the rain fell outside the window as i turned pages of time.
pictures capturing faces of the ones who had gathered around us in celebration...
faces of some who now stand on heavenly soil, gathered around The Lamb...
faces who behold His Glory.
i pulled out pictures from behind clear plastic,
i pulled out pictures from behind clear plastic,
to get a closer look.
to hold missed ones close once again.
and i could hear it, those strains of the wedding music chosen.
i could feel it, the way my heart beat wildly in my chest.
clothed in white, standing behind those closed sancturary doors...
i longed to be with him.
ten years.
ten.
years.
how could it have moved so quickly?
the doors opened and i felt the hush.
i felt your smile deep down in my bones.
i couldn't take my eyes off of you.
we claimed ground that day,
in that little country church out on the open prairies.
we claimed our ground and we sealed it with bands of gold and a kiss you waited until our wedding day to give me.
i feel as though i took a breath and ten years have flown by...
and how can i tell you how much i love you?
how can i tell you what these ten years have done?
our wedding day was beautiful,
pure joy.
but this journey? this passage of time? these ten years that happened while i blinked?
full joy.
despite the losses, the sorrows, the times of pulling away,
you are home.
despite the losses, the sorrows, the times of pulling away,
you are home.
time has taught me that life can rage and fall apart all around us,
but that moment that found you dressed in black and me all wrapped up in white? we spoke promises that are unmovable.
we spoke holy words that sunk deep in a brief moment of time,
that are anchored strong in a Strong God.
and life can crumble, kids can scream and miles can be traveled long and paved with tears,
but we are not without a Shelter,
we are never without a reason for joy.
thank you, tony, for standing at the end of an aisle ten years ago.
thank you for holding out your hand and wrapping me up in you.
thank you for promising me until death and for humoring my wish to have a mansion of gold right next to yours.
thank you for marrying a messed up girl and praying me into the woman i am becoming.
i am hopelessly, passionately in love with you...
ten years have only deepened the fire.
