Another year...

Yesterday, December 2, I celebrated my 4th wedding anniversary with Andrew. Three days prior to that my mom & dad celebrated their 36th wedding anniversary. I hope that in 32 years, Andrew & I are able to do the same!

It is truly a blessing to have an example like that to emulate. I know that their marriage hasn't always been as it is. I know that it hasn't always been easy. I know that it hasn't always been perfect. However, I see that two very different people can live in not only harmony but true love for longer than I've been alive.

Sometimes they try to give us advice. Part of the time we heed it, but other times we're convinced that we should go our own way. I'm sure it was similar with them and their parents. However, even when we don't take their advice, we are grateful to have their experience and opinions in the back of our minds. That way when/if things go poorly for us, we have another ready-made option to implement.

Mostly, though, I'm glad to have such strong convictions that arose from their education of me and my brothers. My parents have shown great perserverance as well as great love for one another and for God. Without God's blessing, we are all afloat in the sea of worldliness. Without God's blessing and one another, my parents could very easily have been one of the negative statistics. They could have turned from/against one another in times of stress, urest, difficulty, and lack. However, they held tight to their Faith and to one another.

One day I hope that my son or daughter will feel the same way about Andrew & my marriage. I hope to be the kind of parents that children look toward as adults and still want to emulate. I wish to be one of those couples that made it through the hard times together even when it would have been easier to separate. I wish to be one of those couples that holds tight to Faith as well as one another. With prayers and patience, I think we'll make it!