We have kept all our promises

Today is our 12th wedding anniversary.  12 years.  As Mattie Ross says at the end of True Grit:  “time just gets away from us.”

We are celebrating by……get ready for it because you’d never be able to predict this……dancing.  We met at a dance, and have continued dancing all over the country.

Dan’s father gave an almost unbelievably beautiful wedding ceremony, spiritual and wise, and his mother sang two songs, even though her voice was nothing like it was many years ago.  In Dan’s father’s sermons over the years he had frequently used the story of Ruth and the parable of the Prodigal son.  We asked him to weave those into the service, and he did so seamlessly.  He worked so hard on this service, calling us almost daily for several weeks to check and recheck on what he was doing.  

We listened to the ceremony again today.  And then decided to honor Dan's mother’s desire to be a part of sending us into the world as a married couple by dancing to her song. 

Happy Anniversary, my love…..

We made promises to each other on the day that we were married—twelve years ago.  We have kept all these promises.  

We have traveled all over the USA in our truck/camper on eight, five month long road trips.  We have seen things that you would not believe…that we had never known existed.  We have spent months alone, hiking and dancing in the most remote places that we could find. We have danced in the wilderness, the Badlands and grasslands, in deserts, on mountain meadows, on top of mesas, always holding each other close.

We have cycled together enough miles to go around the world—24,901 miles, and have cycled another 5,000 miles on our way back around the world again!

We have spent days and weeks with our precious children, our sweet grandchildren, and dear family…playing together, learning from their youthful wisdom, and loving each of them with all our heart.

We have had many losses.  Our parents have died.  A sister and brother have died. Friends have died.  We have had life threatening health issues and surgeries.  We have grown old together these past twelve years.  But we don’t feel old—we have each other and so many dreams and adventures to share in our years left together.

Our love for each other has grown each day, each year.  We love each other more than the day that we were married.  And we have kept all the promises we made to each other on the day that we were married.

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 to the ceremony again today.  And then decided to honor Dan's mother’s desire to be a part of sending us into the world as a married couple by dancing to her song.