A Decade of Weddedness

Just celebrated my 10th wedding anniversary this past weekend to my beautiful and accomplished bride, Tamra. To mark this event, we decided to visit a city that we'd both never been to. As two history buffs wanting to spend some time alone in a city away from the rugrats, Boston, MA met this criteria and ended up being the perfect sight to see.

Here's my list of "The 10 Most Surprising Facts About Boston":
10) The residential buildup around Breeds Hill and Bunker Hill.
9) As the largest city in the first state to legalize gay marriage, you see less gays here than Atlanta (perhaps they have nothing more to achieve here?)
8) Harvard: Women that graduated from Harvard were not issued Harvard diplomas until 1999 (they were issued Radcliffe ones instead; Harvard is not that pristine/landscaped as I imagined and the town of Cambridge is pretty "seedy"
7) There are more Starbucks here per capita than anywhere (or so it seems)
6) It's kid-friendly
5) It's courteous
4) It's clean
3) Rare to actually hear people speak w/the Boston accent
2) Quincy Marketplace on the north End has more annual visitors than Disneyland (this according to our tour guide - hard to believe as I've been to Disneyland lots of time - at least I could put one foot forward in Quincy Market)
1) It's maneuverability: Boston is a fully walkable city!

And now, "The 10 Most Non-Surprising Facts about Boston":
10) The real Cheers pub looks nothing like the TV show's Cheers pub
9) It's ethnic diversity
8) Public restrooms are waaaay few and far between
7) It's reasonable and efficient public transportation
6) It's historical smorgasbord
5) Pleasant summer weather
4) Lot's of smart kids walking the streets (w/Harvard, MIT, etc.)
3) Red Sox are adored
2) Great Seafood
1) It's expensive

I titled this post a "decade of weddedness" instead of a "decade of wedded bliss" because I could not tell a lie. When Tamra and I wed 10 years ago we were young and impulsive and we were both "first childs" in our own families. Lots of head-butting went on that first year, and the words "wedded bliss" do not ring a bell, but we worked at it and things are good now. Tamra has become my best friend (among other descriptions).

I say all that to say this: Marriage is work. But it can be the most rewarding work that two people of different backgrounds can embark on. The adage "growing old together" is a progressive term - and it is a positive one. No matter how much the world maligns the institution of marriage, it is just that - an institution - a God-created institution. And I for one do not want to challenge God on His definition to His own term.

A lot has happened in our ten years together - we welcomed five children into the world, finished four college/graduate degrees, bought and sold three homes, moved to three different states covering over 3,000 miles in between, and met countless professional demands . . . but through it all, God has been good and faithful and has allowed Tamra and I to grow closer over time and through the trials that we have faced together.

Tamra is my wife, my best friend, and the mother of my beautiful children. I look forward to facing each day with her for the next 50+ years :)