Anniversary: Here's to SIX years!

Anniversary 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 //

I have written a post every year for the past five years to mark our anniversary, and although our six year anniversary has come and gone, I couldn't let another day go by without acknowledging it with words on the blog.

And let's be honest, I love being able to read over the things I have written about our marriage year after year. And I love taking the time to reflect on the growth and the changes that have happened not only in our marriage, but also in ourselves. And even though I try so hard to come up with new things to say and new words to describe our marriage, the reality is so much of what I say remains true year after year after year. However, with each passing year our story has become greater, our love for each other deeper, and our faith even stronger.

And although the wedding day does in fact seem like it was 6 years ago and 2 babies ago. I look at that young thing in the photos and I remember her. Oh do I remember her! And I remember the joy and the anticipation she felt that day.

And I can't help but think what would I have said to her....what would I have said to my prewife self? Probably something like...He may drive you crazy sometimes, but he will also bring you so much joy and he will make you laugh like none other. And he knows you. You have absolutely no idea what awaits you. Your first apartment, a job change, home ownership, a baby, another job change, and another baby, and through it all God has used your community to bless you tremendously with so much support. If the walls of your home could talk, they would speak of the love and the laughter...they would speak of the joy and the tears. They would speak of the glorifying God moments and the not so glorifying moments because let's be honest, we definitely have those and they would speak of the abounding grace.

But they would also speak of the history, the rich history that Peter and I now have after all these years. The story God is writing for us is beautiful. And I must say it is beautiful to be known so deeply and intimately by another human being.

And this human being knew that in order for me to be fully present with him, he was going to have to take me away and remove me from my natural habitat. So to celebrate our anniversary this year, we left Jack with the grandparents and headed off an adventure with just Ryan. We were destined for a weekend of camping, which in my mind means days without showering, sleeping on a blow up mattress, and no internet access.

If I'm incredibly honest, I was a little hesitant about it all considering we've never done this together before. I mean how were we going to spend our time? No tv? No computers? No laundry? And only one kid? I suggested we bring a laptop so we could cuddle up on our blow up mattress and watch movies, but the husband dashed that idea stating that we'd miss the nature movie of stars and sky happening right before our very eyes.

You see, the husband loves this kind of thing. He loves being cut off from the world. He loves just sitting around and talking about life. He loves cooking his food on a stove and having a fire at night. He loves it all. And I love him. And guess what, we had a great time! Who knew that it would be so good for my soul? He did.

Thank you Jesus for this man...for his heart and for our rich history.

xoxo,

Malia