Five years ago today, my Daddy walked me down the aisle …
And when I promised this incredible human being
that I would cherish, love and honor him for the rest of my days, I had to really mean it because we were being joined in marriage by none other than my (to-be) father in law!
My best friend Anna came from Ireland to be our maid of honor, chief witness, and pre-ceremony entertainment (she played a traditional Irish whistle/flute).
Niek’s brothers and sister all turned out to see us begin this newest phase of our lives together,
and my great Aunt Hattie and Mom made the flight from Maine to be with us.
It was truly a perfect day. And although I cannot claim that the 1827 days between then and now have all been perfect, they’ve all been filled with love and caring; many have been marked by laughter, some by tears, there have been dishes broken (mostly by accident, but two in anger) and doors slammed, there have been comforting hugs, and cloud-breaking smiles. Our family has doubled in children, and gone from zero to four in animal members. We’ve completely re-done both our front and back gardens, turned the biggest bedroom into a nursery, and rearranged the furniture countless times. We’ve gained a company car and lost my little VW. We’ve gone on holiday to America, Belgium, and here in Holland as well as making shorter forays into Canada, France and Germany. We’ve slept in, but had a lot more nights that were sleepless. There’ve been sunny days and rainy ones, happy moments and tearful times … but through it all has run the current of our love for each other, the promises we’ve made that live on in our hearts and our souls.
Niek, thank you so much for being brave enough to ask me. A thousand times, and a thousand more, the answer is yes.
