a few weeks ago peter and i were driving down the mountains and back into the city after a spontaneous decision to go mudding/rock climbing in his truck...11,000 feet up. (it was absolutely breathtaking.)
my mind started to wander to the months/weeks/days leading up to february 7th, the day we got married. i was remembering all the pre-marital/marital advice we both received, and while we collected a lot of really great advice that Peter and I have used and gone back to...there was one tip in particular that we got *a lot*. it wasn't so much "advice" as a statement they wanted us to consider and prepare for.
"your first year of marriage is going to be really hard...".
pre-marriage, those words were really hard to swallow. i honestly know that most, if not all, those people that told us that were just wanting us to realize that marriage isn't always sunshine and rainbows. when the honey-moon stage begins to fade and as we settle into the daily grind, life hits...and it can hit really hard sometimes.
so, as we drove down the mountain that sunday afternoon, i asked peter.
"I know we're not a year into marriage yet...but if we were celebrating our one year anniversary tomorrow, what would your answer be if someone were to ask you if our first year was hard?"
his response was beautiful, refreshing, and right where my heart was at as well.
we've had a lot of different things thrown at us in the last 9 months.
a month into our marriage peter had to work in kansas and could only commute home on the weekends.
we lost our first baby.
financial strain...those moments of panic and fear where we wondered where next month's rent was coming from.
peter had a knee surgery that we thought would only mean 3 days off work-except it turned into 4-5 weeks off. (and i'm telling ya, that really was rough for a guy who needs to be moving and working. being unable to walk and confined to the couch for weeks was beyond frustrating for him.)
just to name a few, but each one of these "trials" has stretched us in ways we didn't know we needed or could be stretched. each trial has been hard, but as we consider how they have changed our lives, it has been a beautiful reminder that our God heals physically and emotionally. He comforts His children. He constantly provides. He loves...and He teaches us how to love.
we have had hard moments. hard days. hard trials. there is no trying to mask that.
but we have also had some of the absolute BEST days.
whether it is as little or big as,
dreaming and planning for the future together. (our absolutely favorite thing to do together.)
spending a weekend in a castle.
learning all the fun, quirky, habits of your spouse.
cooking together. even if that means making homemade churros at midnight. ;)
weekly date nights.
road-tripping together.
finding out again we were going to have a new bundle of joy join our family in March, and this time it was/is with a healthy pregnancy. (praise God!)
spontaneous trips into the mountains, spontaneous lunch dates, spontaneous get-togethers with friends or family. (we kinda have a thing with being spontaneous.)
having your best friend to come home to.
praying...crying...laughing together.
things as simple and comforting as a hand to hold or compassionate arms to wrap around you.
so, while the last 9 months may not have left us completely unscathed, it has been, without a doubt, the favorite year of our lives, because while it's been one of the saddest, it's been the happiest.
it has by no means been anything we have done, mind you...we give all the thanks and all the praise to The One who brought us together in the first place. He who has had all these days planned and numbered long before there was ever an "us".
we're incredibly thankful for what we have learned. we are thankful for the people God has put into our lives to encourage, offer advice, and pray for us. and we're so thankful for these last few months...and so, so excited for the years to come.
"your first year of marriage is going to be really hard...".
pre-marriage, those words were really hard to swallow. i honestly know that most, if not all, those people that told us that were just wanting us to realize that marriage isn't always sunshine and rainbows. when the honey-moon stage begins to fade and as we settle into the daily grind, life hits...and it can hit really hard sometimes.
so, as we drove down the mountain that sunday afternoon, i asked peter.
"I know we're not a year into marriage yet...but if we were celebrating our one year anniversary tomorrow, what would your answer be if someone were to ask you if our first year was hard?"
his response was beautiful, refreshing, and right where my heart was at as well.
we've had a lot of different things thrown at us in the last 9 months.
a month into our marriage peter had to work in kansas and could only commute home on the weekends.
we lost our first baby.
financial strain...those moments of panic and fear where we wondered where next month's rent was coming from.
peter had a knee surgery that we thought would only mean 3 days off work-except it turned into 4-5 weeks off. (and i'm telling ya, that really was rough for a guy who needs to be moving and working. being unable to walk and confined to the couch for weeks was beyond frustrating for him.)
just to name a few, but each one of these "trials" has stretched us in ways we didn't know we needed or could be stretched. each trial has been hard, but as we consider how they have changed our lives, it has been a beautiful reminder that our God heals physically and emotionally. He comforts His children. He constantly provides. He loves...and He teaches us how to love.
we have had hard moments. hard days. hard trials. there is no trying to mask that.
but we have also had some of the absolute BEST days.
whether it is as little or big as,
dreaming and planning for the future together. (our absolutely favorite thing to do together.)
spending a weekend in a castle.
learning all the fun, quirky, habits of your spouse.
cooking together. even if that means making homemade churros at midnight. ;)
weekly date nights.
road-tripping together.
finding out again we were going to have a new bundle of joy join our family in March, and this time it was/is with a healthy pregnancy. (praise God!)
spontaneous trips into the mountains, spontaneous lunch dates, spontaneous get-togethers with friends or family. (we kinda have a thing with being spontaneous.)
having your best friend to come home to.
praying...crying...laughing together.
things as simple and comforting as a hand to hold or compassionate arms to wrap around you.
so, while the last 9 months may not have left us completely unscathed, it has been, without a doubt, the favorite year of our lives, because while it's been one of the saddest, it's been the happiest.
it has by no means been anything we have done, mind you...we give all the thanks and all the praise to The One who brought us together in the first place. He who has had all these days planned and numbered long before there was ever an "us".
we're incredibly thankful for what we have learned. we are thankful for the people God has put into our lives to encourage, offer advice, and pray for us. and we're so thankful for these last few months...and so, so excited for the years to come.
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