Today is an extremely special day. Today is Jamie and my 5 year anniversary! She has been such a gift to me. A truly, tremendous example of grace and love. I remember standing in front of her that day, at the altar, saying:

I Eric, take you Jamie, to be my lawfully wedded wife,…

I was so (and am still) excited to think about spending a lifetime together with this woman. I couldn’t believe that this loving, gracious, beautiful creature of God would, a few moments later, be saying these same words back to me. That she saw me and all my faults and still decided to marry a man like me.

Flash back to an InterVarsity dance in college I saw this beautiful girl and nervously spoke to her thinking that I may never see her again but hoping I would…

… to have and to hold from this day forward,…

I remember having lunch with her, telling her that I didn’t want to play games with her heart and that I was open to God’s leading into marriage if that was what He wanted…

… for better or for worse,…

This woman would go on to stand beside me in some of our most difficult and emotional-wrecking circumstances. And I have experienced the best of times with her and the birth of our two little girls…

…for richer or poorer,…

I think back to a friend’s wedding and introducing her for the first time as, “This is my girlfriend, Jamie…”

…in sickness and in health,…

Asking for her father’s blessing was terrifying. I had just hung up the phone with a friend for a pep talk and extra courage. I spoke to her father about the weather then professed my love for his only daughter expressing that it was my desire to ask this daughter, that he had been raising and responsible for, to marry me… [silence. Long, terrifying, heart-pounding, silence] …He expressed about how if anyone ever hurt his daughter he would hunt them down and destroy them… [I just say “yes sir”] ...Then it came. “…but, if you want my blessing then you have it.” I would spend the next few days jumping and yelling with excitement…

…to love and to cherish;…

I was the most blessed man in the world to be standing there at that altar in a moment that was changing my life forever. God was in the process of taking these two individuals and making them one. I was making a commitment to love and cherish [hold dear, encourage, nurture, protect] her before God…

I remember getting down on one knee, in the December snow, in Central Park, and asking this amazing woman to be my wife. I remember the tears in her eyes. I remember her saying yes. I remember telling our friends…

…from this day forward until death do us part.

I remember thinking, “God, thank You. Your promises are true. Thank You that I ‘waited’ [significant] for this one who is committing her life to me. Thank You that You never fail. Thank You, that You not only bring us together, but You keep us together.” My pledge to my wife was and is from this day forward until death do us part. And to be honest, she makes it easy. I have been blessed to have such a faithful, supportive, loving wife.

I remember our honeymoon in the Riviera Maya. I remember moving into our home together. I remember the hard times, and the great times. I remember bringing our girls home from the hospital. I remember thinking we might financially lose it all. And I remember thinking I can’t believe how much God has blessed us with. I remember it all and it’s just the beginning of a great story that The Author and Perfector is writing. …And for me, well I’m glad He’s written me into it.

Jamie, five years isn’t really that long. But, I love you this day. I look forward to growing old with you; and will love you until that day that death do us part.

A humble husband,

Eric