Eternity to go

So today is a special day.

But it didn't feel like it would be last night.
To me it felt like a normal Monday leading to a regular Tuesday. Okay, normal-ish...

I got home after a good day of working out and battling the horrendous Seattle traffic, which, miraculously didn't seem so bad considering the wet rainy weather.
I took the recycling out and made myself a mezze plate for dinner. Okay that description might be puffing it up a bit... I made some tuna salad, sliced some cucumber and grabbed some leftover baba ghannouj, carrots and olives and threw it on a plate. Fancy.
I watched a chick-flick on Netflix and then FaceTimed with Ryan, my husband before heading to bed. Alone.
He's in Kazakhstan.
For 5 weeks.

He usually calls me at 9:30am. It's a 12-hour time difference.
And it was 9am.
I laid in bed, still in a dreamy daze. There's a plaster on the ceiling from a crack that once rained inside. And like a little kid looking at clouds I imagined all kinds of animals and figures.

Buzz buzzzzz.

I looked over at my phone. No emails. No texts. No calls.

Buzz, buzz, BUZZZZZZZ.

What? Where? Could this actually be my doorbell ringing? At 9am? I don't think I've ever heard my dinky doorbell ring. Ever.  

In my boxers and tank top I glanced through the peep hole expecting, I don't know... my neighbors, or landlord or maybe UPS... Instead I saw a flurry of pinks & petals.

You see it wasn't any plain 'ol Tuesday after all.

Two years ago today I made the best decision of my life.
I said "yes" to a life of adventure. To letting go of firmly fixed plans and just "playing it by ear." To diving in head first, versus wading slowly in. To travel, distance and separation rather than slow Saturdays snuggling. To campers and surfing, backpacking and REI wish-lists.

I said yes to Mr. Ryan Michael McEliece.
And my life has never been the same.

It's amazing that it's only been two years. In part it seems like yesterday, and yet so much has happened. The Honeymoon years are supposedly now over. But in truth I felt like the honeymoon years never really began. If I'm gonna be completely honest life's been a little rough for us. From endless illness, to mono, to weeks and miles apart, to knee surgery and recovery we've had our fair share of bumps in the road.
This is what Ryan said "yes" to, poor guy!

But through it all I've had a hand to hold. A strong one. A brave one. One that lifts me up and leads me onward. One that clasps mine in his and covers me in prayer. One that encourages and provides. One that's not afraid of the unknown but trusts in Jesus and His good plan for our life. Because it is now OUR life. We live it together.
And every joy now is that much sweeter. Every challenge is that much easier. And life is so much richer because I share it with him. I'm thankful for how he encourages, strengthens and stretches me - in the best possible way. And most importantly I'm so grateful for how he loves me with the love of Christ. And through him I'm better able to understand the depths of that glorious mystery.
It's the biggest privilege of my life to stand next to him, to serve him and to love him.

Yes, we've had a rough road... a challenging two years. But with each step it gets better. With every day more beautiful. And I didn't think it was possible to love him more than I had the day before. But I do.

He sent me flowers. The most beautiful flowers I've ever beheld. Dreamy.
He sent me flowers from half-way across the world. So much glory to drink in and it's overwhelming. I'm drunk with their scent; drunk with love. At 9am.

I wish that I hadn't expected it to be a regular Tuesday, wished that I hadn't made appointments galore. All I wanted to do was just sit and look at them. All day.
He knows me. Knows what I like.
And God does too. He gave me the best gift I've ever been given.

Two years down. Eternity to go.

P.S.  HUGE shout out goes to Nicorah Floral for the exquisite blooms both now and then, and to Kristen Parker of Kristen Marie Photography for the lovely photos. Thank you guys for making my day so very very special!!! Marriage is worth celebrating!!!!