Conscious Coupling (Hijacked)

I logged in today to do what I could to thwart my sneaky husbands plan–blog hijacker he is. (He called me the Navy Seals to his Isis plan today–funny, isn’t he?)  I thought I would pepper my sarcastic responses to what most certainly be a sweet, snarky anniversary post.  However, his post had me laughing and crying and I can’t bear to touch a word of it.  I’ll add a few words below (in red.) Only Chad would title a post “Conscious Coupling”–tipping my hat to Gweneth.

Okay, on to Chad’s words. . .

Yes…that’s me, in my infamous “I {heart} YOU” shirt, after I carved those words into the trunk of a quercus rubra (red oak).

15 years…180 months…782.7 weeks…5479 days…

When I look at time, well, it’s usually because I am doing billing, filling out a log or waiting for something to be done (like sleep [sad face emoji], a game [ALL IN 216], or food [happy face emoji]). I don’t often take a step back and look at a grand scope of time. It may be because life is what it is when we have three kids, a dog, a business and a full time job. Or, it may be because I don’t allow myself to just sit back and reflect on life, the comings and goings, the ups and downs, the joys and sorrows, because then I get reflective and in touch with my inner self. (It’s obviously the first one…let’s not even delve into that second option, it makes for a much less interesting story.)

When I do step back and acknowledge the life I have lived, I can see the people that have come into my life. I can see how they have enriched, strengthened, built up, challenged, tore down, mistreated, loved, nurtured, and stood by me. I can see how people have come and gone depending on the chapter of life, and how much of an impact they made in that chapter. Without these people in my life, I would not have been who I was when I was 5, 10, 20, or who I am today (my age shall remain unnamed). Every one of these people has added something to my life, and I thank them for living their purpose during that time.

There is one person who has done life with me for 15 (state and church sanctioned) years and two more, previous to those years, that we will call the wooing chapter. As I have noted in earlier hijacked blogs, Summer and I thoroughly enjoy doing life together. We laugh together. We celebrate together. We enjoy parenting together. We enjoy sleeping together (get your minds out of the gutters, it’s literal sleep, did you read what I said earlier about the kids, dog, jobs!?!?). We enjoy nature together. We enjoy the big city together. {Side note, we do have things we don’t do together. She cries and I don’t. I watch sports and she doesn’t. She likes to eat healthy and I, well, we’ll just leave it there.} But we do life together, and I enjoy that Summer is the one I get to journey with.

So, on this 15th anniversary of our “conscious coupling”, I would like to say THANK YOU, Summer. Thank you for loving me despite my imperfections. Thank you for encouraging me to be better in all aspects of life. Thank you for going on adventures with me (because adventure is your middle name). Thank you for helping me to think bigger than our finite world. Thank you for showing me how to take the life moments as they come. Thank you for showing our girls how to be strong women. Thank you for showing our son how to nurture. Thank you for showing all three of them how to truly love others unconditionally and parent with the grace and dignity that is ingrained in you. Most of all, thank you for marrying me!!! Without that single act, none of this would be possible! Think about how much impact that one single decision made on your life, on my life, on our kid’s lives! What pressure you must have felt on that day, knowing how much was going to happen when you slipped that ring on your finger and said, “I do!”. You are a tremendous human, and one that I am proud to call my wife! I love you…here’s to 15 + 15 + 15 + (that will make me really old, we shall see) more years of fun, frivolity, frolicking and happiness together!

Because, after all, it’s “ME + U 4EVER“!

A really cold adventure in NYC…I would have life no other way, well, maybe 20 degrees warmer on that day…

See? How could I sprinkle my sarcasm throughout his perfect post?  Let me just say this.  Fifteen years ago I had no idea that the man I was marrying would one day make me the most perfect coffee, even though he hates coffee.  I didn’t know that when I whispered my dreams, he would breathe life into them.  I didn’t know that this man would stand in a woman’s clothing store and hand me items to try on because I am the worlds worst shopper.  Fifteen years ago I didn’t know that the guy that held my hand as we repeated our vows would one day carry my camera gear and and partner with me in business.  I didn’t know that the man that was becoming my husband would prepare a protein drink for me each morning before he leaves for work and perfectly grill salmon for an evening meal.  I could have never foreseen that this guy would respond to my “I can’t’s” with “you can’s” or my “I’m scared” with “It’s okay, do it anyway”.  Fifteen years ago I had no idea that the guy I was marrying would, each and every day, put my needs before his own.

It goes without saying that I don’t know much, but this I do know: When I married Chad, I struck gold.

Here’s to many, many more years, Chad. (Even if I have to put up with your ridiculous Bitmoji  for a few of them.)