My Military Vow

Thursday marked four years since the day that I said "I do" to the love of my life. When we entered into wedded bliss I knew he had a desire to join the military but there was nothing in the plans. It just wasn't a reality in our lives. But God had other plans for us and now I am preparing for a year long separation as my husband deploys.

At a beautiful wedding that I recently was a part of, the bride and groom wrote their own vows to read to each other. I thought it was very sweet and touching...and it got me to thinking about the vows that I had said to my husband. And how much our life circumstances have changed since that day.

Those vows are as sacred to me now as they were the day that I said them. And when I said "I do" it really did mean forever to me...I'm a thick 'n thin kind of gal, loyal and faithful like a trusty old dog (whatever that says about me!). My marriage was not something that I entered into lightly or in a rush - I thought long and hard about it before the wedding day because I knew that it would be a life long commitment to work hard at.  My husband knows all this. And he trusts me implicitly. But, in light of the changes that life has brought our way, I wanted to do something special to let him know that I feel more strongly about our marriage, about our family, about him, than ever.

So I wrote a vow renewal of sorts to him. I guess you could say that it is the "military clause" of our vows.

~ MY MILITARY VOW ~

16 June 2011

"On our wedding day I made a solemn vow. I promised to love, honor and cherish you. I promised to be faithful. To stay with you no matter what life threw at us - sickness, poverty, heartache...and for these years I have remained faithful to my vows. I have not always been the perfect wife. There have been days that I have let you down, said hurtful things, been selfish. I have not always been very good at showing my love to you. But always I have loved you. Always I have been faithful to you.  

With you by my side, I have grown so much. We have changed and transformed together. We have endured together, laughed and cried together. We have started a beautiful family together. Life definitely has sent us some surprising turns. When I said my vows I did not foresee a future that would require long separations and the hardships of military life. So today, on the occasion of our anniversary, I would like to add to my vows.

I promise to follow you wherever you may go and if I cannot physically do so, know that in my heart I am with you. Those times that I am not able to physically be with you I promise to wait for you, always, praying for your quick and safe return. I promise to protect your heart by remaining faithful and loving and supportive of you. I promise to do all that is in my power to make you as proud of me as I am of you. I promise to protect and honor your name and your service. I promise to be understanding that you have not chosen duty over love but that you are doing your duty to show your love - that you are doing all that you can to protect our family. I promise to continue to instill our Christian values, principals and goals that we have made for our children and to impart to them, as much as is in my ability, an understanding of your love for them. 

You are my best friend, my soul mate, my soldier, my husband, my hero, the keeper of my heart and this is my military vow to you."

16 June 2007 

~ We may not always be together but we are never apart 

For I keep you always close in my heart ~