There’s a picture frame in my parents’ den, holding a photo of Josh and me at our wedding. It’s one of my mom’s favorites; us looking back through some daylilies, smiling for the camera.

I sometimes use that frame as a little 5×7 mirror, to see if Levi’s eyes are open or closed as I walk him to sleep. Yesterday as I walked him I saw his reflection against the photo — the thousandth time, maybe, but this time it looked at little different.

It looked like gratitude, like thanksgiving. Like the gift Josh is to me, the gift our marriage is.

It’s no small thing, marriage. It’s the most binding and intimate and holy relationship we can have on this earth; truly it is sacred. And I’m thankful — to have a friend and partner for everything, to make choices together and live every day together. The meals and purchases and times of travel, the friends and family; it’s all shared now. Everything.

There are times I think things might be easier on my own, if I could just forego having to consider someone else’s opinion and only worry about myself. Yet it’s frequently that other opinion that grows and stretches me, helps me see beyond my box and think of other things.

The best part is that his opinion is one with the same interests in mind as mine. The way he goes about pursuing those interests looks different than how I would and do pursue them, and many times we’ve had to step back and remind ourselves that we’re fighting for and working toward the same things.

But it’s wonderful.

We’ve grown together, laughed together, experienced so many things together. Through the good and the bad, marriage is a beautiful gift.

It’s not perfect, but it gets better and better with time as we learn to serve each other and love each other more. And learn we do, it doesn’t all come naturally; so we pray and continuously ask God to lead us and shape us. And He does.

Walking in the den and seeing Levi’s little face layered softly on top of our smiles… he’s one of the many blessings that has come from our marriage. God gives such good gifts.

Written by Amy Parsons.