Falling in Love

I feel like I am falling in love again, not that I ever fell out of love, but you know that feeling when you are first falling in love.
The beginning stages of a love that's blooming: the excitement you have to be in each other's company, the way you constantly think about each other, the way conversations can last for hours-and you are always learning something new-totally focused and fully present absorbing all you can from the other. How the others simple touches send electricity through you-a hand hold, an innocent kiss. How new adventures seem to never end...seeing each other's environments, where they work, their favorite spots..., is even a thrill!

Well after almost six years of marriage love looks different than it did in those spring stages (which were technically for us in the fall-our anniversary of being together is November 14, 1998) Love is deeper, richer, there is a sense of knowing and being, a security and a knowing that begins to define you-being known is a huge part to feeling alive. (how many times have we all been stuck in conversations with people and we think "ahh this person just doesn't get me at all we are soo not connecting") After soo many years with someone the knowing is integral-in this place of security one can just be, be "unedited", you can be your worst but hopefully more often your best. Here in the passing seasons comes shared history and a wealth of memories; here our individual dreams have grown to include our dreams and passions.

Also with this time comes, different from the adventures and excitement of discovery, routine. Which can be good but can often be a bummer. Lost in the duties of everyday: work, chores, life, is at times intimacy, not forgotten just at times not fully evident-more specifically taken for granted. And now, here in this place after having walked so many of our youthful years together, come the questions and struggles of adults in this big world and big city, adults who have come from very different places. And here we chose to navigate the terrain together...at times the terrain is a green and lush pasture but at other times we are rowing hard as the waves are beating against us....those waves look like many things...fighting for our dreams in a tough city, overcoming resurfacing childhood fears....

But here and now we are thankful to be resting in the Lord's hands, in this "desired haven" (palm 107)

You know our first year in New York was fun and exciting but then we began to notice the isolation we felt as a couple living so far away from people who know us well...from the love of old friends and family..and from married friends. We had hardly any married friends here in New York, who knew that could effect your marriage? But we began to feel isolated and just wanted to share married life with other healthy happy married couples.

Recently we have been soo blessed by a new group of friends from our church; there are 12 of us who are in a marriage bible study together and we often find ourselves having adventures together...picnics in central park, musical theater in the park, late night dinners after church (like dinners where we don't get home till midnight and we all have work the next day!)

Just their friendship has been life giving.

So here I am falling in love again.

Mike and I have recently made it a point to share more time together, and have just been so present in this time, going out to dinners and even though we are "foodies" we find ourselves so immersed in conversation that we could care less how bad the food really is. We have also returned to old passions, things that bound us together so early in our relationship, kind of like returning to the roots of us... so in this end we have recently taken a back packing trip just us...which was soo fun! Although I felt like a pack mule with all that weight on my back the first day:) we had a refreshing time. I love seeing my husband in his element, he is an outdoors man that is stuck in the lab way to much for his kind :) I love the way he is so organized and confident with packing all the necessary elements that we will need for our 2 days in the wilderness, I love seeing him using all physical strength carrying the majority of the weight..."That's my man!" I think to myself...I love the way he even brought decaf lady grey tea for me to enjoy on the trail! I love adventuring with him!

Here are some photos I want to share, a glimpse of these moments...of falling in love.

* a little of my advice for marriage...always surround yourself with healthy happy married couples, and always explore together!!