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SEVENTEEN

Seventeen.  Wow!  In so many ways I cannot believe that seventeen years ago today I married my best friend.  In some ways (both good and bad), it seems like so much longer.  I really can't remember my life without him and I'd hate to even imagine it.

Love never gives up.  Love cares more for others than for self.  Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.  Love doesn't strut, doesn't have a swelled head, doesn't force itself on others, isn't always 'me first,' doesn't fly off the handle, doesn't keep score of the sins of others, doesn't revel when others grovel, takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, puts up with anything, trusts God always, always looks for the best, never looks back, but keeps going to the end (I Corinthians 13:4-7).

I honestly cannot say that I love Andy in that way, but I can honestly say that I want to, I long to, I try to.  I fail in almost ever single category.  I can pat myself on the back and say that I never give up.  Check.  I can say that I try my hardest to care for him more than for myself (usually).  I know that I try not to keep score, I know that I put up with tons (not as much as Andy puts up with though), I have really tried to look for the best these past few years, but I have a long way to go.  I don't want to look back because the best is yet to come.  I long to trust God always even when I don't understand.  I don't love perfectly, but I do love big.  Andy doesn't love perfectly, but he loves me.  He.  Loves.  Me.

Seventeen years.  I'm thankful for the journey I am on.  This marriage journey is a roller coaster.  I just need to learn to put my hands up and scream with terror-ous joy on the big drops and then "chug" my way up the big hills.  I need to love the loop and the twists and the turns and I need to stay on the ride because, like a roller coaster, if I get off, I will just want to jump back on again.  Marriage, like a great roller coaster, is a rush that I just can't get enough of!!

Thank you, Andy, for loving me.  Thanks for being my partner on this ride.  I love you.  Happy 17th Anniversary!  Here's to many many many more!

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