Today marks five years we've been married. Five years of both hardship and bliss. I'd like to celebrate that by thanking you.
You see....I enjoyed the sentiment of her letter, but her facts and feelings were different from mine. So here it is, my love.
I see you. Day in and day out, for all of the years we've been married plus some, going to work to make a living. I watched you come home, your body tired and sore after working 14 hour days not just driving, but unloading entire trucks by hand, alone, twice a week, for years. (I'm so grateful that you aren't doing that anymore!) For years we said goodbye to you for days at a time. Then you would come home and stay up for more than 24 hours before going to bed. (Also glad you don't do that anymore!) We had each other, me and the kids. You had your truck and the road. We had each other, you were alone. We're so blessed to be able to see you every day now, even if only for ten minutes, but despite your slightly easier workload, I see that your sacrifices don't stop there. There are many pictures of you playing with and taking care of our kids in your work uniform. Even playing one of our children's new games on Christmas Day before getting on the road. For years this is what it was like.
Timmy will be 6 this year, and so 6 years will have also gone by that I have been a stay at home mom. Long before I became a mom I wanted to do that. Here I am. I'm living that dream. Not only am I living that dream but I was able to pursue another dream and start a ministry. Now I'm pursuing the career of my dreams and taking college classes to prepare for nursing school. I'm pursuing my dream of becoming a runner. If there is something I'm passionate about you have always paved the way for me to make it happen! I know you had big dreams for yourself, too. When we met you could have chosen to pursue any dream you wanted and you choose me. That is such an incredible blessing to me! And there are times I definitely don't deserve it. No matter what I'm doing or whether our relationship is on an up or a down, your loving sacrifice of keeping this family afloat is unchanging. You work out there and always do your best to balance everything that's happening here.
As I write this and think about these things I can't help it I'm beaming because I'm just so proud of you! I pray that God continues to bless and impact us and our marriage as long as we are alive. I still do babe!
