The way life should be...

Yes, I enjoy spending time in Maine where the motto is "The way life should be" but I'm actually referring to my life. In my home. With my husband. 

The path to where I am in life was anything but straight. I never was one of those people that set a goal and headed, entirely undistracted and un-diverted, directly to that goal. No. My goals were always abstract enough that there was no paved path to reach them. 

Somehow in my deep self, I always knew that I wouldn't find true love until "later in life" (34ish it turns out) but I always knew that I would. I never knew who it would be or if I would recognize him immediately when he came into my life but I knew he'd be there at some point. I never knew exactly what our life together would be like but I knew that I'd know it when I had it. 

I'm there. Despite the unconventional start to our (adult) relationship (remember that we grew up together and then didn't see each other for 20+ years), i.e. Fall in love over the phone, then reunite in person. Buy a house together, then get engaged. Get married, then continue living 300+ miles apart for a year. Take custody of his child, and then, at long last, move in together. Despite all of that, I'm sure of the fact that I've achieved my goal of knowing my happy life when I found it. 

When we were planning our wedding, I asked my dear friend for a suggestion regarding a wedding song. She picked the absolute perfect song for us and each time we hear it, we are compelled to call each other or hold hands... And more often than not, my eyes tear up and I can barely sing along. It's called "Bless the Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts. Every single line of this song feels like it was written for us! The lyrics go like this:

"I set out on a narrow way, many years ago
Hoping I would find true love along the broken road
But I got lost a time or two
Wiped my brow and kept pushing through
I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you

Every long lost dream led me to where you are
Others who broke my heart, they were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way into your loving arms

This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you

I think about the years I spent, just passing through
I'd like to have the time I lost, and give it back to you
But you just smile and take my hand
You've been there, you understand 

It's all part of a grander plan that is coming true

Every long lost dream led me to where you are
Others who broke my heart, they were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way into your loving arms

This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you

But now I'm just rolling home into my lover's arms
This much I know is true

That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you"

I consider it to be the absolute greatest gift on earth to marry my very best friend who is truly my perfect partner. It's an honor that even after almost ten years together, we both still put spending time together at the very top of the list of things that are most important to us. It's pure joy that in nearly a decade of life, love, work, raising a child, family, successes, failures, etc we are still growing and evolving at the same pace and in the same direction. 

I didn't know what shape happiness would take in my life but it turns out that it comes in the simplest of things like hoping it rains tomorrow so my best friend/perfect partner/true love and I can hunker down at home and relax together.  It's the way MY life should be. And it is.