Better Together

Tomorrow is our 5 year anniversary. 5 years. Insane. Some days it feels like we just got married...other days it feels like we've been married forever! Not in a bad way, but in the way that I can't picture my life without Jay in it. I have never had so much fun with another human being.
We've had our share of craziness.
In 5 years we have lived in 7 different apartments and one house between 2 countries (including 1 province and 3 states). We've accumulated 2 cats, one husky and a little boy who is the perfect combination of us both...ok, fine he looks nothing like me, but I like to think I contributed to his musical side and his hilariousness :)
We've bought (and currently regret buying) one house and together we've held 11 different jobs. Through it all we've become nothing but closer.
Together, Jay and I are the perfect combination of alike and different. I am often amazed at how well we work together.
From the time I was in high school, I prayed every night that God would prepare my heart for my future husband and that his heart would be prepared for me. That's exactly what happened.
Jay and I met one summer, spent many months living in 2 different countries and then got engaged. No one was in support of this, and if I had a friend who was rushing into a relationship like I did, I would have advised her to put the brakes on too. I know that God intended for Jay and I to be together. I praise God that he gave me a peace in my spirit about marrying him...in the midst of a situation that didn't make sense...even when people were strongly against my decision (and I am someone who cares very greatly about what other people think of my decisions), I knew to my core that being with Jay was where I needed to be.
I had been 20 years old for a whole month when I said, "I do." And I have never regretting it.
Call me a prude, but I didn't really have a serious relationship before Jay and I praise God for that! He is my one and only....I compare him to no one and I am not only content, but overjoyed each day that I get to spend it with him.
Jay is an amazing husband and an incredible father. He works harder than anyone I know and does so for the sake of his family. He takes his role very seriously and I have an enormous amount of respect for him.
Plus I think he's super hot :)
I look around me and I see a lot of relationships where people regret their decision to get married and I weep for them....the media doesn't help...celebrities, government officials, even Christian leaders are cheating on each other and getting divorced at record rates...we live in a world that doesn't honor it's commitments to anything, especially marriage. My prayer is that everyone can find the love, enjoyment and respect in their marriages that I have in mine. I don't say this boastfully, but in a way of praising God for it. Without Him at the center, the whole thing would fall a part...we are not perfect people, but we're perfect for each other.
There are days in the midst of stress where I use Jay as my punching bag...but we all tend to do that to the ones we love the most. That doesn't make it right, but the ones we feel most comfortable with often get the best and worst parts of us. Luckily, Jay's best parts far outweigh his worst and I say to him regularly, "I'm so happy we're married" because it's true. Even after 5 years (which is a long haul for some reading this and a drop in the bucket for others) we are happier and more in love then ever, which makes me excited about the future. Life just gets sweeter when you spend it with the one you love.
While Caden is in school tomorrow, Jay and I will have a day date to celebrate our marital bliss...Amber is going to take Caden to school so we can sleep in, make pancakes, head to a dollar movie and eat some early bird dinner :) Oh man, we're so cheap and old...it's going to be AWESOME!
Happy Anniversary Jay! I love you more than chocolate soup.