17 Years

John and I were married Saturday, June 7, 1997. Yesterday was our 17th wedding anniversary! Because of our sweet friends showering with gifts last week, we were able to get a nice steak dinner out and catch a movie. I feel like 17 years is a lot. It's like we are entering our senior year in high school or something.

The last three years have been a bit rough for us both financially and with all of John's job problems. It has a been a challenge to try and stay close and not criticize each other. I feel like this has been the first long term challenge that we have had to our marriage that has made it easier to give in to the temptation to argue and criticize. I am learning how much choice goes into a good marriage. There is no magic. We have to make the choice to be kind and put aside negative emotions. In fact, the choice goes a bit farther. If we are careful to ward off the negative emotions, we are building a stronger marriage and coming closer. Tough times can bring you closer or drive you apart. Some days being close is easy. Other days, we just feel impatient enough in our situation that it is hard to separate that from how we treat each other. That doesn't change that how we treat each other is our choice. I choose John and I know John chooses me. We may be sometime longer struggling to find a good job for John and to pay our bills, but it is better to struggle together. Marriage is a beautiful thing!