Married for Life....Friends for Eternity

My love letter is finally written!
A huge "Thank you" to e-mom from over at Chrysalis for hosting this month's Marriage Monday......this was a great topic!! Especially for those of us who sometimes take our spouse for granted.........I loved doing this......
if you are reading this and you know Dave and I personally, please leave us a comment about the first time you met us or a special memory you have of us.......thank you!!

Dave:

I know you remember the first time we started hanging out together.
It was a Sunday in early April, 1989. You were in graduate school obtaining a Masters in Computer Science. I had been done with my Masters work for 2 years and was living in a small apt in Albany, teaching full time.
I had prayed that the Lord would send me a good friend.....I was lonely that spring. I had broken up with someone I thought I was going to marry.....it had been 2 years of no dating. Of getting back with the Lord. Of finding my niche in our small church.

That afternoon, after I cried out to God in prayer, for a good male friend, the phone rang.
It was you.
You wanted help with some music.
I invited you over as I had another friend there. The 3 of us harmonized hymns while I played them on the piano. We had a great time. Kathy had to leave. You stayed.

And....we talked until 3 a.m.!
The next morning, while getting ready for work, I began to thank God for bringing you, a new friend, into my life.

You later told me that when you drove away from the apt, you told God you had found the woman you wanted to marry......:)

And........thus our life together began.

Our wedding theme was "married for life....friends for eternity". I remember when we created this......with a picture of our wedding rings entwined around a cross.

And that is what I still think on whenever I think of you.
We are united by Christ. He brought us together.

You are the man who makes me laugh when I am sad.
Who is supportive when I am worried.
Who is protective when I am scared.
You bring me little things that meet my love language: gifts.
You are a great provider and you are always willing to help with the girls.

We have been through some challenging times and we have been through some easy times.

We have been sad......and happy.
We have been frustrated.....and fulfilled.
We have been challenged spiritually.....yet we have remained victorious in Him.
We have been doubtful....yet we have remained trusting.......
There have been ups....and there have been downs.

And through it all, you have remained committed to Christ.

We have learned, and are still learning, to communicate more effectively.
We have determined to never publicly put down each other....I LOVE that about you.

You are the spiritual head of the house even when I want to control things.

I know you pray for our children and for me.

I know you have a heart for young teens and you shine when ministering with the youth group. You have a heart for missions......you give generously.
And....you are my friend as well as my life partner.

I give thanks to God for you. My heavenly Father has blessed me beyond what I could have imagined.
I cannot imagine my life without you!
From the time you showed me that dragonfly and marveled with me on this part of God's creation....I was hooked.....I was in love.
I still am.

You are the love of my life......and my friend for all eternity.
"many waters cannot quench love;
rivers cannot wash it away."
Song of Songs 8:6