Below: First Kiss (September 2016)
“They” say that a picture is worth a thousand words. I have record of our relationship from the beginning, having printed and gazed upon the pictures of our past, with fondness. We are worth more than a thousand words. My husband, Rush and I have spent several years together, building our bond piece by piece. Our puzzle has been difficult and beautiful. It has been complicated and has not been completed in haste. I am an artist. When I was very young, I believed that art was accomplished in one sitting. I hadn’t learned that masterpieces are not achieved instantly. They are ever changing and growing. Our marriage continues to flourish.
The beauty of love is that it lasts forever. When a person says, “I don’t love you anymore,” it means they never did. Love is patient and kind, and a whole lot of work. As humans we have to learn to love. It isn’t handed to us like a happily ever after, no matter whether or not you grew up believing that fairy tales were true. Marriage is hard, but valuable. We thrive on special moments, the laughter and jokes, and put each other’s needs before our own. Compromising. Holding hands. Holding hearts. Protecting the strong foundation we have built upon friendship. My husband is my best friend. I spend more time with him than with anyone else (except our dog, Logan). Rush knows me, good and bad-the same way I know him. We have loved each other for quite some time. I knew he was my person since the first week of our “steadiness.”
When I was twelve, I had a favorite boy band. One of their songs perplexed me. The quote I pondered for years is:
“I’ve been standing here all along.”
I used to scan my surroundings for a boy who was “standing there all along” for me. I never found him. When my feelings for Rush surpassed the boundaries of friendship, I visited him at work every day. I brought him coffee and flirted with him shamelessly, but he did not pick up on my affectionate feelings for him. I stood across the counter near the earrings, pretending that I was there to pick the best option. I was there because the display was closest to him. One day, I asked him to be my boyfriend and he was surprised.
Soon after, I realized that I was “standing there all along” for him.
Below: Honeymoon (September 2025)
Rush and I dated for two years, and then I moved in with him. Shortly after, we adopted a dog. Two years after that, we got married. Five years later, we are stronger than ever. So far, Happily Ever After.
Today we celebrate five years of marriage and pray for many more, aspiring to be as solid as our parents’ examples. Wishing Susan and Walton (Rush’s parents) a happy anniversary as well. We were married on their 50th.
Happy “anniversity” to the love of my life.
–SJB