A Toast to Five Beautiful Years!

The first time I realized that Darren was really, truly marriage material, was the evening I went to his apartment thinking that we were probably going to breaking up that night. I'm so glad that I was wrong!

I had a lengthy list of concerns, and reasons that we weren't going to make a good match. I had been chewing them over in my head for weeks, and getting myself all twisted up. Dating can be painful! Darren is fairly perceptive though, so he asked what was bothering me. So I told him. All of it. All at once. Straight. With little cushioning of what would offend most people. And then I waited for him to react. I really expected that we would be breaking up, and I was heartbroken, because I really liked him! I just didn't see marriage in our future with the concerns that I had.

But he didn't blow up, and he didn't get defensive. He didn't brush off my concerns, or tell me all of my faults.

He listened. And he acknowledged the truth in what I said, although he corrected me on a couple things. And I was stunned by the strongest impression that this was a man I could get through anything with.

Sure, he was a lot of fun to date. He had lots of experience planning fun dates! He was creative, thoughtful and adventurous. When we started dating, I thought that was going to be the extent of our relationship, a couple months of fun dates.

 But that painful conversation showed me the kind of man Darren is, and gave me an inkling of what we could be together.

We have continued to seek out adventures together, and he still plans the occasion amazing date. This anniversary celebration at Paradise at Mount Rainier is a good example!

But I am most grateful that God prepared me, and led me to Darren. To this man with whom I can share my whole heart. My hopes, my dreams, my fears and my worries.

I love seeing him as a dad. I had a pretty good idea of the kind of dad he would want to be, and that was and is one of his sexiest features!

I know that five years is really so short, and that our greatest challenges and our greatest joys are probably still ahead of us. But these years since we met have been the happiest in my life.