When I was growing up all I wanted out of life was a husband and children. It would seem that God has seen fit to grant me the desires of my heart! Along the way, though, He changed my definition of love. He changed what I thought would bring me happiness and fulfillment. He taught me what true love is. He is still teaching me what love is.
One year on Mother’s Day I blogged about how much harder parenting was than I ever thought it would be. Marriage has been the same. For some odd reason I never imagined (in my fairy tale dreams) that marriage or parenting would be difficult. I know, how naive of me. 
Marriage has been hard, but good. Parenting has been hard, but good. Most of the reason both of those roles have been so hard is because God has had soooooo much work to do in me. It hasn’t been because any one person in our marriage or family has been abnormally difficult (other than myself!) But God has been faithful to show me that love isn’t about this selfish feel-good emotion. God has shown me that to love is to give. God has shown me that to love is to sacrifice. God has shown me that to love is to die to self.
These lessons aren’t easy. But they are so worth it. I have definitely not arrived there to the place of being all my husband and children need me to be. But, everyday we all get a little closer. (Some days a little farther back…) We are a family; we are together. We have been blessed beyond what we deserve.
Happy anniversary, dear husband of mine! You have been patient, kind, and loving to the emotional roller coaster of a wife God gave you. Thank you for these last 8 years. I pray there are many more to come…
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