Why am I Getting Married?

Perhaps a more accurate title would be, why am I marrying Katie? My fiance and I were talking yesterday and we often like to just ask each other questions in which we promise to give a truthful response. This process has helped us get to know one another better all the time. One of the questions last night was; why do you want to marry me? Anyone who is married or is getting married has probably heard this question or at least thought of it. After all, it is a very good question to ask each other and ourselves. The divorce rate is ridiculously high and I for one am making this marriage a lifelong commitment. Does anyone really get married thinking they will just get a divorce if it doesn't work out? If they are and have never been through a divorce, they don't understand the pain of ripping a marriage apart.

Why am I writing a blog post on this? Good question self. Actually after Katie asked me why I wanted to marry her I had to think about it. Sure there is the go to answers such as I love you, you are my best friend and I can't imagine my life without you. But, we are talking about marriage. I am promising to love her when she is in a bad mood, when she is mad at me, when I am mad at her; this isn't something we can just walk away from so I think it deserves more thought and some real soul searching. Why do I want to marry Katie? See it isn't a need, we don't say I need to marry you or I need to spend time with you, this is a want.

1 Corinthians 7:8 (Living Bible)

So I say to those who aren’t married and to widows—better to stay unmarried if you can, just as I am.

I don't need to get married and Katie doesn't need to marry me. But I really do want to marry Katie. But why? Katie is beautiful to me, and getting more beautiful with each passing moment. Is that a reason? What is beauty? Is Katie physically getting more beautiful with each passing day? Sure that is a possibility but I think it goes deeper. It is also a great place to start. Why is Katie getting more beautiful to me each day? It has nothing to do with her physical appearance; my eyes aren't suddenly getting better or worse. Each passing day gives me new insight into who Katie is, what she loves, how she loves and a deeper understanding of her soul. They say beauty is only skin deep but I think that is wrong. Beauty cuts down into the depths of each person and is only truly seen as you get to know them. 

So to Katie, this is why I want to marry you:

I feel as if my life is better with you in it. You support me in all that I do and have faith in me as a person even when my faith is trembling. 

You love my children as if they were your own flesh and blood. I see the love you have for them in your eyes and in your actions. I can see that spending time with them is a priority to you and that you would do whatever is best for them, even if it isn't the easy thing to do.

I love that you will call me out on stuff and that you dig deep into who I am. There is a lot to me that many never see because they only scratch the surface but you want to know me deeper each day.

I love hearing you laugh and seeing you smile. Seeing you happy brings me joy. 

I love that you love tickling and being tickled and just having fun. You are an amazing person.

Being with and around you makes me want to be a better father and to have a more real relationship with God. You help to bring out the best in me but you still love me when my best doesn't show. 

When I hear a beautiful song, see a beautiful sunset or read a beautiful quote, it is you that I see and hear. 

I love thinking of our future, however uncertain that may be. We may not have much money, we may be rich, we may be poor, we may be healthy, we may be sick, we may be fat, we may be thin, we may be grieving or happy or mad but it doesn't matter. Life is always changing around us and always will be. People we love will be born and will die. People will get sick and some will be cured. It doesn't matter, I want you by my side when life is great and when it is miserable. When we are on the mountain tops of life, when we are in the darkness of the valleys and with each step in-between I want you taking those steps with me. 

I will fail, I will hurt you but I will also love you and lift you up. My prayer is that the times I am lifting you up and encouraging you far outweighs the times I am not. As long as we grow in each other and grow in God I believe that will be the case but I will love you regardless.

I will not view love as an emotion we have no control over but rather it is something that can and will be worked on and for and towards. 

I want to marry you because I choose to be your partner, your best friend, your confidant, your lover, your prayer partner, your companion and I believe you choose the same thing. 

When I asked you out I asked if you would walk with me wherever this path may lead. I meant that wholeheartedly. I don't know where this journey will take us but I want it to be with you as long as we are alive. So yesterday today and tomorrow I will walk with you as long as we are living. These words do not do you justice but know my heart and my mind and know that I love you with all that I can love. 

I Love You.

I also want to marry you because despite all of my grammatical errors you still love me :)