Dinner and Dancing

Tim and I have been married 48 years. 48 years!!

Yes, sometimes it seems like forever and other times it seems like we’re just getting started because we still have a lot to learn.

Frequently we get asked what our secret is to a long lasting marriage. I wish the answer to that question was a simple, pithy one sentence quip.  But like so many of the most important achievements in our lives, our progress is a series of hard won baby steps. And when you look back, you realize how valuable each of those steps were as you made hard decisions to keep on going.

I remember one of those times at a stage of life when Tim and I were in the middle of diapers and nighttime feedings. It was our anniversary and Tim had arranged for us to go out for dinner and dancing. The last thing I did before we walked out the door was to feed our 8 month old.

But as Tim and I were dancing, I noticed that Tim kept switching his head from one side of me to the next. Finally he said, “You know honey, you smell so nice on this side, but I swear I smell spit up on this side”. I looked over my shoulder and, sure enough, running down the back of my little black dress was a stream of baby throw up.

If it hadn’t been so indicative of our lives at that time, I would have cried. But instead, we laughed and held each other even tighter. We were determined to get through this crazy time of life together and come out on the other side stronger and more in love.

That’s our prayer for you at Grace Based Families – that you will keep going even in the face of daily challenges, setbacks and hard earned victories. God’s grace will carry you through.