10th Anniversary

It was exactly ten years ago that RKA and I stood in a little brick church and took our vows.

The day before our wedding it poured with rain. Buckets of rain were streaming down from the sky and dripping off of the reception party tent that was set up at my aunt and uncle's rural property. My mom stood ironing table cloths and looking out the window with worry as the rain sheeted off the flaps of the tent. RKA himself shed a few tears about the impending "wet wedding". Somehow I was fairly oblivious. Of course I was hoping for sunshine, but I didn't want to waste too much energy on the weather. So we just waited.

That Saturday morning I woke up and looked out the window and was greeted by a brilliant blue sky filled with a brightly shining sun. I was ecstatic that we were going to have our elegant outdoor wedding reception just as we planned.

I have so many good memories of that day. I can so clearly remember standing there in that very hot church holding both of RKA's hands and looking straight into his eyes and knowing that things were going to work out for us.

Right after the ceremony it was a whirlwind of our closest friends and family wishing us well as the church bells rang. Then we headed to the reception in a little antique car just big enough to fit us and my maid of honour and RKA's best man.

The weather held out for us and the outdoor reception was beautiful. The night stayed warm, the stars shone brightly and the bugs stayed away. My brother kept things rolling as the MC and somehow my dad got a hold of the microphone - twice! The dancing went on long into the night, after RKA and I had driven off.

It was an incredible start to our life together. Having all of our loved ones there supporting us and celebrating with us meant so much. Now ten years later we realize what some of those things which we were vowing really meant. Our decade has not been without its rain but there has also been so much sunshine.

Yesterday, we headed up to the OK for a night away to commemorate our tenth. It was an incredibly hot 36 degree day. We were sweltering quite like we were ten years ago in our wedding duds in that little church. We celebrated our anniversary on a lakeside patio of a historic hotel. It was so quaint sitting under white umbrellas overlooking the dock and the sparkling lake.

We watched an awesome sunset as huge grey clouds rolled in against a pink sky. Then we were treated to an incredible lightning show that lasted the whole evening. The entire patio of on-lookers was captivated by the light show. The sounds of chatter and clinking glasses would be suddenly interrupted by yellow flashes reflected in the lake and audible gasps from the crowd. At one point, RKA actually clapped when a lightning bolt cracked against the now dark sky and then spiked down onto the glassy surface of the lake. I realized that there is no one else who I would rather experience a storm with.

I love storms. But my absolute favourite part of the weather show was when the thunder came. It shook the wood-planked patio and warned of the rain that was to come. We ordered dessert, waiting for the rain, daring the rain to come. It finally came down in big warm drops and it was actually quite nice. It also brought that summer rain smell that seems to promise more sunshine. But if anything, we have learned that marriage is not just about sunshine. Holding hands during the storms is where the vows come in.