From This Day Forward...

Tonight I attended the wedding of one of my co-workers. Lauren accompanied me. (I had originally thought all six of us would go but due to the time of evening, I thought it was best to pare down our part of the guest list.)

I had a wonderful time. Several co-workers were there. Getting to visit outside of school in the summer is quite a treat. I just really do like the people I work with. We are all very different but that makes us a pretty strong team. A few of us even got up and danced (with myself, I use the term loosely :). It was just a beautiful evening. I wish I could have spent it with my husband too but he was home with the others (which includes the pup).

But this is not really what the post is about.

No, this post is about marriage.

As I watched my friends face each other tonight, her dressed in a beautiful white dress, him all "spiffed" up in his suit, so many thoughts came to mind. Almost fifteen years ago (in October), we were the ones standing before family and friends as we exchanged rings and vows.

I remember.

I remember feeling like a princess.

I remember feeling like we were the only two people in the room.

I remember feeling like my heart would pound out of my chest as I changed my marital status, my name.

I remember feeling like I was the most blessed woman in the world.

Now here it is fifteen years later.

I don't feel quite like a princess anymore. Maybe the ugly stepsister. Not that I ever truly had an hourglass figure, but what little figure I did is now hidden behind the flab that seems to come easier as I get older. There are wrinkles around my eyes and possibly even a gray hair or two. I just try not to look closely.

Only two people in the room? Not hardly. We now have four kids and a puppy with us almost all of the time. It is rarely quiet here and the conversations we have are often interrupted by quarrels and tattles.

My heart? I don't know if it pounds. I hardly have time to think about it. But I do know it still goes pitter patter. Maybe not every single time I see him. But when I see him unexpectedly, I feel it. My name? It has been my name for so long now, I hardly remember when it wasn't.

And the blessed part?

I still feel like I am the most blessed woman in the world.

So to my coworker/friends...

May the love you feel today continue to grow.

May God bless your marriage, your household, your future.

May you always remember today and truly believe it was one of the greatest days of your life.

From this day forward...

More later,
Reba