Celebrating 20 years

If you had told me on July 13, 1991 that 20 years would zip by at break-neck speed,
I would have concentrated harder on sloooowing down.
I'd have taken a bit more time to smell the roses, so to speak.

Isn't that how life goes though, especially in the beginning years?
At last, I was finally living & loving every day with this person that God had perfectly
designed just for me.
All my dreams had come true with the 2 simple words 'I do'.

James & I wasted no time getting right to the necessaries of life, like finding a home{s}, making a home, & making a living.
After all, there's no option to wait on anything of those things.
The real task was finding a way to keep it all in balance.
We were learning.

3 years later, God gave us twin sons  ... & when they were a few months shy of turning 3,
along came another blessing, one more bouncing baby boy.
What a new wild ride ... parenting!
We put our best foot forward, determined to train & raise them in a way that would be pleasing to the Lord.
We were learning.
We knew this was no time to mess up ... we had three little gifts who were depending on us.
We had the opportunity to do things right ... to raise God-honoring sons to be
honest, caring, dependable, hard-working, full of character & integrity.
This is not to say we were perfect at this, not by a long shot.
We made our share of mistakes in the process, but by earnestly seeking God's direction,
He liberally given us grace & wisdom, sufficient for the task.


And ...

all along the way, we were learning how to dance.

It was often fast & furious dancing, all day long, til you fall into the bed, exhausted.
You know, that 'here, there, & everywhere - pulled in 20 different directions' kind of dancing.

Other times, we learned how to hold on tight to each other, leaning on arms that
were strong & supportive.

Sometimes it was a slow dance, savoring the intimate moments & never wanting 
them to end.

But it was always about knowing when to take the lead ... & learning when to follow.

We've stepped on each other's toes plenty of times, but not once have we thrown
in the towel.
And while we've never quite fully mastered any of the moves, we've had a wonderful time dancing this far  ... and have no desire to stop now.

And after 20 wonderful years ~ July 13, 2011, we're still learning how to dance.
I cannot wait to experience another 20{+} years with the best partner ever!