The heart that has truly loved...

In our first year of marriage, I memorized and recited this poem as a gift for Ryan and framed a copy for him to keep:

Believe me if all those
Endearing young charms
Which I gaze on so fondly today
Were to change by tomorrow
And fleet in my arms,
Like fairy gifts fading away
Thou would'st still be adored
As this moment thou art
Let thy loveliness fade as it will
And around the dear ruin
Each wish of my heart
Would entwine itself
Verdantly still.

It is not while beauty
And youth are thine own
And thy cheeks
Unprofaned by a tear
That the ferver and faith
Of a soul can be known
To which time will but
Make thee more dear
No the heart that has truly loved
Never forgets
But as truly loves
On to the close
As the sunflower turns
To her god when he sets
The same look which
She'd turned when he rose.

Thomas Moore

Today marks our 11th anniversary, and it has been more wonderful than I could ever have hoped.  God definitely knew what He was doing when He set us up!  Someday, I will have to write about that, but for today, I am just reveling in the fact that God gave me a man who truly does love me more today than the day we were married.  We had the verse reference Mark 10:9 inscribed on our rings, "Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate."  I believe that it is because we knew this was God's direction for us that we have never wavered in our commitment to each other.  I pray it is always so.


Thanks for marrying me, Ryan.  May we each have a "heart that truly loves."  You are truly more dear to me than ever.  I love you.