How do you know you picked your soulmate? Finding that one person who completes you can be daunting. It may seem like it’s impossible. It takes that magic moment of being in the right place, at the right time…when your worlds collide.
This picture recently popped up in my Facebook memories from several years ago. My husband and I look young, well rested and genuinely happy. We had been married for only two years and our biggest concern in life was planning for an upcoming move to Illinois. Our dog was our “fur child” and we only had to look out for each other. Our little bickering was over who would empty the dishwasher.
Life felt simple.
But, marriage isn’t simple. It takes a lot of work, plenty of tears, and sometimes even heartache. Since this picture was taken, our marriage has been tested time and time again. We faced the frustration and heartache of infertility. We faced the unimaginable tragedy of child loss. We face the financial strain that comes with medical bills; a feeling of drowning in never-ending debt. We faced the stress of bringing home a medically fragile baby and the fear of taking too much time away from our jobs.
Yet through it all, we stuck together, solid as a rock.
Marriage isn’t simple. Over the years, we have bickered, we have cried, and yes—I have hung up the phone on my husband. I have let my stubborn personality consume me and I’ve found myself annoyed at my spouse when clothes aren’t picked up or when the house is a mess.
But through it all, this man sticks by my side.
He held me as we lost two of our children and he has wiped away thousands of my tears as I grieve over the years. He loves me for who I am and all my crazy antics. He loves our daughter and would do anything for her, becoming a perfect image of all that a father should be. He loves me more every single year that passes by. And the feeling is mutual.
It’s been more than 14 years since we first met and fell in love. A lot has changed in the 5,000+ days. We have more wrinkles, less sleep and not as much time for just the two of us. But, that’s OK. I thank God that our worlds collided so many years ago.
As I texted my husband this picture that popped up, a loud ping instantly replied. “You’re just as beautiful as the day that we met”, my husband texted me. I’m a lucky lady….lucky to have my best friend and my soulmate by my side.