From this day forward, for better or for worse...

"I do."

Those two words said after the wedding vow are so little yet so very significant. According to Webster's dictionary some of the meanings of "do" are: to carry out, commit, to give freely, and to put forth. So when you say I do you are really saying I carry out, I give freely, I put forth, etc.

My husband lives the "do" part of "I do" everyday of our marriage. When we said I do six years ago not only did two become one, but we became a family of three. You see I had a precious daughter from a previous marriage. She had been diagnosed as having bi-polar a couple of months before we became engaged. Dear daughter was at her worse during this time period. Jimmy could have walked away and I would not have blamed him one bit. Instead he carries more than his share of the burdens, he gives freely of his love even when it is not so freely given back to him, and he puts forth more into this marriage and family than I have at times. He has stayed by my side during the worse times in our marriage even when some of the worse times meant him getting hit, spit on, yelled at, cussed at, and having things thrown at him by our daughter. He continues to love her and honor me by staying committed to the covenant between me, him, and God.

Jimmy, thank you for being a man of God and for living the "I do" part of our vows everyday. I love you.