I can’t believe today is our 25th anniversary!  Even typing those words brings tears to my eyes.  Last year on our 24th anniversary, I shared 24 Things About Us. Everyone seemed to love that post as much as we love to putting it together. This year to celebrate our 25th anniversary we are sharing 25 Things We’ve Learned in 25 Years of Marriage.

How has it been 25 years?! How have I spent half my life with a man I love so much?  It almost doesn’t seem real that has been 25 years!  I know we’ve learned much more than this but these are the things that come to mind that we want to share with you.

25 Things We’ve Learned in 25 Years of Marriage

1. Pray continually.
2. Our faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ is what holds us together.  It’s the foundation for our life together.
3. Protect your marriage by always putting it first…before self, before kids, before work, before parents, before friends.  First. Period.
4. It’s ok to talk about how you feel.
5. Time alone together is important. Weekly Date Nights and getting away together once or twice a year has been so important for us.
6. Learn the other Person’s Love Language.
7. Laughter is good for the soul!
8. Develop a shared interest. It can be simple. We like travel, margaritas, family time and entertaining at home.
9. Marriage is not easy. It requires hard work and intentional time.
10. Parenting is hard but worth every minute, tear, smile, hug, milestone and victory.  Our girls made us a family and are our joy!
11. Inlaws are a true blessing.
12. Marriage not 50/50.  It’s 100/100.  However, you will not always both be giving 100% and that’s ok. There will be times you and the Lord will carry things for the both of you.  That is Love.
13. You can’t keep score or want to win or want to be right.
14. You have to choose to Love your spouse every day.  Most days that will be easy!
15. Serve your spouse even when you don’t want to.  They need it and you will be the recipient, too.
16. Don’t keep things bottled up.
17. It’s ok to agree to disagree.
18. Having a separate interest is ok as long as it doesn’t interfere with your relationship.
19. Listen and let them know they are truly heard.
20. Tell them you are proud of them.
21. Support their dreams.
22. Critique with love.
23. What attracted you might irritate you one day but remember what you loved about that!
24. Love always.
25. It’s a treasure to have someone to walk through the highs and lows with you.

I am eternally grateful that they Lord has blessed me with a man who loves the Him first and then me and my girls.  He is a loving husband and father.  I’ve always known Scott loves me even on our worst days.  He is a true blessing to my entire family.

When we chose 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 to be engraved into our wedding bands, we were giddy in love and truly had no idea how true this scripture was and how we would experience it all…

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

I know there are many couples who have had to postpone their weddings during this shelter in place time and they are in my prayers.  I hope that until that wonderful new date arrives and you embark on your new lives together, you will cling to the Lord and each other.  It’s it what has carried us this far and I know it will you as well.  For those of you married, I’d love to know for how long and something you’ve learned as well in the comments below.

Cheers to 25+ more years!

xo

Alicia

This photo was taken by Erin Schreyer.  A neighbor of ours working on something called the Front Porch Project.  She is taking photos of families in our neighborhood on their porches to remember this time at home.  She does so from the sidewalk!  All she asks is that each family make a donation to a charity helping those impacted by coronavirus.  What a treasure she is!  We are blessed that she took this for us yesterday to celebrate our anniversary!  I’ll share the family photos soon!  We supported the Park Cities Baptist Church, PEACE Punta Mita and the North Texas Food Bank.

Pint this image for reference!