I could stare at them for hours. Not only because of their beauty. But because each one represents an incredible year and the amazing gift of marriage.
Memories start to flood back. Our wedding day. The excitement. All the people who came. The green slime on the pond which cleared. The humidity. 550 chairs. The look on Ben's face as I walked down the aisle. Lavender going down my dress. The sense of the pleasure of God. The turning of the leaves. The electric slide in the grass with heels on. Ben's wedding speech, which literally left me speechless! Our car running out of oil on the way to our wedding night's stay. The rose petals on the bed. Our honeymoon. Our miscarriages. Moving between countries. Making cheesecake for my husband. Evenings in with just the two of us. Friends and family. Prayer together. Mistakes and forgiveness. Misunderstandings and laughs. Learning what a "hob" was among other English words. Lilias' birth. Flowers filling the house. The happy look on Ben's face when he first held her. The way Ben loved me with a preggo belly and stretch marks! Moving to Africa. Nights on the roof under the stars. Loneliness together. Working together. Building a home in the desert. Ben's garden. The smell of fresh Basil every time the wind blew. Cups of tea on the front step. Dancing the tango in 110 degrees on date nights. Getting pregnant with Yan. Leaving Africa to come back to the US and UK. Many date nights. Many tears. Many laughs. Many hugs. And so many more memories. I've never felt so loved, nor so grateful before. I never knew I could love and admire someone so much and not get tired of spending time with them!
Ben's an amazing man. God's an incredible God. And the last four years have definitely been the best in my life. Who would have thought.
I hope we live long enough to fill a room with roses for each year we've been married. Fantastic idea, God. Thank you.
