I actually remembered my anniversary this year, almost

Well it's a really long story, but the short story is that we have two wedding dates.  The picture above is our actual ceremony, a month after we eloped.

We pretty much have forgotten our anniversary every year since we got married....except this year! (I didn't actually remember this year, one of my children did.  And Jeff put it in his calendar and it popped up. So we didn't actually remember, but were, in fact, reminded.  Same thing, right?)

Anyone who knows me would think this very weird.  I remember EVERYTHING.  And not only do I remember every birthday and holiday but I have some kind of activities planned for them; some kind of tradition.

So yeah?  Why can't I remember my anniversary and why don't we do anything special?  Maybe because we got married twice?  I don't know.

I loved my cake.

What I do know:

Jeff is the most amazing man on earth.

There is no better father, son, employee, friend, spiritual leader.

He is wonderful.

He is my best friend.  Where I lack, he has abundance.  Where he lacks, I have abundance.

When I was single and not always happy to be single, I knew that whatever God had for me was going to be better than anything I could force.  And that always reminded me to wait patiently.

Our ONLY honeymoon...oh wait, not true

Jeff was the first person I dated after I was saved...several years after I was saved.

I also said that if we couldn't serve the Lord better, together, than alone, then there was no need to get married.

Together we have taught little ones in Sunday school, we have led The Lighthouse (children's church) and led several children to Christ and taught many, many about Him, we have taught the youth and an adult class.  We have ministered to hurting people, given away money, cars, clothes, anything someone needed, we have visited and had people visit.  Most importantly we are raising up WARRIORS for Christ.  My four year old ONLY knows Jesus.  It's so much a part of our lives that her songs are about him, the Bible is another book to be read and church is an exciting place to go.  She knows all the stories and LOVES to memorize verses.  And that's just a little one.  The bigger ones know more than most adults.

married almost a year

When he's not around I don't know what to do.  And when he is around as long as I'm doing it with him I don't care what I'm doing.

He is the softest, gentlest, most patient man I've ever met.

He loves his children like nothing I've ever seen.  It causes me to fall in love with him a million times when I see him cuddling our baby girls just because they want his attention.

They will rough house and cuddle and hug and wave bye to him.  When he gets home there are four pairs of little feet (and some big ones) running to meet him.  It's chaos.

"Daddy, look what I made."

Someone jumps on him.

"Daddy I had a sandwich for lunch."

Someone gives him a kiss.

"Mom showed us how to press flowers."

Someone sits on his foot.

"I learned how to divide."

Someone grabs his hand.

"I can spell cat."

Someone hands him something.

"Did you bring me any poop?"  (Yes, this actually gets asked.)

One might be inclined to think that he might say, everyone calm down, get off me, let me sit down for a minute, everyone stop talking at once.

That's never happened.

He let's them.

EVERY

SINGLE

DAY.

Sometimes he has a little, tiny one, jumping up and down on their bottoms, or rocking back and forth in excitement, or literally crying because they are so happy to see him.

And he hugs and kisses and holds and cuddles and listens to every single one of them.

And I fall in love with him each day.

I am who I am because of him.

Our family is blessed because of him.

I couldn't have picked for myself anyone better.  God hand picked Jeff for me.

He's perfect.

"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her...."  Eph 5:25

Married six wonderful, precious years today.