Every year I reflect on Valentine’s Day and the promises I made to my husband, 13 years ago. And every year I realize how blessed I am to be on this journey filled with years of joy and suffering, challenges and celebrations, failures and successes, sickness and health, endurance and acceptance, and fulfillment and commitment. I think of the words I wrote and shared with my vows, and how every single promise I made continues to resonate in our lives every miraculous day we are together. It amazes me, thinking back to our beginning… and how our future has unfolded into “tomorrow’s birth of dreams”.
This I Promise You…
This I promise you, my love
That wherever the winds may blow, I will follow you
As the seasons change, and so do we
I will be your constant.
This I promise you, my love
That when you feel joy, I will touch it
When you feel pain, I will taste it
And when there is plenty, I will embrace it
But when there is little, I will embrace you…
For you will always make me full.
This I promise you, my love
When the sun rises and falls, through each passing day
I will delight in your schemes, and believe in your vision.
I will wake with your hopes, and know each day is ours…
Let us unfold tomorrow’s birth of dreams together.
This I promise you, my love
I will hold you up with honor
I will trust in your inspirations
And believe in your faith.
I will understand your thoughts and visions
And I will dedicate my life to all that holds our union.
This I promise you, my love
As we plant our family garden, I will care for every seed
With delicate passion, with every breath I breathe.
Let each one blossom under our love and care
With God’s hands.
For this I promise you, my love
I will light the fires of passionate flames
As only lovers do.
I will love you through your darkest hour
I will love you if you should fall…
I will love you as the tides come in
And change the sands, the shore.
For even as the Heaven’s dance
And play our melody.
This I promise you, my love
For all eternity.
Mary @ A Teachable Mom says
Oh, Chris. I have the chills. This is spectacular. Congratulations on 14 years – that’s a long time to keep promises! 😉 I hope you have a lovely anniversary and Valentine’s Day with many more years of renewing these promises. Gorgeous!
momcafe says
Oh thank you SO much Mary!!! It’s truly amazing how much we have grown. Life has moved us closer and closer toward each other, through all the hardships and the incredible miracles too! I was hesitant to post my promises, but as they hang on my bedroom wall in a glorious frame, I thought it was a nice way of honoring them once again in public!
Marcia says
So beautifully written! I feel the love poured out through those beautifully chosen words. It touched me — thank you for sharing!
momcafe says
OH thanks so much sweet friend! You’re such a love for taking the time to read and comment… always grateful. 🙂
Katherine says
This is beautiful! And congratulations on 14 years! It takes a lot of work and you should be very proud <3
momcafe says
OH thank you SO much Katherine! I appreciate you reading and commenting!!! Marriage IS a lot of work…but the pay off is wonderful!! 🙂
JDaniel4's Mom says
This is so beautifully written! Amazing!
momcafe says
Thank you SO much!!! Hope you are having a LOVELY Valentine’s Day my friend!!! 🙂
thedoseofreality says
SO SO sweet Chris! Happy Valentine’s Day and anniversary…here is hoping you have a fabulous celebration of both! 🙂
momcafe says
Thanks so much my friend! Hope you are enjoying a festive V day with the hubs and kids!! 🙂 LOVED your post today. SO awesome!
another jennifer says
Beautiful, Chris! You made me shed a tear. Happy Valentine’s Day and anniversary!
momcafe says
AW….thanks SO much Jennifer!! So kind of you. Happy V-day my friend!!! We are heading for our “date” in front of the tv to catch up on dvr’d Modern Family. HA! Leaving Sat for the night away at our church’s cabin…for 24 BLISSFUL hours away from BOTH kids- for the FIRST time. Pretty amazing. 🙂
another jennifer says
Sounds amazing. Have fun! My hubby and I are getting away for a night next weekend. He still won’t tell me where we are going!
momcafe says
Okay…that is the BEST husband EVER right there. How cute and romantic is he to plan it and keep you guessing? SO sweeeeeeet. 🙂 ENJOY!
Hope says
I read this post from my cell phone earlier and couldn’t comment, I had to come back and read It again and think about each stanza. Beautiful promise. Poetically and eloquently spoken. May God continue to bless and prosper your marriage. Happy Anniversary and Happy Valentines Day
momcafe says
Oh thank you SO much Hope for really reading it… every word… It means so much to know you thought through these words that I chose with intention and hopeful love. Thank you so so much my friend! 🙂
Andrea says
Happy Everything! 14 Years! How wonderfu. Thanks for sharing. My favorite lines: “And when there is plenty, I will embrace it. But when there is little, I will embrace you…”
momcafe says
Oh thank you SO much Andrea… those are my favorite lines TOO! And boy, they matter most. 🙂 So cool you thought the same… love that!
OneMommy says
What a beautiful poem!
Congratulations on 14 years together. I love the line of loving through the darkest hour… It is easy to love when things are going well, it is all the other times where we really show our love.
momcafe says
Oh yes my friend! It’s the darkest hour that true love shows it’s enduring light. I love that I committed that promise not knowing all we would be going through in the future. Those dark times grew us toward each other and not away, thank God. I know how beautiful your marriage is, so I know you get how love like that is… 🙂
Mothering From Scratch says
{Melinda} So beautiful, Chris. I’ve said it before, but you are truly a gifted writer. Hope you enjoyed an amazing Valentine’s Day and that your anniversary is wonderful!
momcafe says
Thank you SO much Melinda!! That means the WORLD to me…seriously, thank YOU. 🙂
Derek and I are going to our church’s cabin (“King’s Haven”- cool name isn’t it??) for a 24 hour “getaway” leaving tomorrow at NOON. This will be the FIRST time we have gone away leaving BOTH kids in nine years… that’s what chronic medical issues with your kids does to a marriage. By the Grace of GOD we have grown stronger and closer through it all!! And by the miracle of God the kids are healthy and strong!!! 🙂
AnnMarie says
Happy Anniversary! This was so beautifully written that I don’t think I could have said it without breaking down. Love, love, love this! I often wonder if we really knew when we were standing at that altar what we were promising to each other and know that if I had it to do all over again, these would be the vows I’d want to say.
momcafe says
AW thanks so much AnnMarie!! I really was so taken back when I kept re-reading these promises I made… that was the beginning of it all. I had NO idea what was ahead of us. Looking back through all we have been through- these words just resonate that much deeper for me. We are both very blessed wives with such great men to go through life with, aren’t we??!! 🙂
Michelle says
Beautiful!
Michelle
http://normalchaosforamultitaskmom.blogspot.com/2013/02/weathering-weather.html
momcafe says
Thanks so much Michelle. And thanks for stopping by! So grateful. 🙂
Star Forbis says
Just Beautiful! Happy Sharefest! And Happy Valentines Day! <3
momcafe says
Thanks so much Star! I appreciate you stopping by… 🙂
The lovely one says
Oh, that’s very sweet! Happy anniversary! I got married on the anniversary of the day I met my husband, too…. but in September!
Happy Saturday Sharefest!
momcafe says
Oh how cool is that?! It’s a great idea to be married on the day you meet isn’t it? I love it… Thanks so much for stopping by! So grateful. 🙂
Alison says
That’s amazingly beautiful and sweet! Happy Anniversary and to many more years.
momcafe says
Thank you SO much Alison!!! So wonderful to have you stop by, my new friend! Looking forward to lots more blog-bonding to come!!! xo
Tammy says
That is the single most beautiful love letter I have ever read. My heart knows that kind of love and for that I am so grateful. I am also truly grateful to have a friend in my life that encourages me along in love’s journey when it’s so hard to wade through the raging rivers of adversity and to keep my eyes on hope – thank you Chris
momcafe says
OH my gosh Tammy… You just TOOK my breath away with this beautiful comment. Oh my… your words are so amazing and poetic. I can’t tell you how much this means to me. I love you and I feel so grateful for our friendship and ALL we bless each other with- hope and encouragement and above all UN-conditional love. I am HONORED to be a part of your journey.
Stephanie says
How beautiful! Happy Anniversary!!!
momcafe says
Thank you SO much Stephanie!! We had a lovely anniversary… 🙂
Sue Theimer says
So beautiful!!!!!!!!!
momcafe says
Thanks so much mom!!! Love your love… 🙂
Michell says
Awwwwwwwwww Chris…absolutely beautiful!!! Filled with so many truths…if more couples would settle within themselves to commit to one another DESPITE what may come, we would see marriages remain the awesome institution God intended it to be! Thanks so much for reminding us Chris that marriage IS about selfLESSness! Wishing you and your husband a “Happy Anniversary” and praying for continued marital BLISS! XOXOXO
momcafe says
Thanks SO much Michell!! You nailed it. SelfLESS love and giving and nurturing your lifetime commitment to your spouse is exactly what God intended!! That’s how a marriage thrives!!! 🙂
Candice says
So glad you got away alone together! Those words are so beautiful and how fun to look back and see how life has evolved…may you have more decades ahead to enjoy each other! I pray the next decade means many more opportunities to get away ALONE together!! I know Ryan and I are so excited in this second decade of marriage to be able to celebrate each other more and reap the harvest of so much hard work and sacrifice poured into sowing our garden. So blessed to have each and every day with a partner carved out just for YOU! Every night we now go to bed together and as we curl up inside each other I thank God as He hears my heart saying ‘all is well with my soul’. What a way to end the day! All thanks to Him for providing so abundantly.
momcafe says
Oh what a GLORIOUS comment sweet sis!!! We are both so blessed with the gift of our Heavenly Father aren’t we?? Our husbands were hand-picked for us… May we always remember to celebrate every day all that we have been given- and rejoice with SONG!! 🙂
Nina says
It finally loaded. How sweet. Bless you both for many years to come!
momcafe says
Aw thank you so much, my friend! I SO appreciate your reading this and celebrating these vows with me! XO