remembering what i promised

before i got married many people had marital advice that, quite frankly, i found kind of offensive. people would take me aside, sit me down, look me straight in the eyes, sigh and say "the first year is always the hardest." now, the first year of marriage may be difficult, yes, but to say that to someone who is anxiously awaiting to walk, blushing down an aisle to make promises under the smiling eyes of God, is just not nice.

brett and i have just celebrated a year of wedded bliss, yes that's right, bliss. some of you may be thinking, "oh yeah right, she's totally just saying that because the whole world can read this." but i'm not. i WOULD be a liar if I were to say it was an easy year of bliss or that we never argued over dishes, trash, money, and feelings. but with each argument, with each tear, and with every frusteration i learned a little bit more about the man i vowed solemnly to "have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death"

in just a year we have already had to make good on these promises:

"to have and to hold from this day forward."

brett holds me tight after I've had a long, frusterating day of work. He lets me cry into his sweater when I get a bad grade at school. And he hold my hands when I feel like all my friends live across the country, which they do.

"for better or worse"

before we went to africa brett quit his full-time job. God has graciously provided him with steady work since we've been back, but his "job" is still up in the air. for better or worse i will be there to support him, help him write cover letters, iron his shirt, and remind him to keep thinking outside of the box because that is the way that he was created to be. for better or for worse...either way it doesn't really matter to me.

"for richer or poorer"

we just bought a house. enough said.

"in sickness and in health"

i once buried brett's puke in africa outside of our latrine. brett makes me tea when i've got the chills, which is pretty much every day from November to May. and in health, there is no one i'd rather spend time with. on our anniversary we kayaked for 3 1/2 hours.

"to love and to cherish"

on my birthday last year brett made me a gift. it's a small drafting table with a backlight shining through the silhouette shadow of my favorite picture we self-timed in chicago a few christmases past. he loved me enough to make it and i cherish it with all of my heart.

"until death do us part"

to all of those people with their warnings...this is all I have to say to you.