Love, Love, Love....

We started celebrating Valentine's Day a little bit early this year.   Our pastor had suggested doing a special service on Sunday evening, Feb. 12.... a marriage vow renewal service.  Over the month between the announcement of the service and the actual event, a dozen couples signed up to renew their vows.

I didn't even ask Mike if he'd like to be a part of it, having asked him on our tenth anniversary, and again when our fifteenth was coming up. He squirmed and wiggled and gave a gentle moan of protest.  He isn't one to make a public spectacle of himself, he gets nervous and embarrassed.  So, I didn't ask.  However, when we got home from church on the day of the announcement, Mike asked me if we were going to renew our vows!  I was shocked that he'd even entertain the idea....and I said just that.  He said, "No...let's do it."  I teased him, saying, "I guess you really do want to stay married to me for all eternity!"  And so, I signed us up, fast and furiously, so that he couldn't back out! 

On Saturday evening,  he asked me what I wanted him to wear. (I never have seen any man so concerned with looking 'just right' for anything. Maybe it has something to do with his stint in the US Marines, but whenever he's dressed, he's neat, he's clean, he's put together...without my help.)  He asked me what to wear because there would be pictures taken.  So, I gave him my thoughts, and he chose from the ties and shirts I'd picked out from his assortment. 

Sunday night arrived and we sat with the other couples, some missing due to an attack of colds and flu. We listened as the Pastor read a piece on love....and then he called us all to the front of the church. He told us to hold each others hands and to look deep into each others eyes. Then he had the men repeat their vows after him, followed by the women repeating theirs. At the end he declared, 'by the authority vested in me, I now pronounce your wedding vows are renewed from this day forward."   Tada! 

It was a very meaningful service...bring tears to the eyes of some of us. One 'bride' wept!  I just couldn't stop smiling!  I am so blessed to share my life with this wonderful husband of mine, who holds me when I'm sad, encourages me when I lose sight of my goals, makes me giggle over nothing, points out special things going on in nature, talks to me about his feelings, the tv shows he's watched that I might have snored through, and the books he's read.  He shares my interests, appreciates my efforts and is very complimentary about anything I do.  He thinks it's his job to wait on me, to please me, to keep my happy.  I've been given the gift of this man... and I  love telling you that I appreciate him, enjoy him, and plan on staying with him until the earth crumbles, the seas dry, and the skies fall....in other words....for all eternity.