Next week Darren and I are celebrating our 7th anniversary: May 19th to be exact. We went out for lunch this past Thursday to commemorate the milestone (clearly we're not sticklers for dates). Inevitably, we spend our anniversary outings reviewing the highlights of our married life. We start with year 1 and move through the years - not completely in order, but we try. And inevitably, it puts me in a nostalgic mood.
The last seven years have been fantastic. We've lived in 2 different countries, 3 different cities and 4 different homes. We've traveled a fair portion of the world, and experienced things we never thought we would (seriously - camel races, musical marionette shows intended for adults, watching Serena vs. Venus live - these things were never on our radar). We've met lots of interesting people and made dear friends (likely and unlikely, expected and unexpected). We've made a bunch of mistakes and learned a lot of lessons (mostly through those mistakes). We've grown as individuals, and as a family (quite literally with the birth of Caleb, but also in the experiential sense).
When I look back on the people we were seven years ago, I hardly recognize them. To me that is a beautiful thought. Marriage is really something; as a young person, it seemed a natural and even easy something. But now I understand that in order for two individuals to become one unit (successfully), it takes a lot of work. And negotiation. And patience. And clear communication of expectations. And understanding. And forgiveness. And laughter. And selflessness. And mostly love.
After seven years I can confidently say that Darren and I kinda know each other. I'm surprised by how often we discover new things about ourselves and each other. I guess that's life, but I always thought we'd have more figured out by now. What I do know for sure is that I'd rather "do life" with Darren and Caleb than without them. And lucky for me, I get to!
Year eight promises to be one that will stick in our memories forever. Part of the growth of the past few years has been figuring out our passions, defining our dreams and making steps toward creating our life. The three of us will soon be packing up our essential belongings, selling or giving away everything else, and moving back across the world. We are excited about establishing businesses in our respective areas of passion, building a home for our little family, reconnecting with people we love, and becoming part of a stable community. I look forward to the growth that change evokes, and I'm extremely grateful that I get to embark on these changes with my two favourite people.
Happy anniversary to us.
When I look back on the people we were seven years ago, I hardly recognize them. To me that is a beautiful thought. Marriage is really something; as a young person, it seemed a natural and even easy something. But now I understand that in order for two individuals to become one unit (successfully), it takes a lot of work. And negotiation. And patience. And clear communication of expectations. And understanding. And forgiveness. And laughter. And selflessness. And mostly love.
After seven years I can confidently say that Darren and I kinda know each other. I'm surprised by how often we discover new things about ourselves and each other. I guess that's life, but I always thought we'd have more figured out by now. What I do know for sure is that I'd rather "do life" with Darren and Caleb than without them. And lucky for me, I get to!
Happy anniversary to us.
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