Well, if ANYONE out there still reads my blog, I'm back. I'm not promising to be back consistently. I just gonna be honest with you: this blog is not a priority in my life. 3 kids is no joke and mustering up the energy or time to write a blog post is just...well...it hasn't happened in 4 months, so you get the idea.
I know most people who visit my blog want to see pics of the kids and I'm just gonna say it: in this post, you will be disappointed. The only pics you will see are of me and my man. And here's why...
On Saturday of this week, Kirk and I will celebrate 5 years of marriage. 5 years! Somehow I feel like time flew while simultaneously feeling like we have been together way longer than that. On January 12, 2008 I would have never said nor really even believed that 5 years would be that notable. 20 years? 30 years? Sure! That's a celebration...throw a party! 5 just wouldn't have seemed like that big of a deal. At least not back then.
Now? 5 feels like a really REALLY big deal. I have experienced more in the last 5 years than in all the 24 years before I was married. We have moved 5 times. We have endured 27 months of pregnancy. We have welcomed 3 beautiful children. We've been through job loss. We've been through deaths of family members. We've cried (ok, I've cried) a lot. We've laughed more. We've traveled by car, by plane, by train, by cruise ship, and even by foot (ask Kirk about when he ran out of gas on the way home from our honeymoon. Whew! It's been 5 years and I've kept that a secret. Feels good to get that out. And laugh about it again.). We've had some really high highs and some really low lows. We've done it all together. I feel like the next 5 years will likely not be as eventful as these past 5. I sort of hope not.
But, and this is a big but, I have to say: I married a really, really good man. I love him. So much. I know I'm generally considered a likeable person, and I really believe that I am (for the most part). But Kirk, he's more than likeable. He is lovable. Everyone who knows Kirk LOVES him. He's the real deal. Who he is in public, he is in our home. He LOVES life. Even when it's messy. Even when it's hard (and it's been REALLY hard during certain stretches over the past 2 years). He still finds a way to make up a stupid game that will make us forget about it for a little while and laugh. He will still hug me and kiss me everyday and tell me how much I am loved. He will still dance. He will still smile. Man, I love him.
He is an incredible father. I mean...incredible. I hear other young moms talk about how uncomfortable their husbands are with their kids. How they couldn't imagine leaving their husbands overnight alone with the children. I am SO glad that is not me. I know the Lord knew I wouldn't be able to handle it if that was me. These 3 kids adore Daddy. Daddy can do no wrong. Daddy is a hero. I can't think of another person, besides Jesus, that I would rather them adore. He's the right kind of role model.
The reason Kirk is the real deal is because he knows what matters. In his core, he knows who holds the future. He knows who numbers our days and directs our steps. He knows it's not up to him so he might as well enjoy the ride. He knows Jesus and he wants to be like him. He's not perfect and he knows that. But he knows that's ok because Jesus is and he has already covered our inperfections. I am so glad I married a man who gets that.
I'm sure this seems lovey-dovey or over the top. But I feel it needed to be said and I am uniquely qualified to say it :). Marriage has been awesome. It has also been super hard. I'm not going to pretend we've been in the clouds every minute of the last 5 years. But, I know, in my heart, that I married the right man. I know, without a doubt, God made us for each other. It might take the rest of our lives to figure out exactly what that should like, but my goodness, we will die trying. Together.
Happy Anniversary, Babe. I'm crazy about you.
