Celebrating 5

Yesterday, my husband and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary.  I find it very comforting that we've survived 5 years, although I think the first 5 years of most marriages is the easiest to deal with.  Couples are still very much in love, they're practically still newly-weds, they explore and discover new things about each other, yet they're more patient when dealing with each other's differences.  From what I was told, patience grows thinner as couples get more and more acquainted and invested in each other.

In our case, the husband and I probably had more challenges before our marriage than after.  So we have foreseen what our biggest challenges will be.  We knew what we were get into and so far, we have managed to work out our differences, which we have a whole lot of.  We are so different, but our differences make us a good fit.

To celebrate our 5th year, we both took the day off and just spent the day with each other. It was his idea (which made it even more special to me).  I had to work the early part of the day--there were commitments that I couldn't cancel at the last minute, but the rest of the day was all about "us". 

He took me to Bodega Bay, a charming little town off the Pacific coast about 45 minutes drive from our place.  We had lunch at a seafood restaurant by the wharf.  The sun was up but it was 59 degrees.  We walked around for a bit, held hands, and when we found ourselves cold from the ocean breeze, we hopped into the car and just drove around.  We ended up at another charming little town called Point Reyes Station. We took a corner at our favorite oyster farm, had a little picnic and before we knew it we had talked the afternoon away.

It was a little surreal for me at first, and strange at times. There were moments when I felt like we just started dating.  There were periods of prolonged silence and in my mind I was struggling to find something to say to him.  It was really strange considering that when we're together at home, we never run out of things to talk about. Perhaps we weren't used to being alone anymore. Since Lucas came, we hardly got away as a couple.  The few times that we got away without Lucas, we were taking care of business.

It was only until we got our spot at the picnic area that I began to collect myself and asked him, "are you happy?" to which he said "yes" without hesitation. That was the start of a wonderful conversation that ended in us making a promise to make every effort to stay the way we are now--in love, devoted and honest with each other.  It was also then that I realized how much we have both matured--as individuals and as a couple. Maybe part of such maturity came alongside parenthood. We both embraced it and allowed ourselves to grow in it.

Our marriage will never be perfect, that I am certain.  All else is uncertain.  At the end of the day, we asked ourselves where we think we're going to be five years from now, and ten years from now.  We both don't have the answers. But there is one thing I feel so strongly about--that wherever life takes us, we will still be together and we will be together for a long time.  And I find comfort in the thought that we are meant to be.  And because God brought us together, He will not break us apart.  And so I pray...