gratitude from a MOPS mom

If this isn't relevant to the conept of graditude in marriage, I am not sure what is. Thank you, MOPS, for relevant commentary!

Staying Married, by Carla Foote

We are celebrating a milestone anniversary this summer, 30 years of marriage. As I reflect on our years, I am deeply aware of the possibility that our story might have turned out differently.
From the start of our marriage, we agreed that we were committed for the long haul, but from our dating, engagement and wedding vantage point, we didn’t know how much work the long haul might be! After six years of marriage that included graduate school for each of us and starting careers, we welcomed our son into the family, then 3 years later our daughter. The preschool and early elementary years were full. We shared many core values and enjoyed family time. We even took a weekend away from the kids once a year just for us. But after a rough year which included four funerals, our relationship frayed a bit around the edges, we were weary and spent. Somewhere mixed into those years was a long stretch of unemployment. It didn’t happen all of a sudden, but we realized we weren’t loving each other well. Unmet expectations crept in around the edges.

We agreed that our marriage was worth working on, so we found a counselor and started peeling back layers and habits, and learned better ways to communicate. I also realized that my husband, as great as he was, couldn’t fill every need in my life. We invested in a year of counseling, some together, some individually. It was worth every moment.
We are in yet another season of marriage now, and we continue to work on how to bring out the best in each other. We’re not perfect, but we love each other and enjoy our relationship. That’s what we are celebrating this summer!
 
Dear God, thank you for giving me a partner in raising my children. Give me wisdom to take care of our relationship well, and by doing so, honor you.