Love and Marriage

Today is our (Tim & Joy's) wedding anniversary. We've been married for eight years today. I (Joy) recently commented to Tim, "Can you believe it's been 8 years?" Tim responded with, "No, we've been cheated of a lot of that time, with the doctor's visits, hospital stays, etc. It doesn't feel like 8 years at all." I laughed and said, "It's all perspective, isn't it? I feel like we've been married at least 15 years. Blaze should be 10 already."

In all honesty, we're blessed to have made it through this journey together. When your child is sick and could very well die, it tends to strain a marriage...to put it mildly. Yep! We've snipped at each other at the hospital. We've disagreed with how things should be handled. We are very human and real with our emotions. It's been hard. However, I must say that there is no one else I'd rather be in a crisis with. We all have different strengths and gifts. Tim is a man you want with you and beside you in a time of crisis. He is clear and level headed, he's calm. He can see the situation with a clear perspective and knows how to react to it. Afterwards, when things are okay, that's when Tim melts. Once the crisis is over, Tim takes a breath and needs to renew himself. Me? I am wild card. I am emotional and there are times that I don't know what to do when an emergency is happening. I can do whatever Tim tells me to do, but I'm often frozen until I can hear his directive. During Blaze's surgeries I had to be distracted through them. It's when the emergency is over that I am strong and steady. I am the one who gathers the information as she goes and stores it inside to be pondered on another day. I am the one who sleeps at the hospital and is away from home with Blaze. Separately? We wouldn't do well with this. Together? Wow, we're pretty strong.

God put us together for a reason. He knew the days ahead. It's not been easy, we've learned a lot in the 8 years we've been married, but we are confident that God has a plan for us, to give us a future and a hope. Trusting God for what's ahead! Happy Anniversary, Tim!