Ten Years

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Choose your love...then love your choice.

Ten years.  520 weeks.  3,650 days. Three children. 
Looking back on a million kisses and a few broken dreams, it's clear that getting married was the easy part...choosing the ultimate dress, selecting the wedding music, planning the perfect day. 
Staying married--that's much more challenging. Marriage wouldn't seem so hard if we didn't go into it expecting it to be so easy.  A great marriage is never accidental.  It's hard work...involving the will, the mind, the body, the emotions.   It's a series of adjustments and compromises...an ebb and flow, but the love it brings...ahh, the love...

I Love You. Nothing can prepare you for those three little words.  
No one tells you when he looks in your eyes and says, "I love you", you'll be resurrected.  In an instant, you are different.  All that you were, you cease to be.  All that you weren't, you become.  Suddenly, you are somebody.  Somebody's soul mate. You are changed forever, because love is a short word that contains everything.

With him, even the most mundane moments can be exciting...taking a walk hand-in-hand or sitting by the edge of the river rustling the pages of a good book.  He always knows what to say, how to read between the lines.  With him, I feel safe enough to shed my defenses and risk being completely myself.

He is the warrior hero of my story...always ready, sword drawn, to fight whatever battle necessary to protect me.  In the most intense circumstances, he gives me permission to be broken and lets me know he's available without being condescending.  
When I was a girl, marriage seemed boring to me.  I'd ask my mom, "Does Daddy give you tingles?"
"It's not really a tingly feeling, honey", she'd say. "It's heavier now, something weightier." 
I never understood.  How could anything in the world be better than that tingly feeling in the pit of my tummy? 

Ten years into this adventure called marriage I finally understand.  The trippy, gooey feelings that ruled the beginning of our relationship have been replaced by a steady, burning fire and I frequently get lost in the feeling that no two have ever loved the way we do...that there's not a more beautiful experience than loving him and discovering the grandest idea of love isn't in the falling...it's in the staying there.

A tutorial on making your own Volante Tee like this one is here.



[facebook] [twitter] [rss feed] [pinterest] [email] [Kristina J]

43 comments:

  1. Such a beautiful post! And beautiful family.
    Congrats on 10 years!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Aww, what a lovely post and those pictures are so pretty!Congratulations on 10 years of marriage and on your three beautiful children! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. This post is beautifully written, especially this --
    "the grandest idea of love isn't in the falling...it's in the staying there." I feel the same way about my husband. :-)
    Congrats on 10 years together!! You have a beautiful family.

    ReplyDelete
  4. So beautiful and oh, so true. We celebrate 5 years on friday. Congrats on 10 and many, many,many more to come!
    Your family is just beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Congrats on 10 years! Admirable. Here's to 10 more...times 10 and so forth.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Absolutely BEAUTIFUL photos!! You look stunning, the fam is gorgeous. I'd want to frame all of these if I were you! Congrats on 10 years. So amazing.

    Meggy from Chasing Davies

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wow ... How sweet:) I hope you and your family will have many many more years filled with happiness and joy :)

    xx

    ReplyDelete
  8. Congrats! love that pic of the whole family walking together.

    ReplyDelete
  9. We will be celebrating 10 years this summer... I completely agree with your sentiments on the way Love grows and changes and deepens and is amazing.

    But I also remember that when we were both getting ready to get married you said, "So many people spend so much time and money on the wedding and forget to prepare for the marriage..." I've thought of that so many times.

    Thanks for your Real, Great Example of marriage ;)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Beautiful!! Happy, happy anniversary!!

    Love this post - so well put. "A great marriage is never accidental. It's hard work...involving the will, the mind, the body, the emotions."
    I wish I could help my single/dating/engaged friends understand this!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Great post. Great couple. Great family. Great FRIENDS!!!
    Love Ya! Happy 10th Anniversary!

    ~Julie Sproles

    ReplyDelete
  12. What a beautiful post and pictures. Happy anniversary!! :) Love your description of love.

    ReplyDelete
  13. SO beautiful! I love what you said up top, choose your love then love your choice! Wise words my friend!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Kristina, congratulations on 10 years! Your children are truly precious! May God bless the next 10 and many more years to come!

    ReplyDelete
  15. this post literally brought tears to my eyes! it beautifully captures some of the things i've been thinking about but haven't been able to articulate.

    congratulations on 10 years!

    ps-the black and white photo of the two of you...beautiful!!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I love your photos as always. My boyfriend and I have been together for almost 5 years and I feel the same way about love and look forward to our future. Congratulations on your anniversary.

    ReplyDelete
  17. What a touching post, and such a beautiful family. Really lovely, Kristina!

    ReplyDelete
  18. This is such a beautiful post...you have a wonderful perspective on marriage and shared it so eloquently... congratulations on your first ten years!!

    Thanks for sharing!

    -Adriane@ fruitfulhomejournal.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  19. This is so heartwarming, and what beautiful photos of a beautiful family! I just hope one day I'll find a husband as wonderful as yours sounds :) Congratulations on ten years!

    ReplyDelete
  20. What a sweet post. Congratulations on ten years! You have an adorable family and I love the pictures!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Congrats on 10 years! You are a beautiful family - your kids are adorable!! I hope that I am as in love with my husband at 10 years of marriage as you are with yours.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Oh...my...GOD...You have a beautiful family, and these pictures are fantastic. They made me gasp out loud!

    ReplyDelete
  23. This post is absolutely beautiful. The photos, what you wrote, your family, just wonderful.

    www.thejoyoffashion.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  24. Fun Family pics! Congratulations! Isn't it neat how married life just keeps getting better? =)

    In love more than ever...after nearly 16 1/2 years...18 moves, 4 different countries (and heading to the 5th in 5 days;), 5 beautiful children...I'd say "Y!E!S! all over again! =)

    Blessings,
    ~Heather~
    Bogota, Colombia

    ReplyDelete
  25. LOVE your photos. They are gorgeous, as is your sweet family. The pics of you and your husband are just so so romantical :) Your kiddos are SO CUTE! Thanks for linking up to DIY Diva Thursdays this week :)

    Kara
    www.mineforthemaking.com

    ReplyDelete
  26. Congrats!

    Lovely post! And, from this part of the world, a quote to celebrate this special anniversary:

    "I have now been married ten years....I am my husband's life as fully as he is mine....To talk to each other is but a more animated and an audible thinking."
    - Charlotte Bronte

    ReplyDelete
  27. That's amazing. Happy anniversary. I loved what you wrote about marriage. It's so true! Your children are so precious too. What a great family you have!!

    ReplyDelete
  28. What a gorgeous family! Beautiful pictures. Hope it was the perfect day!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Best. Post. Ever. (I think...)
    Congratulations, and blessings for your family and marriage... for more years than you could ever imagine! :)
    In just under 10 weeks, we too will hit the 10 year mark. Shimmery sparkels have transformed into something more sturdy for us too. There is still heat, passion and fun, but now there is a whole lot more too.
    Kenzie is a beautiful (and very fun sounding) name. I bet she is a spunky little monkey. :) So cute.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Congratulations on your anniversary!
    We just celebrated our 10th as well and everything you said is so poignant and REAL.
    Truly a beautiful post and you have an absolutely beautiful family!

    ReplyDelete
  31. OMw! How beautiful! Your children are adorable! Looks like your little girl is a spunky little cutie. Love your Tee.
    Audrey

    ReplyDelete
  32. Love the pictures, Kristina! You do have a beautiful little family and it is so refreshing to see a couple still in love and enjoying one another after so many years! Kuddos to you & your man!

    ReplyDelete
  33. I've been having a "blah" day and actually came back to gawk at these pictures again, to cheer myself up. (Uhhh...can you say creeper?) Seriously, though, you make having a beautiful life seem easy!

    ReplyDelete
  34. This is a beautiful post! Newest follower. I love everything you do here. If I could create clothing the way you do, I would make all of my things. Great blog!! Beautiful family!!

    I would love it if you would share your newest creations at my link party. http://everything-underthemoon.blogspot.com/2011/10/bedazzle-me-monday-4.html

    Have a great day!!

    ReplyDelete
  35. These pictures are just Beautiful, and the words lovely!
    Congratulations!

    -Hannah

    http://blissfullyfeminine.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  36. You have a magnificent way of putting to words feelings I feel so deep in my heart. Thoughts that are so true and real that I've never even thought of them. I do love your blog and your writing. Keep it up, and thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Oh my goodness I love this post! How sweet. You have a beautiful family!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Such beautiful photos. Such a beautiful family. Many congratulations.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Thank you for sharing this. I found your blog via Pinterest but reading your post was absolutely lovely. You have a beautiful family.

    ReplyDelete
  40. I love this post for the gorgeous pictures of your beautiful family but I also love that is is so REAL...that you said what no one ever says the hardest part of marriage, "Staying married--that's much more challenging"...I so wish I could have been better prepared for that realization before it hit me...Reading this today was perfect as my mind and heart are a jumble with my own relationship...I came here looking for clothin inspiration and I found way more. Thank you:)

    ReplyDelete
  41. So I know this post is a little older but I just came across it today. I have to say, this is EXACTLY what I needed to hear today. I've been struggling the past few days in my new marriage (I got married the day after you posted this :), about not feeling the same as we did in the beginning of us, etc. The quote from your mom really resonated with me. These past few weeks I have been sad that the tingle wasn't there and have worried what that meant for us. However, I do have that "weighty, heavy" feeling every day with my husband. I never realized or thought about how those feelings are normal and are meant to replace those former, "tingly" feelings.

    Thank you so much for helping me today! I have a whole new outlook :) As a young woman in the first year of marriage I appreciate strong, tenured wives such as yourself that help us along the path.

    ReplyDelete

Kristina J. Copyright 2014

Kristina J. DIY Ideas | DIY Style All rights reserved © Blog Milk Powered by Blogger