Celebrating Love Today

Jeffrey,

Here we are...our 10th anniversary!  Can you believe we married 10 years ago?  Seems like yesterday but also a lifetime ago.  We were two totally different people back then compared to now.  You were quiet, easy going and ready to go with the flow of whatever.  I was determined and strong willed with a passion and purpose ready to lead our lives.  Together we had much to learn.  You had to learn to lead and I had to learn to let you.  While you are still that quiet, easy going guy I fell in love with, you have taken your role as father, husband and leader very seriously over the years.  And I know you would still consider me that strong willed passionate woman who doesn't want to just settle but who has also let the Lord do work on her heart to support you instead of lead you.

Before we married I told you I would never be a stay at home mom and I would certainly never homeschool our kids.  The Lord must have smiled knowing He had other plans and a heart to work on.  How many blessings and milestones in our beautiful boys' lives I would have missed to be away from them so much.  You have been the best supporter.  You work a 10 plus hour day and sometimes many times come home to a stressed out wife and messy house.  Those nights you never ask what on earth I was doing all day because you know this isn't an easy job.  Instead, you jump in and help me.  Because you know this is a tough job, you give me so much grace.  You also let me leave a few nights a week to build a business and a ministry that I'm passionate about.  I still wonder why the boys get so excited when I leave, wondering what you all must do on an all boys night.  I love that they adore you and love spending that quality time with you.

I love the sweet and tender spirit our boys have towards me.  They love me and respect me.  They affirm me and tell me I'm beautiful.  They have a great model because not a day goes by that you don't tell me how much you love me and how beautiful I am to you.  

 Two words that have changed our marriage from good to better...Love and Respect.  Such powerful, yet hard to digest concepts in marriage.  We have both had a learning curve in these concepts.  It took us a few years and few times hearing it to truly understand what it meant.  I'm sure I know we still have lots of work to do but I love to look back and see where we've come in our communication with each other.

A beautiful journey doesn't happen without a loving and gracious Lord to pick us up every time we fall down; to heal when our words tear each other down; to forgive when we hurt each other; to give wisdom when we are at a standstill; to give peace when we hurt; and most of all, to give patience and grace in all situations.  Christ turns our ugliness into beauty in a way that only He can do.            

Thank you, Dear, for a memorable 10 years together...looking forward to celebrating many more decades with you!

  I love you, respect you and am so glad to call you mine!

Leslie