Yesterday, my sweet man had a birthday. It is hard to believe we have celebrated thirteen birthdays together! I know it sounds cliché, but sometimes I do wonder where the years have gone. With each birthday, we are reminded that our lives are finite, and if we do not do something great with them, no one will do it for us! We do not have as much time as we think to make our mark on this world.
I sincerely hope Eric had an excellent birthday experience. Indulge me for a moment as I ruminate on what this man means to me:
Who Is This Guy?
I first met Eric in PSYC 405 (Group Dynamics) in January 2003. When I picked the desk behind his, I had no idea that I was inches away from my future husband – especially since one of our first conversations was about another girl. ~smile~ Even though Eric is not what most would consider a typical guy, there was something about him I could not shake. I could not walk away. I guess I was a glutton for punishment. ~smile~ As the semester drew to a close, I was saddened by the thought of not being a part of his life anymore. I am so thankful he invited me to a movie – and the rest is history.
In the summer following, we had a great time emailing each other. In fact, I miss that excited feeling I would get in my chest when I saw a new message from him. We talked about everything under the sun. We even had a pretty big argument! But, Eric’s response to my grievances was so genuine and heartfelt I could not help but like him even more!
What Will Come of Our Relationship?
When the next school year started, he was still not interested in me romantically – and that frustrated me! There were even times when he told me, point-blank, that he was not interested in me in “that way.” I waffled between thinking I liked him and denying that I liked him – though none of my friends had any doubt that I liked him. ~smile~ But, no matter what I did, he kept pulling me back in like a tractor beam. Whether he was going to be my friend or something more, I knew I did not want to live without him; and, we have to give him credit for honestly not leading me on!
I still remember the night we went from being friends to more than friends like it was yesterday. I could scarcely believe it at the time. I thought, “Am I going to wake up?” Once our courtship officially began, I never had any doubt that we would get married. And, one year later (to the day), we did!
Has our marriage been what we dreamed it would be during those early, carefree days? No, it has not been anything like we imagined it would be. However, we have each grown tremendously. We love each other more deeply; and, looking back over our years together, I can see how his unique personality and perspective has helped me become a better person.
- Eric, you have helped me see how pointless and unhealthy it is to hold a grudge.
- You have shown me that I have much more potential than I credit myself.
- You have modeled what a confident person can accomplish.
- You love me when I do not deserve it.
- You have always been a tremendous provider and never left me to fend for myself.
- Your witty comments and funny expressions make me laugh.
- And, you make me feel safe.
I hope your birthday celebration was a reflection of how much I love you and how deeply I wish wonderful blessings on your life. I pray the Lord gives us many more years together in good health and that the birthdays only get sweeter from here.
You make my heart smile.
Does your special someone know how much you appreciate him or her?
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