Until Death Do Us Part.

Wow, with Summers never ending activities I haven't been able to blog as much as I would like.  I have had many things to write about, but most days no time to even complete a sentence.

The Hasty household has been a buzz with playdates, sleepovers, camps, Vacation Bible Schools, pool time, and family time.  It's been a fun whirlwind of a summer and we are loving every minute of it.

About this time every year I get a little sappy.  Why you ask? In July the love of my life has a birthday and we also celebrate our wedding anniversary.

I don't really know why we planned it this way (young and in love) but in July of 1997 Jeff turned 24, he graduated from Radiology School and we were married within a few weeks of each other. We were so ready to be married we didn't care about the crazy time of year that it was for us.  I was 20 years old, working for an attorney (Jeff's fabulous cousin Jackie), and a full time student.

Thinking back to those times 16 years ago brings warm fuzzy feelings to my heart.  We had a lot to learn about life, each other, and being adults, but it was the BEST time together.  We loved spending our first Thanksgiving and Christmas as man and wife, decorating out house together, cooking for him when he got off of work and just hanging out watching TV together (that was life before kids ;).

I knew he was a great guy then, but as we have grown older together my feelings of love and infatuation for him turned more to love and endearment and feeling like he is a part of me I never want  to be without.  The best part of me is him.

I think that in the past 16 years of being together my definition of love has changed.When you are young you might think showing love is getting a nice gift for your significant other. Or maybe telling them you love them a gazillion times per day.  You try to make everything perfect for them so they think everything is perfect.

Now I see love in a completely different light.  Love for me now is:

• Putting my (and our children's) needs before his.
• Cleaning the house for me so I can have a break.
• Holding me in life's darkest hours and telling me we are going to make it.
• Telling me the truth even though he knows it's going to hurt me but doing it in love.
• Driving an old car instead of having the nice truck that he's always wanted so I could stay home full time and raise our young children.
• Seeing me with a few extra pounds after being pregnant and never once making me feel like I was anything less than a beauty queen.
• Feeling his hand on me in the middle of the night knowing that he is praying for me.
• Speaking well of me to others even though he has many reasons to say otherwise.
• Letting me scream, cry and be depressed when I was mad at God for letting my babies die and reminding me to trust God instead.

Jeff does a wonderful job of telling me how much he loves me, but he does an even better job of SHOWING me love daily.

We have been through better and much worse, great sickness and health, and times of plenty and times of want.

I'm not nieve enough to think that we will not have more hardships.  I'm smart enough to know that we can make it through those hardships together, putting God first always.

Jeff,

Thank you for showing me unconditional love and support, mercy, grace when I didn't deserve it, and for making me laugh for the past 20 years. You are my best friend and my biggest cheerleader. I'm so blessed to have you to share this life with. You know me better than I know myself. Thank you for 16 wonderful years as my husband.  I look forward to 50+ more.  Until death do us part.......

Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to let me talk about my husband.  I promise next time to not be so sappy.

Have a great day my friends.

Marsha