Today Doug and I are celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary. I can’t believe we’ve been married this long. And yet, I can hardly remember a time not waking up next to the man I love so much. We aren’t planning on doing anything spectacular today. Brian and Alyssa have some school to finish and I must get the house cleaned before the holiday. Tonight we’ll probably watch some of the Christmas videos we haven’t gotten to yet this year.

We truly had a beautiful wedding. I took the Christmas theme and ran with it. We were married at [5:30] on a Friday night and candles and evergreen boughs filled the church. My attendants wore red velvet dresses and my dress was a recreation of my mother’s. White Christmas lights, red candles, evergreen boughs and red and silver ornaments filled the hall where we had the simple reception. The only problem – I wanted snow so badly and, while it was cold enough, the ground was bare. Oh well, we somehow managed to get married anyway!

In his charge to us, my dad, who married us, warned us of the tough times that would come. We were so young at the time and I just didn’t believe him. I thought everything in my life would be as idyllic as it was at that moment. Boy, was I wrong. Life isn’t always easy and we’ve had our share of trials over the years. But I remember he said that I would be a better Christian for having married Doug, and Doug would be a better Christian for having married me. That part has been true. I think the thing that has kept our marriage strong has been our desire to grow together in the Lord. Do we always get along? No way! But we love each other and the Lord and are willing to do the hard work it takes to make our marriage successful.

Thank you, Lord, for the most wonderful, amazing twenty years. Thank you for giving me a terrific man who loves me and is so committed to me. I am looking forward to the next twenty years and beyond, Lord willing.

I’ve posted some pictures. Boy, do we look young!!