Today, Sal and I celebrate our 19th wedding anniversary. Look at those two youngsters! We had no idea what our future would hold at that time. We didn't know that we would move 9 times in 18 years. We had no idea that we would be blessed with a gorgeous daughter. We certainly had no idea that we were tough enough and strong enough to withstand some of the road-bumps that we would encounter in our time together either....
Along with all the great times, laughing and loving, there have been some truly rough and tough times. Most of them brought on by me. I was a mess. I was 'married' to a job that almost worked me to death at times, that caused me to come home in tears on quite a few occasions, that kept me out til all hours of the night and morning hanging out in places I had no business being in. But I loved it. Being in radio is a pretty intoxicating (no pun intended) career. Back before the business came under hard financial times, you got to fly places, stay in fancy hotels, hang with celebrities and alllllll that comes with that lifestyle. And I drank it up! (Pun fully intended). There was excessive socializing, carousing, drinking and partying and again.....I loved every minute of it. All the while, my husband kept the home-fires burning because he knew it was 'part of the job'. It was becoming more than just 'part of the job' though. It was all becoming a problem and thanks to some truly divine intervention about six and a half years ago that took us to California, I finally got my life straightened out.
A little over four years ago, Sal & I walked into a church together in a small suburb of San Diego called Rancho Bernardo. Both of us began an amazing transformation almost instantly and both of us accepted Christ into our lives only weeks later. I gave up the firewater, I lost 140 lbs, changed my behavior, got my priorities in order and started living a clean life--inside and out. Sal & I were both baptized at sunset in the Pacific Ocean at La Jolla Shores back in August of 2007. God gave us a clean slate and a new life and with our baptism together, as husband and wife, we gave each other a clean slate. It has taken our marriage to a whole new level of awesome-ness.
So, Happy Anniversary, baby. I thank God for you and I thank you for stickin' with me. I'm a lucky, lucky, lucky lady.
Us this past December 2009
Us this past December 2009
Congrats to you two! We just celebrated our 12th anniversary on Sunday. As you know we have endured a major transformation also over the years after deciding to let god walk along with us in our relationship. Yay God! We can't wait for the road ahead.
ReplyDeleteLove to you, Mandi and Jeff
This was a precious post... sorry it has taken me so long to read it. How terrific to see how God has worked in your lives. :)Happy belated Anniversary!!!!!!
ReplyDelete