Happy Anniversary-ish?

We did it! We made it. We're here.

I cannot recall for the life of me, anyone ever having a serious discussion about what marriage is like.  Of course there were the old hens nattering here and there about their husbands, but nary a one ever sat with me to say; "there will be good times, bad times, and times of sheer hell."  Then again marriage was never actually on my bucket list.  Nor were children for that matter.  Funny how things change.  We've each been married before, we both brought adult children into the mix, plus a bit of baggage here and there.  Now here we stand.  Still smiling, still laughing, still finding out new things, and still very much in love.  We haven't had the fairy tale romance I dreamt of as a little girl, nor have we had the Hollywood love affair I fantasized about as an adolescent. But you know what? I'm grateful for that.

What we have is real.  Even without all those papers, even without a start white gown, you and I have a real marriage.  It hasn't been perfect, and it hasn't been easy and, honestly, it hasn't always been pleasant.  But, still, I'm grateful.  Because life isn't perfect, and life isn't easy, and life isn't always pleasant.  And you and I?  We've built a life together.  A life we will continue to build upon, because our foundation isn't set upon falsehoods. 

Through ex's, sickness, family, vacations, deaths, health scares and literally every other high and low (and up and down) that one can go through...you've been there with me.  You've been my rock. You've been my anchor.  You've been my person.  Just as those vows say, you've been there for me in good times and in bad.  In sickness and in health.  You haven't left my side.

Marriage is hard, but also beautiful.  Marriage is hard because life is hard, but that doesn't make either any less beautiful. So here's my pledge to you: I'm going to stop concentrating on the hard, and I'm going to start concentrating on the beautiful.

I'm not going to worry so much about the pile of bills on the counter, the fridge that's more freezer than fridge, instead, I'm going to concentrate on the here and the now and the blessings.  Because we have so many blessings.  I'm going to concentrate on remembering to slow down and take time to quite literally smell the roses.  With any luck this summer it will be the roses we plant together.  I'm going to remember that life is short, and that tomorrow isn't guaranteed.

Chores can wait. Life won't.