The Evolution of Marriage

So, my absence last week can easily be explained in six words.

Scott sick. Claire sick. Grace sick.

In that order. And definitely progressive, meaning Grace was the worst. She had a high fever for multiple days and was utterly inconsolable.

On top of that, work was busier than normal, so blogging fell by the wayside.

But in the midst of all that drama, I had my fourth wedding anniversary.



The great thing about anniversaries is that it makes you sit back and reflect on things. I was always one of those people who couldn't understand the point of Valentine's Day — why set aside one day to celebrate your love when you can do it all year long?

Then I had kids. And now I understand. Life tends to wrap you up in work and family and friends and sick kids and sick husbands and more work and dishes and laundry and cat puke that celebrating your love is put off with the thought "I'll get to that right after this."

I took a moment last week to think, "Hey, four years ago today, we were like totally in love."

This is why I loved him four years ago.

This is why I love him now.

I love the way you love the girls.

I love the way you tickle them and play peek-a-boo with them and chase them around telling them "I'm gonna get yooooou."

I love the way you grab a baby and dance when any Taylor Swift song comes on the radio.

I love the way you stroke my hair when we lay down to take a nap.

I love the way you way you let me veg after you know it has been a stressful day.

I love the way you put up with me when it has been a stressful day.

I love the way you forgive me when I snap at you after a stressful day.
(I'm starting to sense a theme.)

I love the way you can look at me and without a word, know exactly what I'm thinking.

I love the way you love me.

In the last four years, our love has evolved and adapted and changed in ways I never expected.

There are moments that are tense and angry and frustrated — moments that life seems too much to handle.

But at the end of the day, there is not one single other person I would rather experience life with — both good and bad. And I'm beginning to understand that maybe that's what marriage is all about. Living through the good and the bad and coming out on the other side knowing we did it together.

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P.S. Last week was also significant because the girls turned 17 months … 17 months!!! Dangerously close to 18 at which time I'm not really sure I can still count their age in months. Humph. Until then … happy 17 months to my itty bitties!!