Celebrate: acknowledge (a significant or happy day or event) with a social gathering or enjoyable activity
On May 26 Kevin and I will celebrate our 12th wedding anniversary. The last 12 years are definitely some of my best. If I would of known what I was getting myself into 12 years ago, it would have been an even more enthusiastic ‘I do’.
We have grown up together in a way, starting our life together straight out of the college gates. We bought and sold our first house together, learned how to budget together, traveled together, learned how to cook together, landscaped and completed DIY projects together, grown in our faith together. We have made big life decisions side by side, started jobs, changed jobs, moved home to the farm (and the very place we said ‘I do’). And the most magical thing we have done together is make three beautiful babies with another one arriving in just a few short months. We have found a rhythm, a sweet spot, where we do life day after day after day together. Some may think it to be monotonous, but I find our life together comforting, beautiful, and all I have ever wanted.
If my math is correct, we have been doing this married thing for over 4,000 days and I hope to do it together a whole lot more. And what do they say? Life is like a fine wine, it gets better with age… I see Kevin and I’s life together in just that way. Each and every day we get to work together, raise babies together, laugh and cry and tend the house together are the sweetest gifts. And every year I look back and praise God for the marriage and man He gave me because life gets better year after year.
At our house, we like to celebrate. For our anniversary, Kevin and I really try to take time to remember and be together, just the two of us. If we can get away, we do. If not, we enjoy dinner together and remember where we started and where we are today, without distraction.
I believe celebrating can be a holy thing. Just look in the Bible and celebrations are sprinkled throughout like confetti. The Bible celebrates family milestones: birth, stages of life, marriage, even the return of a prodigal son. God loves a good party! And I believe He wants us to pause, remember, and celebrate the good gifts in this life.
This year Kevin and I are taking a day to simply be together. We will probably grab coffee at a local shop and chat. We have an ultrasound scheduled to see our littlest peanut. And it will end with dinner out celebrating our relationship and our family. It isn’t a trip to Hawaii (although we hope to do that someday, too), but you better believe we will still be celebrating us.
How do you celebrate big milestones or events? Do you believe life is a bit sweeter when we celebrate?