Our Little Marriage is Growing Up

The last few weeks have been nice and full of living summer while running out of time to write about summer. But days like to today make me a hard stop to remember and reflect. Four years ago I got to become this guy's wife.

And while I love to reminisce and browse through the photos, I can't help but notice that we're starting to see those dancing eyes and giddy smiles as a bit young and naive. Not any less authentic, but we are starting to use those words If you only knew...

The longer Nate and I are married, the more it feels like a marriage has a lot in common with a new little one. Our baby marriage with it's sparkler love is cute to look at and full of anecdotes. But it still included a fair amount of upheaval and confusion, and it tookseveral months to figure out how to sleep through the night. (Because there's a boy in my bed!)

As we move from our early twenties into our later twenties, our little marriage has grown from a wobbly toddler into an inquisitive preschooler. We don't fall nearly as often as we used to, and we're finding our groove while growing into who we are as a couple and soaking up all the knowledge and insights we can muster.

Our marriage is just a touch older than this little miss.

Our Niece Lydia

I love the way an almost-four-year-old sees the world. She doesn't hesitate to show her awe and wonder, and her little mind constantly connects new ideas to the ones she already has figured out.

And that's where I feel like we are at the four-year mark. Still in awe of this mysterious thing called marriage, figuring things out but learning all the time. And hopefully all of you out there with grown-up marriages are at least a little amused as we grow.

They say it takes a village to raise a child, and I believe it's the same with a marriage. We had a village cheering us on four years ago when all we really knew is that we loved Jesus and loved each other. That cast of supporting characters has only increased as we dig into those big things like calling and purpose and what our marriage can do for the kingdom.

And even though these four years have peeled away much about what I thought I knew, they've also revealed a little peek at mammoth ideas. Commitment. Forgiveness. Selflessness. Perseverance. Grace.

As blurry as our future may be, I do know I can't wait to grow up with this man of mine. Happy anniversary, sweets.