This week we celebrated our 2nd anniversary. What a blessing! I was excited but a little hesitant. I was a little worried about celebrating now that we have a 6 week old. Things look a little different for this anniversary.
But it was a sweet day. This year was so much different than year one. And our day reflected that perfectly.
I was tempted to just let the day slip past. With days committed to caring for our new sweet baby, it didn’t seem like the time for any sort of big plans or celebrations.
But we committed to making it happen, because even though life is different, I believe it is important to acknowledge and celebrate milestones. They are a time to reflect and a time to dream of what is ahead.
Now the day was not without its hiccups. I felt off my game. Fretting about all the ideas that I could not execute. Tears of frustration as I put pressure on myself to plan everything to the last details. Insecurity and comparison... was my idea good enough? Did my card really convey that I care? My gift didn’t seem as significant as other people’s anniversary gifts. Was it enough to prove my love?
But in the end, it was perfectly us. A perfect reflection of this season.
Because I kept coming back to something a really wise friend of mine told me. She said, “Isn’t celebrating really just doing the things you always do with the people you really love.”
Yes, that’s it! Celebrating is about appreciating what we have. It’s about acknowledging each other and communicating gratitude for all that we have been through.
And like my wise husband reminded me, it’s really about thanking God for all that He has given us. For sustaining and growing us.
So our anniversary was rich. It was headaches and fatigue from staying up with it precious baby. It was a slow morning playing with him and our puppies before getting ready for the day. It was little gifts, carnations, and dinner at the restaurant next door.
It was talking and praying and relaxing. It looked like a lot of other days, with a few intentional additions because we care.
And it was perfect. Perfectly imperfect really.
The second anniversary is symbolized by cotton. Cotton represents versatility, adaptability, and resilience.
It’s beautifully practical. Beautifully unglamorous. It is real. That’s what relationships are. It’s not always glamorous like a diamond. Most of the time is comfortable like cotton. Every year we grow and learn. We weather the ups and downs of life. We figure more and more out about each other and ourselves. We adjust and adapt to life as t changes around us. And most of the time we come out stronger because of it.
We are no more married than we were on April 9th 2 years ago. But we are better spouses than we were then. We are both more sure now that we would choose each other all over again.
So I am excited for more normal days. More adventures. More conflict and resolutions. Just more life together. No matter what that brings.