Anniversary Series | Pennypack Park Wedding Anniversary

From Kathryn: Honestly, our real love story doesn’t even begin at how we met.  We met at a bar after crossing paths throughout college dorms.  Rob says he knew almost immediately that I was “the one”.

“But the ups and downs that’s our real story“

We have been through the ringer since six months into dating when Rob’s mom was diagnosed with cancer (she’s cancer free now) and then two deaths in our respective families.  All within the first year of dating.  We got engaged and just weeks before our wedding, my sister was diagnosed with cancer (also cancer free now). We got married, we both lost our jobs due to the country’s financial crash, and then a five year battle with infertility.  Our beautiful, happy little girl, Molly, was born last summer.  Just as we were figuring out how to be parents and enjoying her latest milestones, we lost my brother suddenly in February, and had to deal with unfathomable circumstances following his death.

It rocked our world, it shook our marriage to the very core, and it broke me down.  But there was Rob.  Standing by me, standing with me, standing for me.  Literally holding me up at times. Defining our vows- in good times and in bad.  In sickness and in health.

• Kathryn:  “I find a new thing to appreciate about Rob as we go through life’s ups and downs. So, what I love most changes as we grow.  But the one constant about my love for Rob is he is my perfect balance.  Right now, his patience stands out to me.  Where I seem to lack he seems to have an abundance.  He is so patient with me even when I’m at my worst.”
• Rob:  “I love my wife for so many reasons. It’s very hard to choose just one that defines how and why I love her so much. But one of the best reasons is because of what she’s done for us – she has sacrificed so much just to get to where we are. When I was unemployed for a year and a half, it was my wife who provided the support that I needed daily just to keep looking for work. And when it came to having our daughter, it was my wife who not only sacrificed during the pregnancy to make sure our baby was born healthy, but everything that she did so that we could have our daughter due to our infertility issue. The countless needles, the doctors appointments, the research, and all of the medications that she had to take. All of that, so that she could bring into this world our beautiful, baby girl.”

I read through Kathryn’s email so many times, tears fell, and life became so real.  A partnership became real again to me.  I realized why I had been drawn to ask people to share their real anniversary stories, their Why.  To find out how & why they continued to carry on their vows through their marriage.  The vows they say on the wedding day became that much more important for me.  I hear people exchange vows almost every weekend, maybe I became numb to the meaning or maybe we all forget with social media the importance of personal connection and that these vows stood for something so important.  In good times or bad.  Kathryn reminded me that the marriage vows and the celebration of another anniversary each year is all about…

“Standing by me, standing with me, standing for me.”