It’s after the I do.
3 years after.
And while these 3 years, time speaking, are still a small percentage of the life I’ve lived, they are full of memories, lessons, experiences + most of all, love.
After the I do.
I have learned that marriage really is hard. People don’t just say it to scare you away from a great thing.
I have learned that marriage is a great thing. It is also a great amount of work.
I have learned what I point out negatively in you I see most prominently in me: I’m too prideful to admit it.
I have learned more about myself and my pride.
I am learning how to replace it with humility.
I have learned that being quick to forgive is quite possibly one of the best characteristics of a beautiful marriage.
I have learned that communication and speaking in love, is another.
I have learned that joy is different than happiness and can be found in the most difficult times.
I have seen how God can mend brokenness time and again.
I have seen how easily we fall prey to the patterns that drive us apart.
I have experienced that He is the only one who brings us back together.
I have experienced trying to accomplish it on my own, only to bring more hurt.
I never knew that someone could love me so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
After the I do.
I am learning that we really are a team.
I am learning what our vows really mean.
Andy, 3 years ago today, I said I do.
Thankfully, you said it too.
You said it, knowing that I was stubborn, prideful, imperfect and so much more.
You deserve the best and that is what I want to give you.
Today, I look back on 3 years of being your wife.
I love you, and I will put God only before my love for you. I promise to love you more each day than I did the day before. I will laugh with you in times of joy and cry with you in times of trial. I will always be open and honest with you. I promise to respect and trust you unconditionally. I promise to support you as you seek to be the man God has called you to be and encourage your leading as we follow God’s plan for our lives. I can’t wait to see what God has planned for our life as a team, seeking God first and foremost together.
Through all of the uncertainties of life, I promise to be faithful to you and love you, so that together we may grow in the likeness of Christ and that our home may bring glory to Him.
Andy, this is my covenant, before God, our family and our friends, of my love and commitment to you.
Happy Anniversary!
ahh this is lovely. as a single person reading this, i am encouraged to pray for my future husband based on the way you describe the many things you’ve experienced or realized – pray for humilty, to be quick to forgive, that God would always be the centre of our lives, etc. thank you for this lovely post. happy anniversary!
Yes!! Keep praying!! I used to write letters :) I tried to be consistent….but never was!
I heard an illustration once that couples come together with buckets full of pennies [pennies = baggage]. If you come in with pennies and they mix together? You can’t tell the junk apart.
So clean out your bucket – and it’ll make the after the I do even more amazing :)
happy anniversary girl (+andy). It is hard and wonderful & crazier than ever expected, huh?
:)
Thanks Mandie!!
AND YES!
this is beautiful! just like you :) Happy Anniversary, my friend!
Love you!! Off to catch up on your blog!! xoxo
This is perfection.
thank you, sis. xoxo
i absolutely love this post. so beautifully put! marriage has taught me so much including constantly dying to self.
happy anniversary! love your wedding pictures. beautiful!
Thank you, Megan!! It was a fun day :)
And YES. I never truly meant what “dying to self meant” until I got married. Then I learned it all over again when I had Harlow!
Amazing! So beautiful! I must run home to my husband right now!
YES!! Go smooooooch that man!
Happy anniversary!! so well said. Marriage is hard. And marriage is awesome. And God is so so good.
AMEN to that, Courtney!!
Can we do coffee soon? You have now experienced how terrible I am at emailing….
oh my gosh! I loved your wedding. My favorite is how you sang before you walked down the isle. And Andy had his hands on his knees and was crying. So happy to be a part of that day.. and even happier to still be in your lives. xoxo
Just beautiful! Thank you for writing this. My husband and I are in a little rough patch, and this reminded me to keep perspective. And forgive. But that’s a lot harder. :)
Gorgeous. All of it.
You are so right about following into patterns that drive us apart (we have 8 years of ’em!) and that He is the only one who can bring our hearts back together.
I hope your pattern of putting Him at the center of your marriage continues for the next 103 years!
Happy Anniversary! Cheers to many more!
Happy anniversary :) Such a beautiful couple! (and what a fabulous dress!)
I completely agree with everything! We celebrated our 7th yesterday and you will only add to your list as the years pass.
Blessings!
absolutely gorgeous.
This is stunningly beautiful. Happy Anniversary!
Kacia ~ what a BEAUTIFUL post! I love, love your wedding pictures. Y’all look so happy and so in love. Happy Anniversary!
Pss, nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award. Deets on my blog. :)
~Grace (GracefulEats)
Love this very sweet post! These are some of the things I have been learning as a newlywed. If God allows us to make it to 3 years I can’t imagine how much we will have learned. Thanks fir the encouragement :)