10 Years

Yesterday was our ten year wedding anniversary. Ten years ago I had no clue as to what my life would look like at this milestone. I knew we'd have a few babies, and hoped we'd have a sweet, peaceful little life, which we do...but things don't always look the way we think they will.


I pictured myself as a slim, loving mother who always speaks in a Michelle Duggar-ish tone to my precious little blessings. These little blessings would smile sweetly at my wise, sage instructions and corrections, eager to please their happy mother with her blown out, freshly highlighted hair. We'd join hands sweetly at the dinner table and pray together, all eyes closed and heads bowed. After dinner we'd play together at the park, tossing a frisbee while wearing bright color coordinated outfits....I'm pretty sure I was crazy and delusional when I thought this is what life would be like.

My dear husband and I had vowed that after having kids our marriage would always be our first priority, we'd get away together three times a year to keep our focus on this relationship. Our bedroom would reflect this priority and we'd always make the bed and keep things tidy so that we'd have a peaceful place to rest. If you're reading this and you're married and have kids you've probably choked on your coffee by now at my disillusionment of what life would be like. Oh, sweet child-bride Lisa, you have no idea what's coming your way my dear!

Yesterday, on our ten year anniversary, I woke up in a bedroom that looks like a tornado hit it. Three laundry baskets overflowing with clean clothes waiting to be put away, next to another huge pile of dirty clothes waiting to be washed. My beautiful blue Egyptian cotton sheets had smashed graham cracker all over them from a happy baby who enjoyed a snack in mama's bed. There's the barf-stained glider that squeaks horribly next to the faded blue plaid pack and play that's been in our room for the last eight years...because we've always needed it. If I have my coffee before the sweet darlings awake I am Michelle Duggar for about five minutes. Then somebody tattles and screams and I ask if anyone is bleeding (in a very NOT Michelle Duggar voice!).

I don't remember the last time I used a blow dryer, I stopped paying for highlights seven years ago and my kids dress themselves in whatever strikes their fancy (so they never match).

Meal time prayer consists of lots of shushing, lots of giggles and a few rude noises usually. I read somewhere though that Billy Graham's kids acted up during dinner devotions too so that makes me feel better. We usually don't take all the kids to the park because they scatter like field mice, they learn bad words from stuff carved into the slide, someone always has to go to the bathroom and Shepherd eats anything he can find on the ground.


We have never been away from our kids and our last getaway before kids resulted in one of our kids.

The baby weight won't budge, and I own shape wear. Never thought that would happen when my sweet little 21 year old self got married. I also haven't slept through the night in nine years. My kids scream at me more than I'd like to admit and I reply in a less than loving manner way more than I'd like to admit.

So, this is life. We spent yesterday at Ava's softball game, where it was 103 degrees. We all cheered her on as she played an amazing game and her little team won and will play today in their championship game. I snuggled and nursed my fourth baby and laughed at the silly antics of our four year old. Our girls came into our room early to tell us happy anniversary and repeated that several times throughout the day, telling us how glad they are that we got married. We planned to feed the kids and put them to bed then enjoy a nice dinner that Andrew picked up from a restaurant without interruption. Except our order was wrong and we ended up not eating until 9:00 when Andrew returned again with our actual order.

Life so hasn't turned out how I pictured it ten years ago. But it's so much richer, sweeter and full of God's grace than I could have ever imagined.