We Renewed Our Vows Valentine's Day Weekend

I've been wanting to make this post all week but with one thing or another there just never seemed any time for me to get my thoughts down in a post.

About three years ago, Mr. Thrifty and I had planned to renew our vows. It seemed as though everything in our lives had finally settled down after we had spent the first five years of our marriage not just adjusting to married life but facing serious life challenges which score high on the Holmes and Rahe stress scale. During those early years we provided hospice car for my Mother-in-Law, sent my youngest son off to college and then Iraq, moved to a state where we knew no one, and we both began new jobs. We felt that we had met these challenges head on and we were both stronger for the experience. We wanted to renew our commitment to the love that had sustained us through those difficult times.

We cashed in our frequent flyer miles, made hotel reservations, and I had begun looking for the perfect dress.

We had made the mistake believing that the peace and satisfaction would keep us in a protective cocoon, safe from the trials and tribulations that we had both faced in the past. There was no way for us to know that just a few months later our lives would change so drastically.

While we began planning for a trip California to renew our vows, the company where Darryl worked began laying off employees eventually closing the plant within the year. Like so many other Americans we found ourselves on the slippery slope of losing everything. We scraped our plans for our trip and cut our budget to the bear bone while Darryl began searching for a job.

Darryl and I eventually did make it through these hurdles but we both knew that one day we really did want to renew our vows. When it comes down to it we really do have it all because we have each other.

We decided to enter the FISH (104.7) contest to recreate that special "I do" moment with Valentine Vows. We simply had to tell them why we should be chosen. With that in mind we set to work and finally came up with an essay we felt would communicate how important it was for the two of us to publicly recommit ourselves to one another. We wanted to have an opportunity to reaffirm the tremendous love that we share that has only deepened with the passing of years.

As part of the Valentine Vow Renewal we would be able to attend a special reception decorated with elegance by Your Seamless Events and The Rental Place AND featuring wedding cake from Orna’s Cakes. These cakes weren't just beautiful but I had the opportunity to try a slice of each sample they had there and they were all very delicious.

We were both very excited when we learned that we were one of the 500 coupons renewing their vows at Mt. Pisgah.

The ceremony itself was very memorable. I felt the message that marriage is a verb and not a noun was a very relevant topic. We were reminded that something bigger than us brought us together for a reason and we should celebrate the love we share each and every day in ways both large and small.

After the ceremony "wedding singer" Josh Wilson perform a private concert. If you are not familiar with Josh Wilson, he truly is an amazing talent. Even though there were couples who ranged from newlyweds to one couple married for forty-eight years, Josh's music carried a message of love we could all get behind.

As a sweeper I was excited to learn that every couple selected to take part would be registered to win prizes that will be given away throughout the evening like round trip getaways on AirTran Airways to anywhere they fly in the U.S, a pair of VIP tickets to the Dove Awards, a copy of the movie Fireproof with The Love Dare book, a Blu-Ray DVD player with a 5 DVD movie pack from Provident Films including Facing the Giants, Bringing up Bobby, Mysterious Islands, Rust and Upside AND a beautiful 3/4 qt 7 diamond journey pendant from David Douglas Diamonds, plus a conference registration to the Family Life Weekend to Remember!

Even though we didn't win any of these great prizes I still believe that I walked away from the event as the luckiest woman of all. That's because Darryl is by my side and I know as long as we're together we can make it through anything life throws our way.

I want to thank the people at the FISH (104.7)who made this day so special for the two of us.