{love letter to my people}

wen & i just celebrated our anniversary. 8 years. it seems a bit unreal to me that it’s almost been a decade since we said, “i do, i will” on that beautiful fall day in 2003. and even stranger that it’s been THIRTEEN YEARS since those two kids met each other at pottery barn on nw twenty-third in portland. we were such babies then. no idea what life was bringing our way – the ups & downs & adventure ahead. there have been many times over the years when wen & i have paused and said, “can you believe this is our life?”  i think the twenty-two-year-old me would have laughed in disbelief if you had shared with her that one day she would be living in germany, working in this global job, with 2 amazing little chicks to raise.

i also think that same young girl would have been terrified if you had told her how hard this marriage journey really is. she may have had serious second-thoughts if you had told her that all of those quirky little differences that felt charming and endearing would one day make life a bit complicated and, at times, really hard.

throughout the 8 years (well, 13) that make up the first few chapters of the “wendell & emily story,” there has been a lot of change. change in scenery, change in jobs, change in homes, change in emotions. we’ve moved (across the country and across the world!), had babies, bought cars, sold cars, spent and saved, ranted and rejoiced. but the one consistent has been that whenever we needed them, the troops rallied.

you may recall “the breakup of 2000.” if not, i’ll spare you the details and simply say i was heartbroken, wen was lost, and the troops rallied. they rushed to my side to encourage, support, and at times, carry me until i felt mended enough to carry on solo.

and when wen & i found our way back together (thank you, lord), the troops once again rallied to celebrate.

in the years between the wedding dress and today’s uniform of jeans/boots/whatever, there have been incredible highs and challenging lows. and through it all, the troops rally. they rally with dinners and phone calls and quick emails saying, “i’m here.” they rally with spontaneous coffee dates to  listen and offer advice and be ok whether you take it or not. they rally by getting on their knees and lifting prayers up. they rally by being REAL and VULNERABLE and sharing their own stories, knowing that hearts are comforted by knowing they are not alone. my troops don’t sugar coat, or gloss over the hard stuff. they open their lives with me, and with each other, and supply strength and laughter and wisdom and whatever else i might need at that moment.

i wouldn’t change a day, a moment, of these 8 years with my wen for anything. even the hard ones, where we felt defeated and adrift and tangled up in our own stuff. there is beauty to be found, even within the messiness.  there is beauty in the commitment, in the rebuilding. and there is incredible beauty in looking around and seeing the tremendous support of the troops, ready at a moment’s notice to rally.

8 years. i’m looking forward to many many more adventures ahead with mr. maxey, the love o’ my life. in spite of our differences, we are aligned at the heart. we love big. we lift up. we cheer loud for each other.  hard stuff will come. it will. but when it does, the troops will rally.