Today we celebrate 10 years of Marriage and as I consider my wedding vows 10 years ago, I affirm that I will still "love you and honor you all the days of my life."
April 13th, 2003 I married Eric Rivera. The boy I spent 7 years dating, went through High School and College together and now... 4 moves, 3 kids, lots of school, 5 years in the Pastorate, the beginning of church planting, 10 years of marriage later...our love is still so vibrant. We have never been big on gift giving for our anniversaries as we both value quality time in celebration of more worth but today I want to Honor you as my husband and thank you publicly for the gift of a beautiful marriage to a godly man.
10 things I LOVE about being married to
Eric Rivera:
1. Life is fun
Whether we’re reminiscing about our wedding day, the first day we met or our first year of marriage. We just enjoy life together and have lots of fun learning new things and growing together and just talking about what we are learning. We have fun whether it is just hanging out, snuggling, going for a walk, sipping coffee together... we genuinely enjoy one another and it makes life fun.
Whether we’re reminiscing about our wedding day, the first day we met or our first year of marriage. We just enjoy life together and have lots of fun learning new things and growing together and just talking about what we are learning. We have fun whether it is just hanging out, snuggling, going for a walk, sipping coffee together... we genuinely enjoy one another and it makes life fun.
2. Being Best Friends
Since High School we've been best friends. It really is great to wake up next to someone I really, really like and who I know feels the same about me.
3. Laughing
I don't laugh harder with anyone else. I love your silliness and all the joking and laughter that happens in our home on a regular basis.
4. Being Friends with Benefits
I wont say much publicly here but what I do want to acknowledge is that IT WAS WORTH THE WAIT. Thank you for honoring me and for protecting our purity by not awakening love until our wedding night. What we have is lovely and rare in our culture and only by God's grace.
5. Dating is still exciting
I still get excited when we date. I'm thankful for the really thought out and planned dates and also for the nights when we intentionally talk over coffee or snuggle and watch a movie. I enjoy so much, intentional quality time with you. It doesn't get old. Thanks for always keeping our dating fresh- you are really smooth Eric Rivera!
6. Your leadership
Really, I will follow you anywhere because you have always lead our marriage with such humility and wisdom that I will go where you go for the rest of our lives. And that is why even on this crazy adventure of church planting, I go with you excited because I follow a man who is following the greatest King.
7. What kids did to our marriage
We sure did live it up when we were kidless: we went to quite a few bed and breakfasts, retreats, dates, missions trip etc. but I know we would both say that kids have been a wonderful addition to our marriage. Yes, adjusting was not super easy but parenting together has really strengthened us as teammates. I have enjoyed seeing you be a Papi and pour into our beautiful children. They are really blessed to have you.
8. The thought of getting Old together
Even as we both have begun to sprout some silver sprinkles within our dark manes it attracts me even more to you. I've always said, you are going to be one fine old man and I am blessed to experience the aging process with you. I still can't believe that 10 years of marriage have gone by and that we have been together for 17 years! I imagine the next 10 will be even better.
I don't want to just gloss over this one. I am very attracted to you Eric Rivera and I'm glad your all mine!
10. That it is easy
10 years being married and it has never been drudgery, difficult or stagnant. I'm glad we speak openly and truthfully but we don't fight. We know how to express our struggles and differences without allowing them to turn into anger. Thank you for your gentleness and for living with me in an understanding way.
I only gave 10 to keep with the theme of our Anniversary. I could definitely keep going. Eric, I remember how bad I wanted you to propose to me and how on the night after our engagement I would wake up periodically making sure it was real and not just a dream. I loved you deeply then and I love you deeply now. It is interesting though how time can make love even more beautiful.
Just another great memory from ten years ago: the blessing your brother pronounced over us. Eric Rivera, you truly are a "rare gem" and I'm so glad to be your wife Forever.
