What a Difference Time Makes

Six years ago today, the weather was chilled but sunny.  I was able to walk around without a coat on.  On that day I met the man that would one day be my husband.

Two years ago today, the weather was much the same as it is now–a chill in the air, rain drops a possibility and gray skies galore.  On that day I married the man that I met four years to the day earlier.

In the two years since we said our vows and had a helluva party (and I mean helluva), the newness has started to fade.  No longer newlyweds, and certainly no newcomers to the relationship, there are fewer PDAs and surprises, but there are greater levels of commitment and trust.  It’s a trade off, I suppose.

Two years doesn’t seem like a long time, but when coupled with the four years we spent together before that, we’ve certainly had our time to measure the other one up and gain perspective on how we fit into that person’s life.  It’s an amazing thing to look back to that first October 12 and imagine what the other was thinking.  But it’s even more amazing to reflect on this one and know what the other is thinking.

We’re both thinking: holy shit…we’ve made it this far.

Marriage isn’t easy.  At least, we’ve never had an easy go of it.  It seems that every time one of us turns around we’ve been hit with new challenges, new tragedies and new roads to follow.  We’ve dealt with financial turmoil, death, family issues, and much more.  We’ve fought our own demons while returning home each night to face another round of problematic life happenings.  We’ve struggled to learn what it means to be an individual in a marriage where, rumor has it, two hearts become one.

But we’ve also had good times.  We’ve learned the other better than the back of our own hands.  We’ve been there for one another like no other person has or can ever do.  We’ve laughed a lot.  We’ve loved a lot.  We’ve lived a lot.

Two years into this journey I know very few absolutes.  Life can change too quickly to put stock in terms unchanging.  People move on, life goes forward, we struggle to keep up.  What I do know is this:  I’m glad to have someone to face the twists and turns with that is at least amenable to giving in to my silliness, my drama and my ever-changing life to-do list.  And the fact that this person knows me better than anyone else is just a bonus in a life where bonuses are few and far between.

Six years ago today, I met the man that I’d eventually marry.  And when he did the simple things that I still remember to this day, I thought “I could get used to this.”

Two years ago today, I married the man that it would be trite to call my best friend.  I married the man that would be my family.