Remember When

Alan Jackson is one of my favorite singers of all time and there is one of his songs that has been stuck in my head for the last few days called Remember When. The song is a beautiful tribute to the way one man feels when he looks back on his life and relationship with his wife and the road that they have traveled on to bring them where they are in life today. Anyways, for as long as Sean and I have been together, this song pops up here and there, at the store, on the radio or on the ipod and because of the nature of the lyrics, it always speaks to whatever phase of life we are in at that time and we usually end up holding hands by the time the song ends.
When Sean and I met we were 23 years old, fresh out of college and uncertain of where our lives where headed. We had no responsibilities and wasted lots of time together doing whatever we wanted to do. It was so much fun to be in love. I liked this song then too. I thought it was sweet and painted a picture of the life I imagined with my future husband someday.


But now, with 7 more years together under our belt, we have worked our way through the first four verses- all the good and bad and hard things that life is so full of....

...and then there is verse number 5.
For many years, when it gets to this part I would arrogantly think to myself "thirty is so old" and as our ages started to creep up and then pass 25 I would hear the song and think, "yes, thirty is still old" but with a little more hesitation in my voice. Yesterday was Sean's 30th birthday and while we were on our morning walk, I brought up this song (since it had been stuck in my head all week) and we sang it together. Reflecting on where we are in life and how the past year has gone and with all the unknown and exciting things on the horizon, I love to be reminded that this part of life is just a stepping stone, just like every other part has been (ironically, we were walking past the house where I lived with a bunch of my best girlfriends in college while we had this conversation) and that the hard parts (not being able to stay home with my baby, sleepless nights, the discouraged heart of a man unable to find a job, being sick for weeks on end with very little relief....) would somehow be used to better prepare us for the future parts of our life.
Besides God, there is NO one I would choose to go through this life with other than Sean. He keeps me laughing and shows me everyday how much he loves me. I feel safe and proud when he is with me and he makes me comfortable to be myself. And he is handsome and strong and can fix lots of things. And he likes to dance. Part of me dreads getting to verse 6. I know there are many years between now and then but if I am about to turn 30 (my birthday is in a month) then I know that time is FLYING by and it will be here before I know it. But, if I have to go there, I want to go with the man I went through all the verses with, I want to go with Sean.

Happy Birthday my sweet husband.
Love,
your wife



Remember when I was young so were you
time stood still love was all we knew
You were the first, so was I
made love and then you cried
Remember when

Remember when we vowed the vows walked the walk
Gave our hearts, made the start, it was hard
lived and learned, life threw curves
There was joy, there was hurt
Remember when

Remember when old ones died new were born
life was changed, disassembled, rearranged
We came together, fell apart
broke each other's hearts
Remember when

Remember when the sound of little feet was the music
We danced to week to week
Brought back the love, we found trust
Vowed we'd never give it up
Remember when

Remember when thirty seemed so old
Now lookin' back, it's just a steppin' stone
To where we are, where we've been
Said we'd do it all again
Remember when

Remember when we said when we turned gray
When the children grow up and move away
We won't be sad, we'll be glad
For all the life we've had
And we'll remember when

Remember when
Remember when