Fifteen years

wedding

How is it possible?  Fifteen years went by in a blink.

The years have been turbulent and placid, full of adventure and calm, one house, two children, visits to four continents, and over 50,000 digital photos.  We’ve had bad luck both hilarious and terrifying, cars totalled by falling trees that were struck by lightning (true) and children having anaphylactic reactions to nuts (also true).  We’ve also had extraordinary, miraculous luck, in the enormous form of a heart transplant but also in tiny ways every day.

We summitted Kilimanjaro together within six months of meeting, but as the minister said on our wedding day, Kilimanjaro is nothing compared to marriage.  And he was right.  It’s been a walk both more difficult and more breathtaking than I could possibly have imagined.  Our ascent of Kilimanjaro was marked by a golden late afternoon in the sun where you washed my hair for me and a long, slow slog to the top in a white-out blizzard.  Both of those experiences in a single week, along with more than I can count along the spectrum both meteorological and emotional.

Just like life.

I look at this picture and I’m struck by the palpable joy, by the deeply familiar place (we still go there most weekends of the summer, and each time I walk through this space I stop and remember the strains of Maybe I’m Amazed and this exact moment), and by how young we both are.  Young and optimistic and hopeful.  Fifteen years have sanded the rough edges off of us, there’s no question about that, as well as allowed some of our tendencies to harden into traits.  I hope there’s been more gentling than hardening.  Honestly, I think that’s a good a wish for a heading-towards-long marriage as I can think of.

I love you, Matt.  Happy fifteen years.  Here’s to well more than fifteen more.

Anniversary posts from past years are here: 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011

 

20 thoughts on “Fifteen years”

  1. Congratulations! I love that we got married in the same year. And I always forget then remember when you have an anniversary post and I realize– hey I’ve almost been married _____ years. We’re in December.

    15 feels major, doesn’t it!? Something about those certain numbers.

    You know I love when you write about Mr. A Design So Vast.

  4. “I hope there’s been more gentling than hardening. Honestly, I think that’s a good a wish for a heading-towards-long marriage as I can think of.” Yes, exactly. Thank you for putting that into words for me. And congratulations! xoxo

  5. your writing is a joy to read. “tendencies to traits” rings so true: some days it’s the hardest thing in the world for me not to default to the rote response, to actually listen, whether to my husband after 20+ years or my son after nearly 18.

    thanks for the constant reminders to keep doing the work, and to keep being grateful for what “is”.

  10. Yes! 15 feels major. And I agree, I love that we were married the same year. I assure you, Matt LOVES being Mr. A Design So Vast. 🙂

  11. Yes! I, too, was struck by this line: “I hope there’s been more gentling than hardening.” Beautiful. And a great reminder as I’ve been feeling a bit hard lately.

    Happy anniversary to a beautiful couple who have worked to build a beautiful life!

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