Our First Decade

We have been doing life together for a decade now and been married for two roller coaster years.

10 years ago I met this tall and quirky guy who "borrowed"my phone and called himself just so that he could have my number. After going our own ways he proceeded to call me and propose that we should go on a date. I was not interested and simply ignored him, understand I was a 14 year old high school student working hard at school (I love school).

Fast forward to the 28th of April 2010 - I finally caved and went on a classic movies and arcade games date where we made our relationship official. No kiss yet, my boundaries were very clear to touching, hugging and especially no kissing, just the title of boyfriend and girlfriend.

Ten years is a long time but the first kiss memory doesn't fade easily. We were probably about 2 months into our relationship and had just come back from our who knows what number date and he asked if it would be OK to kiss me now. Viola!

Living apart and having a relationship with an age gap, while I was at school and he was working, with our parents in between was challenging to say the least but we have always found a way to overcome anything. Fast forward to the 1st of April 2017.

April FOOLS! Right!? Wrong, the day we got engaged in a maize lit with candles and sprinkled with rose petals. Considering that we were very dependent on others as we rented a room at a house and lived in a co-living situation. We were not really financially able to afford a fancy ring, afford a wedding or even buy a house. So saving up to the big day, we were thrifty, smart planners and in our opinion had the most amazing and intimate wedding ever!

The big day was filled with homemade snacks from grandparents, hasie melk (pink milkshake), gourmet ice-cream, pizza for dinner and a s'more wedding cake to top it all off!

28th of April 2018 - notice something about the date ;). Into the marriage we go and what a journey it has been! Firstly we moved into a newly build house on the same property where my in-laws live, they built it especially for us! We are truly blessed to have this home, it is small and it is simple but we have never been the kind of people that need big and flashy to feel accomplished.

In this house we have shared so many moments, memories and adventures. Some were amazing, like when we went to Thailand for our honeymoon! and others are heart-thrashing like when we lost our first pregnancy due to miscarriage. I don’t know why things happen the way they do. I don’t know God’s plans. We did and have been trying again but no positive test yet, will keep you updated!

Some High High's

Some Low Low's

Reminding myself that things happen for a reason and God has a plan for us all I am overwhelmed with emotion when I think about the future God has planned for us. Today we celebrate our marriage in the lockdown of 2020 due to Covid-19 , who knows what next year and the many years thereafter will bring.

I have always been drawn to this poem by Kiersten White.

"I didn't fall in love with you, I walked into love with you with my eyes wide-open, choosing to take every step along the way. I do believe in fate and destiny, but I also believe we are fated to do the things that we'd choose anyway. And I'd choose you, in a hundred lifetimes, in a hundred worlds, in any version of reality, I'd find you and I'd choose you."

This poem is so significant to our journey, we didn't have a love at first sight kind of love or a jump into marriage kind of love, we took it slow and steady, working hard, saving up and together creating a life that we love.

xxx