Celebrating 18 Years

Earlier this month, my worn engagement band finally broke.  As I closely examined it, I was surprised at just how thin it had gotten.

I was also struck at how unusual it is that my marriage has outlasted my solid gold ring.

Today I'm so very grateful to be celebrating 18 incredible years of marriage (we also had 4 years of dating before that).  I'm also so very confused as to how this could be, since in my head I've been 18 years old for a long time.

Eighteen things I love about Shaun, in no particular order:

1. He trusts God completely.
2. He is even "more better" when no one is watching and doesn't do things for show.
3. He listens well.
4. Not only is he smart (legendarily so), he is wise in all his ways
5. He doesn't waste any teachable moments with our children.
6. He is even-tempered...I've never heard him yell (except, on occasion when he is competing in a sport)
7. He is supportive with the things I want to pursue and takes a genuine interest
8. When he has the kids, I never have to leave a word of instruction for him...he knows all the routines as well as I do
9. He has a good name (and he shared it with me...I love being "Shaun's wife"!)
10. He can only do things with excellence...he knows no other way
11. Sometimes he looks at me with fresh eyes, as if he's just seeing me for the first time.
12. He is a hard worker
13. He's just the right height...I fit right under his chin when we hug
14. I trust him and have never known him to lie in any color...white, black or gray
15. He enjoys spoiling me
16. He is generous with his time and his money and has a servant's heart
17. He shields and shelters me
18. He has stayed with me these 18 years and continues to whisper promises of forever

Bonus: He still picks me flowers from the yard.

I love the lines
 "But to lose your life for another I've heard is a good place to begin 

Cause the only way to find your life is to lay your own life down 
And I believe it's an easy price for the life that we have found "

Well I was nineteen  eighteen you were twenty-one  twenty-two
The year we got engaged 
And everyone said we were much to young (except our parents)
But we did it anyway 
We got the rings for 40 each from a pawnshop down the road 
We said our vows and took the leap now 15  18 years ago  

Well I do are the two most famous last words 
The beginning of the end 
But to lose your life for another I've heard is a good place to begin 
Cause the only way to find your life is to lay your own life down 
And I believe it's an easy price for the life that we have found 

Chorus: 
And we're dancing in the minefields 
We're sailing in the storms 
And this is harder than we dreamed 
But I believe that's what the promise is for 
That's what the promise is for 

Bridge: 
So when I lose my way, find me 
When I loose love's chains, bind me 
At the end of all my faith 
to the end of all my days 
when I forget my name, remind me 

Cause we bear the light of the son of man 
So there's nothing left to fear 
So I'll walk with you in the shadow lands 
Till the shadows disappear 
Cause he promised not to leave us 
And his promises are true 
So in the face of all this chaos baby 
I can dance with you 

Chorus: 
So lets go dancing in the minefields 
Lets go sailing in the storms 
Oh lets go dancing in the minefields 
And kicking down the doors 
Oh lets go dancing in the minefields 
And sailing in the storms 
Oh this is harder than we dreamed 
But I believe that's what the promise is for 
That's what the promise is for