The past four years have been epic. I realize that’s a powerful word to use but no other word would suffice.
Today is our four year anniversary. FOUR years. That’s equivalent to a full four years in high school. A full four years in college.
Even though the number of years are the same, the time frames seem entirely different. High school was good, but it was taxing. At times, it felt like it took decades to get through four years of high school. And college was great, but it was also taxing. It didn’t feel so much like “decades” to get through, but it did feel like more than four years.
But the last four years of marriage… They have flown by. I’m amazed at how much God has allowed us to do together and grow together throughout the past four years. It has been amazing. Yes, some days it can be taxing but for the majority, marriage is just so, so good. We have traveled to eleven countries side-by-side, started a small business, bought a house, moved with our church in a God-driven church merger, and so much more. I don’t say that to brag on ourselves; I say that to boast in Christ. We would not have the power, grace, finances, vision, or strength to do anything that we’ve done so far if it hadn’t been for the Lord graciously orchestrating it all along.
It is also because of Christ in JD that makes it so easy being married to him. His heart is full of constant joy. He is ridiculously hilarious. He is deeply considerate and respectful of others. He loves me wholeheartedly, even in my messiest. And let me tell you, friends, that is a pure love that can only come through him because Christ makes him capable of it. I can get pretty messy - physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally. But he sticks with me, nonetheless.
When I’m struggling with something, he brings awareness to every perspective he can think of. Through those perspectives, he helps me to shed more compassion and grace on people. He challenges me on a super consistent basis so that I may stand firmer in what I believe. Don’t get me wrong here, these perspectives can stir debates. In fact, it has stirred quite a few debates in our family. But they’re healthy debates. Through them, we are able to have a sweeter understanding and respect for one another. We don’t agree on everything but we agree to love each other deeper because of our differences. It is also through these debates that many times we alter our stubbornness, seek to understand each other’s perspectives and, in the end, agree wholeheartedly with one another when at first we completely disagreed.
We learned a lot about being newlyweds in our first two years of marriage (read about that here). While those words still penetrate deeply to our core of marriage, we’ve had to continue working on communication this past year - honestly, way more than we ever desired. How to speak to one another kindly in love and in a gentle boldness, how to be clear and concise in what we say, how to be transparent with one another and how to listen more attentively. It sounds cliche and cheesy but it’s true. And it’s good. And it was also much needed.
So today we celebrate four years of sweet, sweet marriage. A marriage that has been tediously woven by love in the good times and in the difficult times. I’m deeply grateful for this amazing man that I have the blessing of loving, exploring with, and dancing beside every day for the rest of our lives.
Also, today marks the one-year anniversary of the first night we slept in our new house. I’ll be recapping our “one year house adventures” soon!!
One of my favorite house adventures actually happened last night when we the Rogers and Hardins came over for dinner. We were deep in conversation and this happened...
JD was rockin' a little too hard in his chair and BOOM. Down goes the chair and JD. I could not. stop. laughing. He was fine but oh man. It was hilarious.
Fast forward to this morning... He gives me an envelope that had already been torn open. I looked at him and he replied with, "You'll see why." I'm reading the sentimental card when I get to a sentence that says "If we sit in our rockers, mine will be right next to yours." Then it had an arrow pointing to a handwritten sentence: "And even when I break mine, I will always love falling for you." That's how we do it in the Todd Nest. #truelove
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