Join me today as I post on Five Minute Friday with Lisa-Jo Baker.

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They said it wouldn’t last. How do you make something new, something good out of something that’s broken?

When this divorced 30-something married the handsome 20-something 22 years ago today, there were doubters. We had a lot going against us. My two kids, his inexperience with kids, my divorce. And, oh yes, that age difference.

But today, we celebrate over two decades of “it wouldn’t last.” To be sure, it hasn’t always been easy. Two little boys and an ex-husband made for an interesting “honeymoon” period in our lives. And the dreams we each held had to be realigned, matched up somehow so we could make this journey together. But soon enough, we were in step, and two more little boys came along. And life just happened.

At the end of this, our 22nd summer as man and wife, we’ll become empty-nesters. How can that be? It isn’t time yet. I’m not done with these boys — now young men.

I turn to my man, the one who works from dawn to dusk running his business outside our back door. It’s just you and me, I’m thinking. Oh, sure, the kids will still come around and someday we’ll make room for grandkids. But it really is just us now.

Though there’s grey at his temples and in his beard, he’s still young and thinks he has all the time in the world to do all he hopes to do. I’m covering the grey and facing the downhill slide, thinking of all the things I may never do if I don’t get busy. But we’ll make it. Because you know to take my hand in the night when I can’t sleep. Because I’ll stop and listen while you fumble to tell me the funny story you can’t quite remember…….but it WAS funny. And we’ll sit on the porch and talk about each of the kids, discuss what they need from us, share our hopes for them. There’s no line between the ones that were “mine” and the ones that are “ours”. And that’s another reason it will last.

I couldn’t put back together what was broken so many years ago. But, I could pick up the pieces and hand them to God, and ask Him to fashion something new. Who knew He’d give me you. We’re family, glued together, with uneven pieces and maybe some rough edges, but it works for us. Yeah, it’ll last.