Reason #646
The countdown is over. Today is Aaron's birthday! Quarter of a century! I have been picking my brain all month to try and make this the best birthday he's ever had. I told you I was giving him something every day that correlated with the countdown. That was a lofty goal that I didn't completely think through at the start, so there were a few days here and there I was scrambling for ideas. I am proud to say that I did complete the challenge I set before myself, and tonight's final celebration was the cherry on top.
You guessed it, tonight will be a birthday tribute to my one and only. I can't help it. Although, I have spent the last 25 days telling him how much I love him and appreciate him, so I hate to sound like a broken record, for his sake. The truth is, 25 days is not merely enough time to let him know how much he means to me. It'll take me lifetime to let him know, so I'm grateful I have exactly that much time to do so.
You know, it's a real blessing to have someone to walk through life with. It's also a real challenge some times. For as fun as it is to be married, it's just as much work. I suppose it's that way with all good things though, isn't it? I'll be honest with you guys. Aaron and I have real live marriage with real live hard days every now and then. It's true. If you're married, you get this. Because some days we don't feel good. Some days we have bad days at work that bleed over into the evenings at home. Some days we say the wrong things to each other. Some days we push buttons and we nit pick. Some days we just fail, to simply put it. We make mistakes, we mess up, and we fall down. Some days we do better than others.
This morning the pastor talked about remembering the why's in life. Remembering why you chose to make a certain decision. Remembering why you decided to make a commitment. Because remembering why can always help bring you back to how you got where you are in the first place... in case you forget along the way. Well, if you're anything like me, you are more into asking why versus remembering why. And as I sat in the sermon this morning, I thought about why I chose Aaron.
Why? I'm glad you asked. Let me tell you.
I remember the night before I met Aaron. I told myself not to get psyched up because it was silly of me to expect the next person I met to want to date me, and it was even more insane for me to expect the next person I dated to actually be the one I would marry. Isn't it funny that God's a little crazy when it comes to these things, too? Anyway, I had written it off because well, I'm too logical for that. Plus, you better believe I wasn't going to be fool enough to get hurt again. And so I gave Aaron every single out a girl could give a guy. In my own ways, I practically tried to convince him that he needed to just not even worry about getting to know me. But every time I gave him a good out, he ignored it. Crazy? I thought so. What else did I need to do to let him know that there was someone else better for him out there? How was I going to make sure he understood that it wasn't me?
The Lord knew full well that the last thing I needed was a broken heart. He knew full well that I didn't need another ounce of disappointment. I couldn't take it. And so God sent me someone who would not only meet and exceed every single desire I had always hoped for, he sent me someone who would gently love me in the way I needed it. Someone who would accept me for the real me. Who would love me for my heart, and would see value in that. Who would look at me through eyes of compassion rather than eyes of judgment. Someone who is so honest and truthful, who wasn't going to mislead me or cause even more damage to such a fragile heart. Someone who was going to be so patient to wait on me, to work with me. Someone who was going to bring joy back into my life and put a genuine smile on my face. That is why the Lord sent me Aaron and that's why I married him.
Aaron, I love you. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for taking a chance on me. Thank you for marrying me. For asking me to be yours forever, which is the biggest honor I've ever had. Thank you for loving me on the days when I am totally and completely unlovable. For sticking around even when a trip to outer space might sound like a much better option. For working through life with me, the fun parts and the not so fun parts. For challenging me to be a better person, a better wife, a better woman of God. For accepting me as I am, faults, failures and quirks. For bringing so much joy, laughter, and sweetness into my life. For helping me see the truth about myself, even though I still have a hard time believing it some days. For serving the Lord with me. For keeping me warm! Thank you for extending grace, patience, and forgiveness to me on the days I really need it. For always being willing to help, no matter what the task is. For making me feel like a priority rather than a burden. Thank you for loving my family as your own, and thank you for loving Scout as much as I do! I am so grateful to have another year of life to celebrate with you. Who would have imagined, this time last year, that we'd be celebrating your 25th birthday this way?! I couldn't be more grateful. I love you, love you, love you lots! Happy birthday!
#646 - For another birthday to celebrate with Aaron!
"... I found the one my heart loves..." - Song of Solomon 3:4
You guessed it, tonight will be a birthday tribute to my one and only. I can't help it. Although, I have spent the last 25 days telling him how much I love him and appreciate him, so I hate to sound like a broken record, for his sake. The truth is, 25 days is not merely enough time to let him know how much he means to me. It'll take me lifetime to let him know, so I'm grateful I have exactly that much time to do so.
You know, it's a real blessing to have someone to walk through life with. It's also a real challenge some times. For as fun as it is to be married, it's just as much work. I suppose it's that way with all good things though, isn't it? I'll be honest with you guys. Aaron and I have real live marriage with real live hard days every now and then. It's true. If you're married, you get this. Because some days we don't feel good. Some days we have bad days at work that bleed over into the evenings at home. Some days we say the wrong things to each other. Some days we push buttons and we nit pick. Some days we just fail, to simply put it. We make mistakes, we mess up, and we fall down. Some days we do better than others.
This morning the pastor talked about remembering the why's in life. Remembering why you chose to make a certain decision. Remembering why you decided to make a commitment. Because remembering why can always help bring you back to how you got where you are in the first place... in case you forget along the way. Well, if you're anything like me, you are more into asking why versus remembering why. And as I sat in the sermon this morning, I thought about why I chose Aaron.
Why? I'm glad you asked. Let me tell you.
I remember the night before I met Aaron. I told myself not to get psyched up because it was silly of me to expect the next person I met to want to date me, and it was even more insane for me to expect the next person I dated to actually be the one I would marry. Isn't it funny that God's a little crazy when it comes to these things, too? Anyway, I had written it off because well, I'm too logical for that. Plus, you better believe I wasn't going to be fool enough to get hurt again. And so I gave Aaron every single out a girl could give a guy. In my own ways, I practically tried to convince him that he needed to just not even worry about getting to know me. But every time I gave him a good out, he ignored it. Crazy? I thought so. What else did I need to do to let him know that there was someone else better for him out there? How was I going to make sure he understood that it wasn't me?
The Lord knew full well that the last thing I needed was a broken heart. He knew full well that I didn't need another ounce of disappointment. I couldn't take it. And so God sent me someone who would not only meet and exceed every single desire I had always hoped for, he sent me someone who would gently love me in the way I needed it. Someone who would accept me for the real me. Who would love me for my heart, and would see value in that. Who would look at me through eyes of compassion rather than eyes of judgment. Someone who is so honest and truthful, who wasn't going to mislead me or cause even more damage to such a fragile heart. Someone who was going to be so patient to wait on me, to work with me. Someone who was going to bring joy back into my life and put a genuine smile on my face. That is why the Lord sent me Aaron and that's why I married him.
Aaron, I love you. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for taking a chance on me. Thank you for marrying me. For asking me to be yours forever, which is the biggest honor I've ever had. Thank you for loving me on the days when I am totally and completely unlovable. For sticking around even when a trip to outer space might sound like a much better option. For working through life with me, the fun parts and the not so fun parts. For challenging me to be a better person, a better wife, a better woman of God. For accepting me as I am, faults, failures and quirks. For bringing so much joy, laughter, and sweetness into my life. For helping me see the truth about myself, even though I still have a hard time believing it some days. For serving the Lord with me. For keeping me warm! Thank you for extending grace, patience, and forgiveness to me on the days I really need it. For always being willing to help, no matter what the task is. For making me feel like a priority rather than a burden. Thank you for loving my family as your own, and thank you for loving Scout as much as I do! I am so grateful to have another year of life to celebrate with you. Who would have imagined, this time last year, that we'd be celebrating your 25th birthday this way?! I couldn't be more grateful. I love you, love you, love you lots! Happy birthday!
#646 - For another birthday to celebrate with Aaron!
"... I found the one my heart loves..." - Song of Solomon 3:4
(And because I think this song says it well... even though I know you don't like country.)