Today, March 31, 2021 marks three years since Tolu and I committed to each other before God and our family and friends. If you were there, you know it was a day to remember. Yes there was the beautiful venue, luscious florals, glam embellished dresses, good food, music and drinks, but the greatest element I cherish and remember from that day is Love. Love was most certainly in the air. Not just between me and Tolu but also from family and friends. Fast forward to today, three years later and Love is still front and center.
Tolu and I have had anniversaries before (obviously). The first anniversary was cute; I was 3.5 months pregnant with Tayo. Second anniversary was nice; COVID was still pretty new so we were bunkered down at home. But this third anniversary… 3 years of marriage… well, let’s just say it feels extremely celebration-worthy!!!
For me, there is something special about the number three. It’s not one, it’s not two, but THREE! Three whole years and I can honestly say they’ve been better than I would have imagined. Maybe it’s because we now have Tayo, and we are now living in our home as opposed to Tolu’s condo. We have created life together and we’ve built a home together and our love continues to grow.
I’m sure there are some real marriage veterans reading this (like my parents or Tolu’s parents who have been married for 30+ years). You’re probably thinking, “Oh sweetie, this is cute. Three years! Wait until it’s 15 years or 30 years!!” lol… I hear you. I know that with time, trials and tribulations are inevitable but I am so grateful for the partnership Tolu and I have built. We’ve both put in effort to create a relationship and marriage that we can be proud of and that honors God and our families. It sounds silly but I’m proud of us. :)
We received LOTS of advice and counseling prior to getting married. I figured I’d share just a few that I’ve found to be very true:
Advice before getting married/when considering marriage: People evolve but they do not change. You should love and appreciate your partner for who they are at the core (what they consistently do or show you) without wanting to change them. If this feels hard, don’t get married!
Advice while married: Respect your spouse. On good days, challenging days, and questionable days, respect should never be forgotten. Always do what honors your marriage.
Best advice all the time: Keep God at the center.
To celebrate our third anniversary, we hired a photographer and decided to capture some fun memories as a family in our new home. (Plus, I needed the photos for our empty walls in the house.) Tayo warmed up to the camera quite well and stole the show of course. This was a nice COVID-friendly way to commemorate the day. I look forward to looking back at these pictures when our 3 years grow into 30!
All photos by Mike Anthony Photography - www.mikeantphotography.com