It’s quite a love story.
Full of ups and downs. The good and not-so-good. Happiness and sorrow. Suspense and laughter. Joy and pain. It’s a love story of which someone should write a book.
It’s a sweet story, beginning with how a boy met a girl… and then squirted her in the face with a squirt gun. The girl married that boy, and 24 years after their wedding day, they continue to write the pages of their life together.
(Yes, that’s truly how my husband and I met. I relived it all this week as I shared that story on our local country radio station. Let me tell you, getting squirted in the face isn’t what I call love at first sight. But it was the beginning of our incredible love story.)
August 8, 1992 was a hot and humid day. We exchanged wedding vows in an ornate, un-air conditioned church. My long-sleeved dress probably wasn’t the smartest choice for August, but it was my dream dress. Who cared about the heat on a dream-come-true kind of day? After all, I was marrying my love of a lifetime.
Our life together began, and more of our love story was written.
Within two years our first child was born. In less than three more, our second child arrived. We loved being parents, and navigated the unknown parental waters well. Life was good, and our story was simple.
But, not long after, turbulent times arrived.
The day before our 7th anniversary, my father died. Life shifted and grief turned everything upside-down. Underlying issues surfaced, and outside forces blind-sided us. Months later, I was ready to end our once beautiful love story. But God stepped in. He softened our hearts, and rekindled our love for one another.
Yes, even this trying chapter is part of our story.
We learned we could no longer coast in our marriage. We put God back in the center of our relationship, and decided to work on our marriage day after day after day. Ending our love story was no longer an option.
So, years later we continue to work at loving each other. Some days we do it well, some days we don’t. We continue to date, and try to be a blessing to one another. Again, some days we do it well, and some days we don’t. But we do it together. As our nest becomes emptier, we choose to spend time growing old together. And as we do, we’ve chosen a hobby that we both enjoy… bicycling on a tandem.
No, our love isn’t perfect, and neither is our love story.
But that’s what makes it special. That’s what makes it ours. And, I wouldn’t want to trade it for anything. I pray our love story is an example for our children, and an example for others.
As we celebrate 24 years of marriage today, we also celebrate this special and not-so-perfect love story. It’s a love story worth telling over and over, and yes, it’s even worth writing about.
Happy 24th Anniversary, Billy L. You still are my love of a lifetime!
Much love,
Julie
Linking this post with Lori Schumacher for Moments of Hope, and Anita Ojeda at Blessed But Stressed for Inspire Me Mondays.
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Happy Anniversary! It is so true, Julie, it is the ups and downs which makes each of our love stories our stories. Many blessings!
Thank you, Joanne. Bless you, friend!
Happy Anniversary, Julie! You’re so right! No perfect love stories. Each one is full of highs and lows, but oh how I’m thankful to be sharing my highs and lows with Rev! Enjoy a wonderful day celebrating!!
Thank you, Deb. We had a beautiful day and went away for the weekend to celebrate. Praying we have many more years together!
Happy 24th anniversary, Julie! You got married almost one month before I did. September 4 will be our 24th anniversary. What a ride, yes? 🙂 I’d do it all again in a heartbeat.
Thanks, Lisa! Happy early Anniversary to you, too! 1992 was a great year! Celebrating you today!
Happy anniversary, Julie! What a beautiful story. Our story isn’t perfect either. It’s those high and low points in the relationship that weave our hearts together more tightly. I’m sure your children have watched you and your husband and learned invaluable lessons from how you and your husband have done life together. 🙂
Thank you, Jeanne. Yes, high and low points have woven our hearts together over the years. Praying we have many more together! Thanks for your wishes and for stopping by!
Congrats! Thank you for sharing pieces of your story! Love it! We too have taken up cycling (not tandem though).
Hi Kim! How are you?? Thank you for the wishes. Cycling is so fun… tandem or single. So glad we share this hobby! Blessings, friend!
Julie, What a great post! I shared this everywhere because I think every married couple can identify with this and you give them hope! Marriage is tough and beautiful all rolled into one. But together, with God, so much is possible. Thanks, friend, for hanging out with me at #MomentsofHope and helping me to spread a message of the hope of Christ!
Blessings and smiles,
Lori
Hi Lori! Thank you, friend. You nailed it… marriage is tough and beautiful, all rolled into one. Amen. So glad we can spread the message of hope together! Blessings on your week!