13 Years In 13 Photos

I call him Love.

I think it's because he teaches me Christ's love with the way that he lives his life.

And here we are, 13 years into our life together and I can hardly put into words how much I love this man.

So today, there are pictures... Some (not nearly all) of my favorite memories with the man who sleeps next to me at night, the man who blesses me beyond measure.

1.The first picture we ever took together... It was back in the days when you had to take your "film" to the drugstore and actually get it developed. :)



2. You told me you loved after week seven of our dating life... I told you no you didn't, and you assured me I did, and you nonchalantly told me you'd happily wait until I discovered that I loved you too. :)


3. The day I married you, I had no idea what real love was when I walked down that aisle. We were young and only God knew what we could become together for His glory alone. :)



3. Panama... It was a few short months after we had to say goodbye to my mom, and you held my heart in that place and allowed me to lay it all bare and graciously let me release a river of tears during those months.

4.  It was one of three things that I took when the fires came this summer... the box that holds our boys, that holds the year when our Jesus asked us to let go of our first two treasures... You went from boy to man before my very eyes and the Lord strengthened our marriage in a way that only He can do.
 

5.The day that the hospital room wasn't silent... when our Siah breathed that first breath, we both cried a river and thanked the Lord out loud with my hand in yours. I was swollen and yucky and you looked right into me and called me beautiful. You spoke real love into me that day.



This farm, the life we have lived in this place,the house we've made into a home. I didn't want to come here. But you love God and you love me and it has become my joy to submit to what you believe the Lord is calling our family to do. 



The place we sit nearly every night each summer... sometimes we chat about the deep things, and other times we just sit quiet.



Our safe-haven... the place where you've patiently & gently molded me from an immature girl into a well-loved woman.


The way you lead and love on these kids... the happy joy they have in living their love for Jesus out in our tree house...



When the SEVEN of us sat on that hospital bed and smiled big at all that the Lord has so graciously given!



You and me...

And 13 years of real, raw, glorious love.

I never imagined a love like this... How could I, when our life together has been nothing but God-size grace and gift?