Our Forever Love Story

Twenty-one years ago he asked me to spend the rest of my life with him. Our love story began that day. Just the two of us. So much of life ahead of us. So young. So ready to start on the journey together.

I did not know it was going to go by so fast. It seems twenty years has come and gone by in a blink of an eye. I have thought about that a lot lately. How fast time goes. Twenty one years ago it was just us.

Three years we were together as just the two of us. Then there was the two of us with one. Every milestone was enjoyed with the one. The first smile, the day she rolled over, the first steps, the first notes sung, the first words read. It was us enjoying one.

Three years later it was us and them. My dream was becoming a reality. I was a Mommy everyday with them. There were ribbons and bows to adorn in the hair on Sundays. There were pacifiers to locate, squabbles to settle and morning sickness to overcome; because all most as quickly as there was them - two of them - there was three.

Three girls. A surprise to us at how fast our family had grown; but we were happy. The two of us enjoying 'them'. There was another bow to add to the heads of hair on Sundays, and plenty of pink to go around. Our love story was being lived out right before our very eyes! We were so busy living. There were diapers to change, bottles to clean and pictures to be taken. Then it happened again. As quickly, almost, as there had been three there was to be another one. We were shocked.

Then as quickly as there had been four there were only three. One was gone. Not forever; but for a long time. Our love story hurt. We hurt more than we had every hurt before. It was the two of us trying to maneuver through the sadness. It was both of us - crippled by pain- trying to walk together; but hurting too much to accomplish that.

Suddenly, it was us walking together through life; but alone in our hearts. The pain hurt too much to be close. It was each of us walking alone - emotionally broken. It was dark. It was hard. Then HE reminded us of His plan. Faith made us act on TRUTH rather than feelings. We committed to stay us forever. HE sent healing, gave each of us the ability to forgive; and through His power we became closer than we had been ever before. It became us again - - walking together. We learned to love each other even when it hurt. It was our love story lived out in HIS plan for us.

We lived together - with the three of them and missed deeply the one who had completed her story sooner than we had planned. Then, HE began to show us that HE was not done with the addition process of our family. He began to show us those that had no family. Children who were alone. A child - a him - that needed us. (Little did we know how much we needed him!) After months in our home that little him became part of our 'them'. It was us loving and being loved by the four of them.

I thought the addition to our love story was complete; but HE said no. We knew there was another one that HE wanted to add. We thought it would happen suddenly; but alas, month after month it just continued to be us with the four of them. We were happy; but something - or should I say someone was still missing. A chapter was still waiting to be written. It appeared that it would never happen. Then the call came. There was one - a little one - a little her - with a need for a family. Through tears we said yes. Through tears one was added to four and suddenly there were five. Five here - one in waiting - six to complete us.

Our love story has brought us this far. Someday our story will be over. I do not know when that will be; but as I think about it I realize that our love story is really HIS story for us. How quickly it seems to be told - this love story of ours. How quickly the pages seem to turn. Twenty- one years ago I said 'yes'. I did not know the story would be read so fast, or at times would be so hard; but one thing I knew. I wanted it to be forever. Our forever love story.

So, today I say 'yes' again. I want to walk together and live our love story out as long and as far as it will take us. This Valentine Day I say 'yes' again - and hope that we have twenty-one more years to live out the story.

My Dearest Rob,

"Forever and for always - you and me. I love you, my Valentine. Hand in hand I want us to walk through our love story realizing someday soon that the blessings God has given us will start to live out their own love stories - the love stories HE has planned for them. I am just glad that God allowed their stories to begin in our love story. I love you, Rob. Forever and for always - you and me.
All my love,

~Martie