Not Quite to Paris

When I was younger, I wasn't the type to commit to things. I didn't do anything for the long haul. Not sure if this was a personality flaw, or just a quirk, but I typically never completed the things I started. I'd do something for a while and give it up for another activity. Even before high school ended I no longer played sports, having opted out for employment.


I'm sure you why I thought of this, other than I was thinking about my marriage. Today's probably a good day to do this, as Angie and I celebrate our eighth anniversary today. It's amazing to think that we've been together this long. I know eight years pales in comparison to many of your marriages, and that is fantastic. I'm glad that God has blessed your marriage and I pray that he continues to do so, but keeping the above in mind, eight years seems implausible.


At least as far as the old me goes. The new one, not so much. I grew out of that "never completing anything" stage. Angie might argue this point if she looks around that house at all the incomplete 'honey-do' items, but I am talking about the bigger items.


Work items get completed...not that there was really ever a problem here. I am a self-started and understand what work provides for my family and I.

School will get completed. I may be on the 20 year plan, but I will earn my degree. In fact, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I expect to complete my last two classes by Christmas 2010. Eve though I plan on getting my MBA, I really see the undergraduate degree as the completion of my long elusive goal.

Finally, my marriage. Angie and I have our ups and downs, and sometimes our downs are pretty down, but we both enjoy the safety of our relationship - as we both have committed that divorce is not an option. We came to this decision several years ago during a particularly down period. We came to it after we both recognized that we are both selfish, broken people in a union sanctified by God. Because of this we also came to understand that we needed to honor our union and work through any issues that we might have. This had a profound impact on our marriage. Basically, we know that we can be honest which each other in safety and that we know the other isn't going to bail at the first sign of another down period.

Fortunately, we've grown in other meaningful ways, as well. We've come to understand that marriage isn't about what we can get out of it, but about what we can put in.

That alone has made things so much better. You see, it's freed us to be everything that we are meant to be to each other. The complement of each other - one half of one.

Now, if I can just see through my commitment to get the landscaping done.

Happy Anniversary, baby. The Paris hotel in Las Vegas this year, and Paris, France by number 10...

Previous anniversary posts:

2008, 2007, and 2006

SL