The date was January 17, 2004. I was about as nervous as I had ever been. The skies were overcast and sprinkling rain. I even left my keys in my truck – which was stolen by my groomsmen and filled with packing peanuts. There wasn’t going to be anything that put a damper on this day. On that date, I exchanged vows with the most wonderful woman in the world.
We had no clue on that day what the next 16 years would hold. 3 states… 9 different residences in 7 different towns/cities… 4 pregnancies… 3 births… 3 Golden Retrievers… 6 different churches served in… a 7-year M.Div journey through seminary (yeah, I was good enough to do it in 7 years!)… and more memories than we could ever imagine.
Today, my bride and I celebrate 16 years of marriage. I honestly could not imagine this journey or my life without her. There have been ups and downs, tears of joy and pain. As we looked at each other that first day of marriage, we had no clue what would be ahead for us.
I wouldn’t trade a single moment of the past 16 years though. It is each one of those moments that make us who we are today.
While I am truly thankful for the past 16 years of marriage, I am so looking forward to the next 16 – and hopefully many more!
