Celebrating Year-After-Year

27th anniversary

This morning your Daddy and I will be returning from our anniversary trip. Yes, our anniversary was last week, but with Daddy's work schedule of late, this was the earliest the two of us could get away for a couple of days. And we needed it.

You know very well that your father and I make sure we disappear for even just a couple of days every year on our anniversary (which is tricky since it falls in the middle of football season each year). But that is how important celebrating our wedding date is to us. We want to be focused on just each other, the same way it was 27 years ago.

1st anniversary

See, we hear about married couples all the time who just acknowledge their wedding anniversary. No celebration. No gift. No meal. No flowers. No card even. Just sad. But your Dad and I wanted to make sure we remembered that it was that wedding date that we solemnly promised our Father we would be together throughout this lifetime. And we wanted to make sure we celebrated it big. Sometimes we would even get each other a special gift, but not always, because our trip away was our gift to each other.

When you kids were little, we might only be able to get out for a fancy meal, show or one night away. But any chance we got, we would get a sitter and disappear to be together. As you got older we tried to get away for a couple of days. And we made memories in Door County, the Smoky Mountains, the Caribbean, state parks, gardens, Mackinac Island and most recently various gulf coast beaches. We wanted you and Anton to know that after God, we came first to each other.

18th anniversary

Something else we have always done when we went on these trips was search for a church. We would renew our wedding vows before God in these hallowed places to reaffirm what we promised that wedding day. And you know we've had vow renewal ceremonies twice at both our 15th and 25th anniversaries.

Next year, your Daddy and I are taking an anniversary trip to Anna Maria Island in Florida where we plan on watching you both exchange vows. We pray this date becomes as special and beautiful for you both as it has been for us and that you will take time, make time, to make it important, holy and honored every single year. That means taking off work, prioritizing and, in the future, leaving the kids at home.

By the way, when you both head off on your honeymoon next year, don't be surprised if we also sneak off afterwards to be alone. It's our anniversary after all.

13th anniversary

Discussion: What are some ways you can keep your wedding date special in future years? How would you like to celebrate?

Prayer: Father, we know that special dates and celebrations are holy to you, as you have set specific feasts and celebrations throughout Scripture (Lev. 23:44). Thank you that we can remember this holy day as well, a time when you joined us as one. We love you so much and thank you for each other. We pray Rob and Ayla will remember to honor their wedding date, vows and each other every single year in some special way. In Jesus' name, Amen.