Renewed and refreshed

A couple months ago, I took my wedding band in for a good cleaning. I have been wearing that ring for 2.5 years now, and the newness was starting to wear off. It is supposed to be a white gold ring, but the rhodium plating had worn off and the true colors were starting to show through. The diamonds were losing their twinkle, and lets just face it, I wasnt taking care of that ring quite like it did when I first got it. All it took was 24 hours away from that ring, for someone to pay alot of attention to it, for it to come back looking brand new.

Now, to some people, this might be silly, but I hate being without my ring. I felt naked. I felt weird. And I dont think a moment went by that day that I wasn't aware of that ring not being on my finger. I thought about it all day.

I realized that day, just how much my marriage is like that wedding band. Bear with me here, as you may think I am a lunatic trying to compare the two. I have been married for 2.5 years, the same amount of time I've been wearing that ring. And, you might say, the newness is starting to wear off. Our true colors have definetly began to show through (didnt take very long at all!). Sometimes, in between work and school and being too busy for each other, we start to lose that sparkle in our eye that we normally have for each other. And, as much as I hate to admit it, just like that ring, we dont take care of each other quite like we used to in the beginning.

And then, thanks to a really amazing God who made a way, we got a vacation! And, just like my ring, all our marriage needed was some attention. Bobby and I have done everything we can to maintain each other emotionally, physically, and sprititually through this busy season in our lives where we dont get much time together. But lets face it folks, sometimes you just need a little time away, to put your focus 100% on each other, to have one on one time like you could never get at home. I am proud to say I found my best friend on that vacation. He has been by my side since 7 years ago when I first met him, but we had lost touch to some extent.

We laid by the pool together, we napped together, we watched a movie under the stars together, we shopped together, we snorkeled together and held hands the whole time pointing out all the amazing things we saw to each other, and we even got sunburned together (yes my black husband got too much sun and is actually peeling!). We were together! For. Nine. Days. Straight. And now I miss him. Its back to the real world. But I thank Jesus everyday that I have a job (and got a raise and a bonus just the day after I got back from vacay!) and I have the love of my life to go home to everynight, to laugh with, to joke with, and to go through life with.