One Decade Down – Our Vow Renewal.

10 years. It’s been 10 whole years, today, since I married my high school sweetheart. I’m sure there are days we would each admit it has felt like a century, but most often, I have no idea where the time had gone.

Most often, I look at him and still see the 18-year-old boy who won my heart in grade 12.

I can remember the first kiss, which technically took place before we were actually dating.

I can remember our first official date. He can’t, because it was his 19th birthday and he was hammered.

I can remember the day he proposed when his hands were shaking and he dropped the ring down the side of the car console. He stopped his proposal speech mid-sentence to utter some four letter words and fish the ring back out from under the front seat of his old Sunfire.

Most of all, I remember the look on his face as I walked down the aisle towards him.

The last 10 years have brought so much into our lives. We have two beautiful children and a house that feels like a home. We both work hard, but put our family first. We take time for one another. Even if it just with something little. We are playful, loving, and so very open-hearted. I know we always will be.

Adam and I are solid. Even in harder times, I have always felt confident in us as a couple. However, the reality is that many people in our generation don’t see 10 years of marriage. That statistic breaks my heart. So I wanted to celebrate and reaffirm us by renewing our vows.

We didn’t have nor did we need some big party. It was the two of us, our children and our best man, with his family, as our officiant.

It was perfect. 

Adam was a little nervous when I told him I wanted us to actually write our own vows this time. I bugged him almost every night for the week leading up to see if he was done. To my surprise, he said yes… the night before. I thought for sure he would be winging it!

He picked on me for mine being much longer than his… but that’s what he gets for marrying a highly sappy writer.

I wanted to share our vows here, as a way of commemorating them and reaffirming to the world our commitment to one another.

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Adam’s Vows:

Crystal, as we stand here today, I think back to all the wonderful memories we have shared.

You have given me two of the most beautiful children. You have no idea how thankful I am for them being in my life each and every day.

You have been more than I could have imagined to come into my life.

You are strong, dedicated, caring and compassionate. I admire these traits and I love you dearly for them.

These 10 years have been a roller coaster of events and I can’t imagine anyone better to have at my side.

Crystal. I love you so much. Please let me share the rest of my life with you.

 

My Vows:

When we were first married, I used to watch the clock and get excited when it was almost time for you to be home from work. I remember thinking, I hope this feeling lasts a few years at least. We’re now at 10 years in and I still get excited when it’s close to your time to be home. Albeit, part of that might be because I’m happy to be able to tag you into the parenting ring, but a big part of it is that I still just can’t wait to see you. I’m still excited to see that boy I crushed on for ages. The one who stole a first kiss behind the town library and swore he would stay with me until the last petal fell from a ceramic flower.

We’ve been together nearly 15 years and have now been married for a decade. In that time, I have watched you grow into an incredible man, who works hard for his family and loves the heck out of his children. You were the best choice I ever made and you make me proud every day. As we stand here today, I want to make a few new promises for the years ahead.

I promise to continue to be proud of all of your accomplishments, big or small and of the kind of man you are.

I promise to be your equal partner as we continue to grow our lives, raise our children and plan for our future.

I promise to support you through tough days at work and to listen whenever you need to talk.

I promise to continue to give you and only you my heart, my soul and my body. Well, actually, you now share my heart with the kids.

And finally, I promise to always be excited for you to come home to us.

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We used the ceremony to exchange anniversary rings. Adam proposed 12 years ago with an $80 ring from the flea market. I told him to. We had bigger things to purchase at the time, like a home So he promised to buy me a real diamond for our 10th anniversary. Mine is a beautiful 1.25 carat raw diamond. His is a family ring that reads ‘Adam Crys Lilly Cole. You make our family whole.’ I’ve never been huge on jewellery, but I’m in love with this little raw stone.

Ideally speaking, this is just one decade in the many we will spend together. Here’s to us, babe. I love you so incredily much.