Cheering each other on

Today is our 13th wedding anniversary. Jeff and I were married on a cold January day in Norman, Oklahoma at a beautiful church. It was still decorated for Christmas, complete with poinsettias everywhere and a giant Christmas tree. Thankfully, our color scheme was red and white, so it worked.

These were the days before digital photography, long before Pinterest, and even before DVDs. (Our wedding video is on VHS. Yep.)

We aren’t the perfect couple (not even close, don’t believe social media), but there are a few things we do well. (And lots of things we don’t. We’re a work in progress.)

I was trying to think about one thing I could share with you that has made our marriage stronger over the past 13 years.

And what I came up with was this: We are each other’s biggest fans.

When we were first married, I graduated with my dietetics degree, worked my first clinical rotation, then stuck my credentials in my back pocket for the next 7 years.

As Jeff chased his dreams of playing in the major leagues, I worked odd jobs and cheered my heart out for my favorite pitcher.

5 years later, we started traveling again for baseball, and I started homeschooling our kids so we could stay together as a family, three of us cheering our hearts out this time.

This support is far from one-sided. In fact, I think Jeff may cheer me on even more.

He likes and shares everything I ever put on the internet for anyone to read.

He brags on me…
“My wife is an amazing photographer.” (Debatable.)
“You haven’t tasted vegetables until you’ve tasted my wife’s roasted vegetables.” (It’s true.)

He encourages me…
“Wow, you’re a really good writer.” (Awww, shucks.)
“You should keep doing live TV, you’re incredible.” (Actually I’m the worst, but thanks.)

He has patience with my starry-eyed dreams and wraps me up in warm arms of grace when I fail. With him by my side, I feel like I can do anything. (Except live TV.)