Anniversary

Easter Sunday, this year, also happens to be our wedding anniversary. Eighteen years ago Sam and I exchanged vows in a simple wedding. We were not well off, being that he was a firefighter for a rather small town and I worked at the local greenhouse. So we planned our wedding to be small and not the least bit frivolous. We believed (and still believe) that the promises we made were more important than what kind of flowers we had or where the reception was held.

We asked friends to contribute to their "gift" to the wedding rather than buying us a gift. One had a small business arranging silk flowers, so all of our bouquets were done in silk. One made cakes as a hobby and created a beautiful one for us. Another owned a funeral home which had a limousine. He donated it and a driver for the day for us. Another friend helped me create and sew my wedding dress, while another donated lace from her own wedding gown. Sam's brother and his wife organized, cooked, and served the dinner at the reception. A wonderful friend played piano and her two young daughters sang the most beautiful song during the ceremony.

The service was wonderful for what I can remember of it. I do remember the pastor getting mixed up and Sam almost vowed to honor and obey ME! I also remember that I had been on Prednisone for two weeks prior to the wedding and had gained a good amount of weight. Sam couldn't get the wedding ring all the way onto my finger because of it. Our album of wedding pictures disappeared several years ago during one of our moves. We still have a grainy video of the day, which the girls like to take out and laugh at every once in a while.

Eighteen years and I love Sam more today than I did then, and I didn't think that was possible on that day.

God has taken us down some interesting pathways. At times, we have strayed from His pathways, but He was always faithful. When we finally regained our senses and turned back towards Him, He led us back to where we needed to be.

 I pray for another fifty years together. I pray that we will love each other even more than we do today, but I don't think that is possible...