8 is great

Last year we sat at Catch. We were dressed up, and I had recently had a total makeover the day before.

I felt beautiful. I felt relieved-- filming was done. Photos were done. And I was no longer sad with my marriage.

Life was perfect.

I ate yummy food. I sat across the table from him, and celebrated that we had made it through the 'Seven year Itch". We had managed three pregnancies- where only 1 was 'planned'. We managed two houses. Almost three. We survived school, no money, postpartum depression. I can't count how many jobs we saw come and go. How many dayhome children. How many hours we spent in the emergency room with a child. How many nights of fighting, how many nights spent touching in love, how many tears of sorrow and heartache. And joy.

We made 7 years of memories. Of inside jokes. Of countless people living in our basement. Of missionaries for dinner. Of family reunions. Of date nights. Of lonely nights apart.

We drove miles through mountain after mountain. To our homes in BC and back home again. Miles and miles.

We had came so far. And had so much to look forward to. Things couldn't be worse anymore-- we had endured the hardest.

........

That was a year ago.

Tomorrow we will sit at dinner.
We will be dressed up.

I'll feel beautiful. I'll feel relieved-- the day is done. And I will no longer be sad with my marriage.

Life will not be perfect.

I'll eat yummy food. I'll sit across the table, and celebrate that we have made it through the 'EIGHT year Itch". We had managed an affair. The aftermath of such. We have managed a separation. Mediation courses. Divorce proceedings. We managed two houses. We survived depression, we survived every other weekend. I can't count how many dayhome children came and went.. How many nights of fighting, how many nights spent touching in love, how many tears of sorrow and heartache. And joy.

We made a new year of new memories. Of inside jokes. Of people living in our basement. Of missionaries for dinner. Of family reunions. Of date nights. Of lonely nights apart.

We have came so far. And have so much to look forward to. But this year, I don't venture to say that things couldn't get worse.

That's the greatest part about what our 9th anniversary will be able to say. What the 8th doesn't know yet. A little less than a year ago, we didn't think we'd be here, celebrating our marriage for the 8th year. And who knows if 9 will come.

So, on my anniversary tomorrow, I will celebrate. And that's all I need to do.
As for later, I'll remember this scripture,

"Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself..." (Matthew 6:34)