My paramour...

JohnnyMac and I celebrate our wedding anniversary today. We leave Litte Man with Grammy and spend the next two days at one of Seattle's jewels, The Alexis Hotel. JohnnyMac set this up. And he has some other suprises up his sleeve. His sleeve is notorious for holding great surprises. I love his sleeve.

Of course, I have set him up for multiple rounds of golf this week. And I have surprises in store as well. Our wedding day was truly amazing. To have so many people we love in the same place, at the same time, was an incredible, incredible gift to us. This picture is from the minute he slipped my wedding ring on my finger. I have not taken it off since.

It is moving to know that for most of us, at the core of who we are, we do believe in love.

Not only the love found in family, or friends, but the type of love in which you look at someone and say, I honestly feel as though I can not live with out you.

I have always believed I lived a full life. And I did. All of the memories in my portfolio of experiences led me to where I am now. But I had not lived love as fully as I have since meeting JohnnyMac. When when you meet the right person, something inside you that did not exist before is suddenly illuminated. And I do feel illuminated.

Marriage is one of the most important jobs I will ever have. On our wedding day, we wrote our own vows. I promised that when I look at him, I will look to see him clearly. And that I will never assume I know everything about him. I also promised to spend my life participating in this relationship. And to treat his love and presence in my life as a gift.

And marriage is also about challenging yourself. To be patient when you want to be impatient. To be silent when you feel insistent you are right, or your point is more valid. It is hard, and it is easy. It is raw at certain crossroads. At times, it is holding a mirror to yourself. And at other times, it is shows you what you are missing, and makes you a better person. It is honest. And sometimes it is overwhelming. And it is by far the most complicated and rewarding relationship you ever have because it is the one you picked.

Love is a gift. And I hope I am fully living my promises. Sam Keen said Love isn't about finding the perfect person. Its about seeing the imperfect person perfectly. 

And so, in the minutes I may not be living my promises, when I feel that distractions, or other priorities are valid excuses for making my marriage second tier, I want to keep in mind: that both of us, with our imperfections, are better as a team than we could ever be as individual. 

And now, as we are raising a son, a little man who is proof that goodness that is pure and true exists, what we strive for as his parents is that everything good about him is not only a reflection on us, but a reflection of us. And this is another really great goal to have.

Sometimes love misses it mark, but not the day we got married.

Happy Anniversary JohnnyMac. I am celebrating all we have done, and all still in store for us.