~ honest. sincere. embarrassing. funny. with a healthy dose of sarcasm. ~
___________________________________

Saturday, August 26

Happy 6 years, baby!!

Today is our 6 year anniversary. Garnet is working nights all weekend - keepin' the romance alive, baby! We'll do something special next week. September 12th is our anniversary of when we met 8 years ago -- and in keeping with tradition we are going back to Canada's Wonderland where he first spotted his little Harv.

What have I learned in 6 years? I've learned that happily ever after is great fairy tale ending....but the fairy tales never go beyond the honey moon. The real deep layers of marriage - that no one wants to talk about - are the intense moments of two lives meshing. Where two very different people from very different pasts come together to make a new future.

Marriage is work. Marriage is bringing the baggage from every other aspect of your life and dumping it at someone's feet --- asking them to love you while they wade through it all. You will never agree on everything - somedays it feels like you agree on nothing. It's a learning experience as two people grow in life and change - together. It's fun having someone to laugh with and share the joys of life - it's beautiful to think of growing old together. And best of all, it's having your best friend there beside you at the end of every day to kiss and lean on and protect - and there every morning to start fresh.

Dooce, who's writing is magnificent and hits close to home in more ways than the bitterness of the religious past - wrote a beautiful entry on her anniversary. To quote;
"But every single morning one of us leans over and kisses the other like we promised we would do four years ago, even on the mornings when we don’t feel like it, even on the mornings when one of us would rather punch the other one in the balls.

Each morning we start over again because we want this to work."

And not to sound cheesy on quoting Dr. Phil - but he said something to an arguing couple on a show that hit pretty close. To the husband: "What if you woke every morning and decided that everything you say to her today was going to protect and encourage her self-esteem, show her love, and enhance the woman that she is," and to the wife; "And everything you said to him today was going to show him that you were proud of the man he was - without having to prove anything, and showed love and trust. What about if everyday was about showing love instead of being right."

Yup. Love you, Honey.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy Anniversary guys!! wow, 6yrs went by that fast! where is all the time going? dan and i just had our 4th on the 17th, can't believe it. i hope that you guys have a nice time together when you go away. cherish the moments of today for tomorrow they will only be a memory.
Ang

Charity said...

I know I've said this before but I can't believe it's been that long since I was standing in line with you at wonderland that day!! I have such great memories of hanging out with the two of you and I'm so happy for you! Enjoy your celebration!

Anonymous said...

Happy Anniversary! Jessi you have a very clear and wonderful insite about the workings of a marriage! And how to make it work. Some days a relationship is 50/50 but more often than not it is 40/60 or 30/70. You seem to have that all figured out. I wish you and Garnet many more years together so that you will grow old with your best friend.

Faunie

kelly ens said...

Happy Anniversary! i just read that on Dooce today too.
enjoy another year together!

Jenni said...

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to you both.
6 years? WOW! Where has the time gone, it just seems like yesterday Garnet was at the house telling us the "STORY". I am very fortunate to have both of you in my life, and wish we could see more of eachother.
Happy 6th again..
Love you both!
jenni

derek salmon said...

happy anniversary to you both! you wrote some very insightful things. thanks :)