eleven

The Liberty House

view from our table

Matt and I celebrated 11 years of marriage this past Thursday, July14. In some ways it doesn't seem that long, and in other ways it seems like a very long time. When I think about life 11 years ago, it's hard to remember those apartment days without kids, peace and quiet, being a new teacher fresh out of college, and having only each other to come home to. It really wasn't that long ago, or was it? I was 22, Matt was 27 . . . yikes. A lot has happened in the past 11 years, all of it very difficult now to remember life without it.

We celebrated by going to The Liberty House, in Liberty State Park on the Hudson. A very cool, casual, chic (not many dutch here!) restaurant complete with outdoor dining, a view of The Freedom Tower, deliciously (expensive) cocktails, and outdoor fire pits complete with bowls of marshmallows and roasting sticks. I can truly say I was completely relaxed.

These past 11 years have not been all easy, but nobody promised they would. We have grown together, and we have challenged each other. We have laughed together, and we have had tears. We have 2 beautiful daughters amazingly created by God through us. We have a comfortable home on a pretty street with good neighbors, we have wonderful friends, we have loving parents who are close by and have been able to be very involved in our girl's lives, we have the time and a place to get away from the daily stresses of life, we have been blessed with good jobs, and we still have each other to come home too . . . with some added "benefits."

Matt's aunt and uncle sent us a card and along with some very sweet words, Aunt Caroline referenced Philippians 4:8. "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." How true it is that in order to grow a long, faithful and godly marriage, we need to choose to always bring glory to Him by overlooking each other's faults and looking to the positives.

My prayer is that we will continue to grow our marriage and that Matt and I will continue to remember to put each other before ourselves, and above all, to put God first.