy, happy celebration, my friend.