16 Years Of Walking Through Life Together

It absolutely amazes me that it has been 16 years since we said our “I do’s”! This day, 16 years ago, looked MUCH different in many ways.

We had just graduated college two weeks prior, Dan moved into our new home we bought a few months prior, I brought what I could so that I didn’t have to haul it all the night we got married, and we were in the middle of renovating it. Oh, and of course, we got married. It was a whirlwind of a time, to say the least!

On our wedding day, the weather also looked MUCH different! Today it was sunny and almost 90 and on our wedding day, it was 39 and rained the entire day (from what I remember). To be honest though, it didn’t really bother me, except that the night prior for the rehearsal, only half the church had electricity, so that made it interesting. But in the end, we got married and that’s all the mattered!

If you told me 16 years ago what all would happen, I would’ve laughed. I guess kind of one of those “I hope it’s not true, you better be joking” laughs! We had no idea what has to come and I’m glad we didn’t. It hasn’t been easy, we’ve cried many tears, we’ve had way too many “if I don’t make it through this surgery” talks, we’ve had what I call many “discussions” over things we haven’t seen eye-to-eye on, but I will say more than I ever, I’ve never loved my man more!

At times I feel like my heart failure controls so much of our marriage because it effects what seems like every aspect of it. In fact, I was so nervous about telling a guy about my heart because I feared he wouldn’t want to marry me. It didn’t stop Dan, and in fact, he said it made me all the more beautiful. God knew exactly what I needed.

Ironically I spent our anniversary day in Ann Arbor for an ICD check-up, to make sure the battery is still good. Everything checked out okay and I don’t have to go back to that specific office for another year. Meanwhile, I was also able to schedule my ablations for September 15. I feel good about that date and I’m so hoping that as I start weaning off the amio in August, that I feel okay. It’s always a little nerve-wracking, but I can’t change God’s plans that are already set in stone since the beginning of time, so just going to trust that He knows best! The EKG reading through my ICD today, did for sure show that my heart is have fewer extra beats, so that is so encouraging! My heart still isn’t pumping correctly, but small baby steps are better than no steps forward! I’m just praying that I continue to feel better and better, as my heart heals now being on this med. And that my body can adjust to the side effects.

Our pool is officially open and what a gift it’s been to be able to sit by it as a family! I always say that God knew exactly what our little family needed when Kristin’s heart is failing. It’s been a rough past month, so be able to spend that quality time together, is truly the biggest gift!

So Dan, here’s to 60 more years! I always tell my doctors I’m living til I’m 90, and I don’t know how I”m going to get there, but that’s my goal. Statistics are definitely not in my favor, but I’ve made it to 38 and I ain’t stopping, folks! So why not shoot for 60 years of marriage?

Thanks for being my partner in crime, for always making me laugh, and for bringing out my best self. A goofy and weird self :). Laughing together is my favorite thing and even though I may walk with a failing heart, I will forever walk with a loved-heart. Thank you for loving me through it all.