Crazy, Not So Easy Eight

Dear Jason,
Year One was nice.
Year Two was twice as nice.
Year Three was three times as busy.
Year Seven was everything times seven, the good stuff and the tough.
Which brings us to Year Eight.

Did I ever imagine life would be like this eight years in? Never.
Never would’ve I imagined it to be this tough.
And never would’ve I imagined it to be this good.

Eight years in and three beautiful girls later, we’ve shared many ups and downs, time and time again.
Life has become all to familiar, fights have become repetitive, the days have become routine.
Each year has brought a new set of challenges. Good and bad.
And we wonder when will it all get “easier,” when will it all get “better.”

But I realized better is not necessarily easier and easier is not necessarily better.
Easier doesn’t stretch or strengthen us.
Easier is not worth the journey.
Easier is not what brought us here.

And I believe that easier is not going to get us to a better place.

So I will not wait for life to get easier. I won’t choose the easy path.
I’ll embrace every hill, mountain, valley and know that better is here, better is now, better is us.
I’m just grateful that we are even here in this very place, that we can look back with a smile and look forward with joy, together.
And be encouraged that no matter how rocky the path, God was and always will be the rock in our marriage, our family, our walk.
He has time and time again and always will make our paths straight.

I will not wait for life to get better because God has already blessed me with some of the best people to walk it with.
With you, it’s already been the best eight years and I just know the best is yet to come.
The minutes, hours, days, weeks, years don’t always go accordingly to plan, but we always end up where we need to be. Time and time again.

Happy Crazy, Not So Easy Eight, Baby.
It may not always seem like it, but I know our best days are now.
And our best days are together, walking side by side. With late night bubble tea.
Today through eternity.
J