6 Years

December 30

Our 6th anniversary!  Wow!  Where has the time gone?  We didn't want to take away time from being with Brian's family so we waited a week and celebrated by returning some Christmas gifts and shopping for pants for Brian.  I know, we're wild :)  It really was nice to have some time to get stuff done and we made it special by getting cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory for dessert.  I began thinking what have we learned in 6 years?  Then I was looking back at wedding pictures and I wondered what I would say to that 21 year old bride.  Here's what I came up with...

Brian will love you no matter what!

There you go.  It might seem simple but it's really quite profound for me.

Brian will love you... whether you feel lovable or not.
Brian will love you... even when you can't keep the house cleaned, laundry done, checkbook balanced etc.
Brian will love you... even when you diagnose yourself with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and get upset when things are not cleaned or put away and stress about doing everything perfectly.
Brian will love you... whether you cook something delicious or something terrible like Weight Watchers Mac and Cheese (twice!).
Brian will love you... even though you can't sing as well as he can.
Brian will love you... even when you have the stomach bug.
Brian will love you... whether you shower, put make up on, get dressed up or not.
Brian will love you... even when you've been up all night with a newborn and are very cranky the next day.
Brian will love you... whether you wear a size 18 or squeeze into a size 4.
Brian will love you... even when you think he would be much happier with someone else and you wake up each day wondering if this will be the day that he realizes what a mistake he made by marrying you.

A good reminder for myself after 6 years.  I wish I knew all of these things 6 years ago and I wish I believed every single one of these now.  But I can't imagine being married to anyone else and I love him more today than I did 6 years ago.  I pray that we have many more years together!

Oh and one more piece of advice for that young bride... don't register for everything beige!!!  Because in 6 years you will be sick of beige dishes, beige sheets, beige china, beige pillows, beige curtains, and beige towels.  Spice up your life and buy something colorful :)