Four Years

Have you ever stopped and thought — where was I exactly _____ years ago? I enjoy these trips down memory lane, although most of the time, I can’t quite remember many details. However, today – August 9th – four years ago, I was walking down the aisle to meet this man.

Moments after I joined him at the altar, we were pledging forever, for always, for better or worse, for whatever may come. I look back at our sweetly innocent, excited faces, and I smile. If we knew what the next years would hold, we may have just stayed in Riviera Maya indefinitely! 🙂

Four years.

We’ve moved places of residences five times, went to North Carolina and back again, finished graduate school, switched jobs multiple times, brought home our precious puppy-child, weathered personal struggles, and grieved with family and friends as unforeseen tragedies occurred.

We’ve raised our voices in excitement…and in anger.

We’ve felt like we were climbing an impossible Mt. Everest at times…and enjoyed peaceful “hammock by the beach” type of days.

We’ve cried together, separately…and sometimes were the culprit for the other’s tears.

We’ve laughed until our stomachs ached, gazing at one another with the wonder of being known, of finding someone who completes your sentences…and we’ve held each other, asking ourselves the hard, messy, unanswerable questions when everything around us seemed to be falling apart.

Four Years.

Today, I look at my love and thank God for allowing our paths to cross six years ago, I thank Him for knowing Russell was the partner I had been praying for all those years, and I thank Him for reminding us in the hard moments it is worth it. That sharing this beautiful, brutal life with someone who loves deeply, has the kindest heart, and whose hugs make everything better is a precious gift, one far greater than I ever deserved.

Happy Four Years, Russell – here’s to the next fifty plus!

You’re my favorite.

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Other anniversary posts:

Two Years

Three Years

{Photos by The Three Photography}