Sighs of contentment

Do you ever have those moments when you suddenly realize just how wonderful your life truly is? Out of the blue, something just clicks and you are filled with that feeling of pure and complete joy. I had that out of the blue moment last night. Honestly, I feel like I have the most wonderful life possible. Sure, it isn't completely perfect by any stretch, but it is truly as close to possible as humanly possible, but I know that far too often, I become complacent. I lose sight of the little things.

Jess and I had spent the day together having coffee, pedicures, and doing some shopping. It was a beautiful spring-feeling day. (Sadly, I know that we'll have some not-so-springlike days ahead.) It was the kind of day I love, a day spent doing the little things.

After Jess and I got home, she, Lance, John, and I were headed to Oskar's for dinner. As we drove down the road, I was overcome with a feeling of complete happiness and contentment. I had my best friend in the seat beside me, and I had my amazing and beautiful daughter and her amazing and gorgeous boyfriend in the backseat. As I listened to Jessi and Lance laugh and talk, I knew that there wasn't much that could make my life any better.

I was hoping that maybe Lance had talked to John about his and Jessi's future, but if he did, John won't talk. (Sorry, Jess, I tried everything I could think of to get some information from your dad. Either they didn't talk, or Lance swore him to secrecy. If that is the case, well, I could be on my last breath and would be taking it to my grave, and he still wouldn't tell me anything.)

That same wonderful feeling has carried over to today. John and I got up and went to church for the first time in a long time. It felt so good to be sitting in God's house, singing praises to him, and asking for His help in making me a better person.

Sighs of contentment...

I said YES!

Sixteen years ago tonight John asked me to marry him. Obviously, I said I would. ;) It is so hard to believe that it has been sixteen years. Where does the time go?! It is true that time flies when you're having fun, and we definitely have fun. I look forward to having much more fun for the rest of our life together. I can honestly count on one hand the number of arguments we've had. Oh, we disagree about things, but we rarely ever argue. Not many couples can boast of fewer than three arguments every five years.

John isn't a romantic kind of guy. When he proposed, he didn't take me to some fancy restaurant overlooking a big city. He didn't have flowers or champagne. Heck, he didn't even have a ring. But he did have a heart full of love, and I wouldn't take anything in the world for that. He still has a heart full of love.

After he popped the question and I said yes, he told me that he had not planned on asking me until he could afford to put a big ring on my finger. I won't lie and tell you that I had never dreamed about getting a huge ring--what girl doesn't? But at that moment, having a ring was the least important thing in the world to me. I told him that I was perfectly fine without one. A ring can be lost, stolen, or destroyed. Yes, a ring is a tangible symbol of love and commitment, but love--true love--doesn't have to have a tangible symbol. Besides, I know that he would have gotten me one if he could have. I told him that someday I would be happy getting an diamond anniversary band.

(He completely surprised me on our first anniversary with a gorgeous one. I had no hopes or expectations of getting anything that year because we were in the process of buying our house, and with earnest money, down payments, appraisals...I just didn't think we could afford one.)

One of my new friends from work was so surprised when she found out that John and I had been married as long as we have. To quote Kristen, "Shut up! You act like a newlywed. You must really be in love with him!" And she's right...I am totally and completely, 100%, head-over-heels in love with him! He smiles at me from across the room, and my heart jumps. I hear his voice on the other end of the phone, and I melt. He reaches for my hand, and I know that he will always be there for me.

God answered so many prayers when He sent John into my life. I thank Him each and every day for this wonderful, kind, considerate man with whom I share my life, my love, and my joy.

And I would say YES all over again.