Still laughing…8 years later

Well today marks our eight year wedding anniversary and as the cliché goes, it feels like it was just yesterday. I wanted to share a little about this to our two boys who keep asking why they are not in our wedding video (well Rockford really). Here is another letter to my boys.

Dear boys,

I wanted to take this moment to share with you what it means to celebrate a wedding anniversary. Today Daddy was teaching you how to say “happy anniversary” to Mommy and Daddy Rockford, but the truth is, you are still a little uncertain about this.

On October 2000 Mommy and Daddy became best friends while working together. We had so much in common and our strongest common denominator was our Love for the Lord Jesus. The truth is, I wasn’t really looking to date a guy, especially not one I was working with. Your dad was cordial, friendly and persistent. It was only until I learned that he was Christian that I actually let my guard down (and stopped being mean to him). We hung out with other friends together at coffee shops, movies and outdoor events. I remember thinking your daddy was too mature, like an old man, nothing like your happy, outgoing, social butterfly of a mother of yours. However, the more I got to know him, the more I realized, he really did match up with every single thing on my checklist I had secretly given Jesus when I asked for a mate. It was here I realized, wow, this is the man God has for me. He balances me out. He’s calm, collected, mature, responsible (his credit score was even amazing), wise, mellow, patient, articulate, loves God, wants to have a family and even attend a small-sized church to raise our children in. The more I hung out with him, the more imperfections I saw in myself. I realized your Father inspired me to want to be a better person. No matter the wrong I did (ok I was stupid sometimes) he always saw the best in me and supported me. Your Dad really was patient with me and showed me what it meant to love a person unconditionally. He is a beautiful person and now I see him pouring his love in a totally different way to you boys.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  ~1 Corinthians 13: 4-7

Your Dad asked me to marry him on 2001 and I said yes. Two days later I gave him the ring back because I realized I really didn’t want to get married, I just didn’t want to hurt his feelings when he asked me.Yes, this was silly of me.  Here’s a lesson boys, don’t strive for an over romantic day of marriage proposal bliss surprise, just make sure she is ready and willing BEFORE you get on one knee. Talk about it before with her AND make sure you get her Father’s blessing. You’re Daddy forgot to do that and Abuelito was very upset about that. However, a year later Daddy asked Mommy to marry him (with Abuelito’s blessing of course) and Mommy accepted.

On August 23, 2003 our wedding day went as well as it could have gone. Daddy was 26 and Mommy was 25 (that’s why we look so great in the video and pictures). We always knew we wanted to have children, but also knew we wanted to spend time together to just enjoy each other. So for the first five years of our marriage we traveled, worked and hung out for hours on end doing what ever the heck we wanted whenever we wanted.

Our wedding day

Having you and Rocco has added an entire different level of love and teamwork. We have learned that we make a great team in parenting. We resort to the bible for wisdom and direction when we grow weary and week.  We have a beautiful church family that adds an additional love and support unit for our family something we always wanted in our church. We always knew we wanted Mommy to stay home to raise our children and Daddy has been working hard to allow Mommy to do just that and he does it with such joy knowing you guys have the best caregiver and teacher raising you from home.

It is my desire you boys grow up to be a men of character, men of honor, and men after God’s heart like your Father. If you can make your wives feel as honored, loved and cherished as your Daddy makes me feel, you will have a happy wife that will do just about anything for you with the most admiration and respect for you.

So today we turn eight years of being best friends and husband and wife. Our journey is by far over and by no means is it always a walk in the park, but trust me when I tell you, having God as your foundation in your marriage makes for a more peaceful, joyful and loving marriage and home. Because God is in our lives, we have so much love in our home and lives.

Now you know a little bit more about this marriage thing and why you were not in the video even though you see your cousin Elyjah and ask why you weren’t there if he’s there. You’ll definitely be there for when we renew our wedding vows I promise.

Loving you,

Your Mama and Daddy’s wife

Consider it all Joy!

 Our wedding video clip 8 years ago…