Always and Forever

While attempting to clean up, I picked up this picture I had bought back in the fall of 2007. I was wanting to redo my bedroom, so I had begun to pick out new things. So far I had three needlepoints, all with a rustic flare. I don't like flowers too much in my bedroom-wanted something romantic but not mushy. None of those pictures had been hung yet, because I was going to repaint my room after graduation (I am definitely repainting now!). All of those pictures got wet. Yesterday, one of them, a little needlepoint with "Always and Forever" stitched on it, turned up, and it was already mildewed. Shawna suggested I take it apart and see if I could clean it. I did just that, and it is good as new...the needlepoint anyway. I have to remake the rest of it, but that is ok. That little needlepoint will be a symbol of all that Steve and I have gone through in our 25 years together! "Always and Forever" is one of our songs. Oh yea, I also found, cleaning out Steve's truck the day after the flood, the anniversary card he bought for me this year. He didn't give it to me--until that moment I had not seen it. God's timing...it says volumes. It was wet, curled up, but of all the cards I have saved, this one will be one very close to my heart! I wrote a prayer on the back of it. Here is what the card text says:

Every step on our journey together

has been in adventure...

and without each of them, we wouldn't be here today

with so much to celebrate, so much to look forward to...

We've got such sweet memories between us--

crazy days to laugh about,

not so funny days we thought would never end,

joyous times we'll count as the best of our lives.

I hope you know this journey we're on

means more to me than anything in the world--

and nothing sounds better than spending the rest of my life with you.