Anniversary Week!

This week, my husband & I celebrated our
4th Anniversary!

We blended our family on September 2, 2005 after being together for 4.5 years ~

bringing together our 5 kids (2 his, 3 mine - all "ours") and our extended families.

To be honest, we'd both admit that it hasn't been easy. We've been through medical problems, job issues, kid issues, dog issues (try raising a partially handicapped and often-incontinent dachshund together if you really want to test your love!), in-law issues, ex-law issues! You name it, and we've probably faced it in the past 8 years that we've been a couple.

We've also been through the break up of our previous church home - which was pretty devastating to both of us. It was then that I took my first real leap of faith in being a submissive wife and we joined a new church. I was hesitant, and it took me about six months before I would really get involved at this new church at all. I was still too raw after losing my "old church" and all of the things that had transpired in the end there. Then one day, it just "clicked" - we were Home Again. The past 3+ years with our new church family have been incredible. I think we have both grown more spiritually than we ever have before. I can't thank my husband enough for being wise enough to say "This is where we are staying." even when I wasn't sold on the idea.

He will laugh when he reads this, I'm sure, because I've never been anything remotely resembling a "submissive wife". I was one of those women that had to be independent and have things MY WAY (yes, honey, I see you nodding!). All of my adult life I've been a....oh,what's the term...CONTROL FREAK.

But after reading the words of some very wise women (this is just one), though, and seeking God's guidance in this area of my life - I have realized that I am exhausted.

I'm tired of always being in control!

I want to hand over the reigns to my husband and let him lead our household. I realize that I have taken so much from him in not allowing that up to this point. And for that, I am sorry. The Biblical role for my husband is to be the head of our family - that isn't my role as a wife. The only one I should strive to please more than my husband is God. Instead of fighting to get my way, I need to step back and seek Jesus, and pray that my husband is doing the same, and encourage him to do so. That is my Biblical role as a wife, and I plan to embrace it.

Now, this doesn't mean that I will roll over and accept everything that he says without having any opinions myself - not at all. It certainly doesn't mean that I would tolerate any abuse in any way, shape, or form. It means that I will respect him and his ideas, trust him to make the right decisions for our family, encourage him in his spiritual growth and in any areas that he struggles, and love him as Christ loves me - unconditionally.

With all of that said - Happy Anniversary, honey!