We're Still Standin'

Eleven years ago today, I stood in front of God and over 300 people, many of them some of my favorite people in the world, and said these words which I still have memorized:

“I Claudia, take thee Bart to be my wedded husband to have and to hold from this day forward. For better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, til death us do part. And thereto I pledge thee my faith.”

and, when I gave him the ring I said,

“I give you this ring as a sign of my vow, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.”

I still mean every word.

This past year has been the hardest of our lives. We have watched our children make poor decisions, hurt themselves and each other, blame us for every mistake they’ve made.

But we’re still standin.

We’ve moved to a new community and everyone has had to start over. New church, new job, new schools for all, new home, new challenges, new friends.

But we’re still standin.

We’ve had a few health challenges, though none severe, we’ve been too court way too many times, and we’ve been alone together less than any other year since our marriage.

But we’re still standin.

We’ve each had nights of personal depression, anxiety, frustration, and crisis. We’ve shared together times when we weren’t sure if we could get up the next day and do it again,

but we’re still standin.

And not only are we standing we are standing together.

We are standing together because of the man I married. A man who has such a deep sense of personal integrity that he can do nothing but stand.

We are standing together because I was blessed with a man who is faithful, courageous, strong and committed.

We are standing together because God has given me someone who gives me the freedom to be myself, with all of the challenges that brings. A man who allows me to work too much some days, to not work enough on others, and to pursue my dreams.

And so, eleven years later, after the hardest year of our lives, we’re still standing.

And I wouldn’t want to be standing with anyone else.