From This Day Forward

I was nervous. Months of planning with every detail a perfect reflection of us and it all came down to that moment. I couldn't look at my dad without wanting to cry so I stared straight ahead into my future. Into the face of the one person I would promise my life to.

I remember how long the aisle was and thinking that I would never make it to the front. How good it felt to have people we loved surrounding us.

I remember trying so hard to be present...to win the fight over letting my mind wander to meanlingless details that may or may not have been completed.

I remember loving my bridesmaid's dresses more than my own.

I remember my dad taking advantage of the moment he gave his first daughter to another man by telling Scot that he and my mom had prayed for him since I was a little girl. How happy they were to welcome him into our family.

I remember staring at Scot and promising him the world.

Fifteen years ago today.

I had no idea what our future would hold and how so many of those promises would be put to the test. I can't help but think what I would add to those promises if I said them all over again today.

I, Keri, take you, Scot, to be my husband.

To this day, out of all the men in the world, I take you. I choose you.

To have and to hold from this day forward.

I want to be one of those couples that I melt over. The ones that are old and gray, but still look at each other with tenderness and refuse to walk alone without holding the hand of their love. I want that for us.

For better or for worse.

I made this promise not knowing what better or worse was going to look like for us. I can honestly say that despite the worse, and there has been some significant worse for us, there is noone I would want to go through that with other than you. You are the better in my life.

For richer and for poorer.

This is the part of the ceremony where everyone chuckles. It helps when you start off poor, things can only get better, right? I am so grateful that the richness of our family is more important to you than monetary richness. You have proven this over and over again. Our family is rich because we have each other.

In sickness and in health.

We have not traveled through significant physical sickness with each other. Something I know we are both so grateful for. I think there have been times when we've been emotionally sick. When our hearts have been broken causing an ache and pain that no bandage or ointment can fix. It hasn't been easy for either of us, but we are still here. That's what matters, we are still here together.

To love and to cherish.

I think back to the moment I uttered those words on that altar and my love for you seems so trite. How much my love has grown through our experiences both good and bad. Through fighting for our marriage when it seemed hopeless at times, I know more today what love truly means than the day I first promised it to you.

Till death do us part.

Except that death won't part us because we each know where we are spending eternity. Not only do we know that, but it matters that we live a life that is worthy of eternity.

Fifteen years ago I stood at the altar and promised you the world having no idea what was in store for us.

Fifteen years later and I would make those promises to you again.

From this day forward......