The Wonder of Marriage

This past week my wife and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary!  It was been great thinking about the past 10 years, how much has transpired (e.g., 3 kids, 3 homes, graduated from college, 2 jobs, multiple moves, etc.), and considering how fortunate I am to be married.  My wife is amazing and is the anchor of our home.  I am so grateful that she puts up with me and teaches me how to be a better husband and father.  She truly completes me.  I believe that marriage is ordained of God and is part of His plan.  This knowledge has a profound influence in my marriage.

There are several things about marriage that are important to me:

1) Marriage is often depicted as something that people can get in or out of as they please, almost like shopping around for cars.  Marriage is an eternal commitment between my wife and me.  Irrespective of frustrations and challenges we are both committed to each other because we know that are relationship can be eternal.  Honestly, it takes work to sustain our love.  My goal (although I fall short often) is to put the needs of my wife above my own.  This is true love. 

2) Marriage is between a man and a woman.  Marriage is so important in God's eternal plan that he specifies that it is to be between a man and a woman.  I say this with no hard feelings or ill will against those who advocate same sex marriage. While I respect their desires to live and act as they please I do not support the act of marriage for people of the same gender.  My experience is that only when we follow God's plan are we truly happy and blessed.

3) Marriage is worth all the challenge and effort.  For two months this past summer I lived in Ohio finishing up work while my wife and kids were in the West.  This gave me must more "free time" (although I found myself just as busy).  Near the end of my time apart from my family I reflected on how I felt during our absence.  Obviously, I missed my wife and kids dearly, but more than that I was struck at how flat my life felt.  My life was not as meaningful or rich.  Sure, I did not experience the frustrations that come with parenting, but my life was not nearly as rewarding.  It was a good reminder to me of how important marriage and family is and that there will be no greater joy which we can experience in any other pursuit.  I feel sorry for those who put off getting married or starting a family.  Nothing has been more rewarding and worthwhile to me.

Below is a picture taken by my 7 year old.  It is not the best picturs, but it sadly the only one we have from our anniversary.  I look forward to another 10 years and more!

David Blunck

We do Hard Things

In our family we have a motto - "We do hard things."  It is human nature I suppose to avoid things that are hard or challenging.  Yet, it is through setting goals, tackling challenges, and trying to become better that we grow and develop.  As parents it is important to not shelter our children from hard things.

A week ago we had one of those opportunities to do hard things.  We had nearly a foot of snow fall over two days.  So we piled snow around the base of the trampoline and then my oldest and I slept outside in our "snow fort."  My second son was going to sleep with us as well, but he ended up sleeping inside because of some poor choices.  My oldest son loved the experience!  He was more teachable and humble than any other time that I can remembered.  We talked about school, his choices, things that concern me, and he proudly showed me how well he could do math in his head.  He loved sleeping outside and felt proud of himself for his accomplishment.  the next day he told both of his grandma's about his feat. I will admit that I did not sleep well and would have preferred to sleep inside, but the next morning I knew that it was worth it becauseI had helped my son do a "hard thing." 

Below are pictures taken the day after our adventure.

The entrance to our cozy abode.

Nothing is better than snack in a snow cave.

My second son enjoy hanging out with his brother in the fort.