Four years of playful bickering. Four years of late night movie marathons. Four years of tickle fights. Four years of cooking and washing the dishes. Four years of love, of cuddles, of kisses, of smiles and of tears.
Yes, it's been four blissful years of marriage.
I didn't buy any fanciful present, put on sexy lingerie or cook a 5-star hotel dinner buffet for jw today. But I did put my heart into making my first ever pop up card for this man I love most in my life.
The Eiffel Tower was where we got engaged. Saying yes to a proposal, albeit without an engagement ring, became so natural in this most romantic setting in the world. The Eiffel Tower will always hold a special place in our hearts (even Angel can recognize it and say its name now) and it was the perfect icon to use as my pop up.
When jw saw it, he beamed and told me it was the most beautiful card he had ever seen. And I guess that just makes every effort worth its while, right?
For those interested, Creative Pop Up Cards offers tutorials and free templates for the beginners. All you need is a sharp cutting blade, a mat, some paper and you can start creating your own unique pop up card!
Looking at this man, imagining seeing tears of joy in his eyes while feeling real tears in my heart, I felt so lucky to be here, to be the mom of his child, to be a part of this happy home.
To be his wife.
Instantly, my heart raced back to four years ago...
******
I can vividly recall walking down the aisle through colourful swirls of origami cranes and smelling the fragrance of fresh flower petals alongside. Me dressed in a flowy, blue and green floral dress, him in a half buttoned-shirt, long bermudas and yellow slippers. Yes, slippers!
Casual, comfortable, relaxed. Just how we like it to be.
As we marched to the song of "I've finally found someone" playing in the background, we couldn't stop smiling. Smiles of love. Smiles of bliss. Smiles of hope.
Our families, friends and everyone we loved gathered in this beach resort and filled the place with so much happiness that any broken heart could be mended.
The sun shone down on us and our skin glowed with its wishes. The birds chirped congratulatory words and sang the most melodious wedding songs. The waters lapped onto the shore and applauded when the moment came.
I had seen this scene in movies a million times. The moment when you say "Yes, I do". Still, nothing beats experiencing this intense, electrifying sensation when he finally puts the ring on your finger.
I will always remember our Eiffel Tower ring holder, a surprise gift made by my best friends. I will always remember him kneeling on one knee and gently sliding the ring onto my finger. I will always remember saying "I do" and "I will" with smiles on my face and tears of joy in my heart. I will always remember how I felt like the happiest girl on earth when it was time to kiss the bride and seal our love.
You know, marriage to me is one of the most magical and beautiful things on earth. Well, I have nothing against people who are anti-marriage, but I definitely am pro for it.
Getting married is not about getting tied down for life.
It's not just so you can apply for a HDB flat as rightful spouses.
It's not so you can get the baby bonuses when you start a family.
It's not to force yourself to commit to one person so that infidelity becomes a no-no.
It's not.
Marriage is just about two people falling in love and wanting to spend the rest of their lives together. It's about being intertwined. It's about two become one. It's about the willingness to walk hand in hand no matter where the road takes you. It's about joy, bliss, hope and all the good things in the world.
In my walk of life, I've taken some winding roads, some rocky ones and maybe even made a few wrong turns.
Since the day we pledge to be with each other for better or worse, I know deep down in my heart that you will be there to hold me up when I'm weary.
That you will not hesitate to carry me when the going gets rough. Or at least piggyback.
That even if there are more wrong turns ahead, you will be there to lead me, to guide me, to walk hand in hand with me and together, we will learn from our mistakes, we will laugh about our past, we will cherish our present and we will march confidently into our future.
Happy 4th anniversary, my dear.
