Twelve years ago, today, Marci and I were married.  Our first dozen years.  In some ways, it feels like that's quite a bit of time to have spent together; but when I think about the fact that three of our four sets of grandparents have made it to their 60th anniversary (five dozen years!), then I realize that we're still just starting out in a lot of ways.

This evening, we watched our wedding video with our children.  It's become something of a tradition.  Some things are really funny to revisit -- the way my Dad still had a moustache back in those days, the number of people with whom we've lost touch over the last twelve years, and the extreme youth especially among the wedding party (for instance, it's crazy to realize that my brother Alex was only a couple of years older than Elliot at the time of our wedding!).  But it's also really cool to remember some of the things that happened on that day.  For instance, at the end of our wedding ceremony, we had all of our families (parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins) come up and surround us to sing a benediction, to the accompaniment of a (hired) string quartet.  It was really beautiful at the time, but even more so now realizing that some in that circle have since passed away.  That was a special moment to celebrate together as a family -- both on the surface level (beautiful music, surprisingly high-quality choral performance, unique aesthetic at the end of a wedding ceremony) and on the deeper, symbolic levels (surrounding us with their love and their blessing, initiating us to the wonder of two families becoming one).  I think that was one of the coolest things that we did on our wedding day.

But it was also refreshing to hear our vows to each other again.  I was especially struck by the Bible passage that we chose to incorporate into our vows -- establishing it as something of a manifesto to our lives and our relationship.  The passage was Galatians 6:9-10:  "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."  Both Marci and I have gone back to that passage specifically in the last month or so, drawing strength and sustenance from its exhortation.  So to hear those words again, in the context of our wedding ceremony, was a special confirmation of God's involvement in our lives and in our marriage.  With God's grace, we both hope and pray that we can continue so doing for the next several dozen years.