I Do, Part Two

Would it be too much for me to ask you for a moment of silence? Let's just take a moment to celebrate the incredulous amount of work that goes into being married for TEN YEARS. Those of you who can say it with me, leave a shout out here. I've always wondered how people can stay together for 10, 15, 20 years then decide they made the wrong decision and move on. The thought no longer keeps me up at night. Every relationship, every friendship, every thing worth having takes work.

When do you know it's too much work? You don't. You work, based on faith, and when the other person has completely warped, twisted, smashed, jumped up and down on your faith, that's when you know. How do you see the warning signs? You don't. Especially when you have a lot of faith.

Fortunately for me, but perhaps unfortunately for Brando, I don't have that much faith, which means I am hoping I am not overlooking any red flags. Brando, on the other hand, has the most trusting amount of faith one has ever seen in every single soul he meets. Hopefully, he's not overlooking any red flags.

Speaking of his faith in every single soul he meets, here are my vows to the man I love:

Brando, ten years ago we had no clue what we were doing and we still don't, but I'm glad we're figuring it out together. When I met you, you seemed so sure of yourself - like you had the world on your shoulders, only it didn't weigh you down.

Through the years - in sickness and in health, for richer or for broke - you have been by my side. I can stand here and truly say thru all the ups and downs in my life you have been my steady horizon - my friend, my love, the one who has faith in me when it feels like no else but God does.

In all of figuring out who I am, you have stayed right where you are - in case I get lost I know where to find you. God put you in my life and every day I am SO grateful. I'm excited to go thru this next phase of our lives together, excited to see what it brings.

Brando, I have fallen even more in love with you since the day we met. I loved you when I married you, but I've fallen in love with you since then because of you and all that you are. You are my horizon, my anchor, my captain when seas are rough,

the hand that reaches out for me when mine is trembling, my friend, my fellow adventurer, discovering new places and new things, my companion figuring out the nuances of life, the solid rock of a father to my children, and the man that every time I look at I fall in love with all over again.

This day means so much more to me than this day ten years ago. Not only do we have the friends and family standing by that have supported us, loved us, and saved us thru out the years, but we have each other, these two precious men standing next to us, and ten years worth of memories together.

Today, I reaffirm my commitment to you, only this time in the presence of family and friends who first showed us how to love, helped us grow, and supported us when we found each other. In the presence of these witnesses I once again promise to love, honor you, and comfort you, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better and for worse, as long as we both shall live.(1)

I do, just like I did then, with every fibre of my being. I can't wait for the next 10 years, then 20, then 30, 40, 50..."

(1) Thanks to the always helpful about dot com for helping me find the perfect wording to include the precious people who attended that were not there the first time due to the small nature of our wedding.

Brando, master of saying what needs to be said in many less words than I, wrote these out and read them to me on the day of our vow renewal:

Rose, ten years ago about twenty-five yards from here, I asked if I can keep you.

I was lucky enough for the most beautiful bride in the world to say yes.

Today, with you in front of me, I am here to ask you again.

I am here to renew my commitment to have you and to hold you, in sickness and in health, in good times and bad, for richer or for poorer (or broke!), for better or for worse, until death do us part.

To kiss you with passion even when we are watching TV,

to dance with you more often

and to continue growing as individuals, together,

while we raise our two wonderful children.

*My first name and last name*, can I keep you another ten years and every year thereafter?

My obvious answer was yes, just like the first time.

As I typed out our vows here, it struck me how perfectly the pictures coordinated with our words, albeit completely unintentionally. Our friend, Celeste Duran, was our amazing photographer, who, if she's not already, should be an award winning photographer. She definitely wins the award in my book for Incredibly Capturing the Moment and the award for Effortlessly Creating New Memories as she shoots. She operates out of Santa Cruz, California, but also does destination weddings and shoots.