Yesterday was RA's birthday so to celebrate both his birthday and our anniversary, Papa Tad and Lola offered to keep RF last night. It was the first time in 8 months that we have been away from RF for more than a few hours. We celebrated RA's birthday in true Hawk-style --- by hanging out at home, cooking together and watching a movie. When we picked RF up this morning we came home and spent the day celebrating our anniversary as a family of three for the first time. We had lunch, played with RF and spent the evening watching our wedding video --- an anniversary tradition.
When RA and I were deciding whether or not to engrave something inside of our wedding bands, I did some research to try and find the right words, phrase, or saying, but nothing I found fit us. And then one morning, as I was walking past RA's dresser I realized that it had been right in front of me all along.
So that's what we engraved in our wedding bands --- the first part in his, the second part in mine. And it couldn't be more true.
I read the poem below a few years ago and as time goes by I understand and believe each line in a new way. There are good days and there are not so good days, but at the end of every day we lie down next to each other knowing that our love transcends all.
WHY MARRIAGE?
~ By: Mari Nichols-Haining ~
Because to the depths of me, I long to love one person,
With all my heart, my soul, my mind, my body...
Because I need a forever friend to trust with the intimacies of me,
Who won't hold them against me,
Who loves me when I'm unlikable,
Who sees the small child in me, and
Who looks for the divine potential of me...
Because I need to cuddle in the warmth of the night
With someone who thanks God for me,
With someone I feel blessed to hold...
Because marriage means opportunity
To grow in love in friendship...
Because marriage is a discipline
To be added to a list of achievements...
Because marriages do not fail, people fail
When they enter into marriage
Expecting another to make them whole...
Because, knowing this,
I promise myself to take full responsibility
For my spiritual, mental and physical wholeness
I create me,
I take half of the responsibility for my marriage
Together we create our marriage...
Because with this understanding
The possibilities are limitless.
Happy Anniversary, Robert Alan --- I love you dearly.
