Only God Could Love You More!

It's hard to believe that we are old enough to be married 19 years today! 19 years? It seems like yesterday that mom was helping me with my veil and my dad was walking me down the aisle. Where did the time go?

It was so fun this morning to look at our rehearsal dinner picture that is hanging in the closet and giggle together that we looked so young. We still do...or at leas that's the story that I'm sticking with.

We may look a little different when we look in the mirror each morning but we are still that young couple who fell deeply in love at Baylor University so many years ago. I'll never forget how you told me that you loved me before you even kissed me....I think that was on our 2nd or 3rd date. It didn't take this heart of mine very long before I realized that you were the one that I had been praying for my whole life. What an incredible gift you are to me.

I can't imagine journeying through life with anyone else but you. Our life together has not been perfect by any means, and at times it has even been a bit difficult, but it has always been blessed and I wouldn't trade any of our memories together. With you, my joys are somehow even more joyous, and the deepest sorrows are somehow easier when you are right there beside me.

It is the Lord that brought us together and I am so thankful that He did. We share many similarities....like our heritages of faith, our deep and abiding love for the Lord, a desire to serve Him faithfully, singing together, snorkeling, etc....but we have a few differences to make life interesting. For instance, your gun closet is filled with guns that I can't pronounce....my gun closet holds a well used hot glue gun, but I can wield it like no other. You would rather watch UFC fights on television, but I prefer Hallmark movies...but still we both compromise...I'll watch the fights with you (I can't believe I even remember their names....my students think that is cool) and you watch Hallmark's Christmas in July movies with me....while adding a few funny commentaries.

Our two best blessings, next to Jesus, are still sleeping this morning. How can they possibly be 16 and 12? The tears are already streaming down my cheeks, so I'll just move on. What a joy to be their parents!

I'll try to wrap this up. Only you know this heart of mine like no other. Often you believe in me when I don't even believe in myself..going back to college is the perfect example. I love how it took you saying, "Kristi, either go back to school or quit talking about it! You can do it" before I jumped back into school. You were right.

You know that I am fiercely competitive, but so are you... so I love the fact that we stayed up until almost 11:30 last Saturday night playing volleyball in the pool because I wasn't going to bed until I had won....and you weren't either. How funny that our daughters said they were tired and going to bed....game over! I love that you kissed me goodbye this morning and your fragrance lingers. Your baby blue eyes melt my heart like no other.

One look into those eyes and I melt all over again (unless of course they are your angry eyes....that I don't see very often....only when working on project like putting together the pool {I'm smiling and hoping that you are too}).

My mind is flooded with so many memories of our 19 years together. What an incredible gift from the Lord.

May He grant us many, many more years together.

Love,

Kristi