Sunday morning we got up on our friend’s farm near Van Rheenen, packed all our stuff and started the journey home.  In the mountains we had no cellphone reception, we did not notice time or dates.  So when we reached the small town we switched our cellphones on for the first time in a week.  Within 5 minutes my father-in-law called.  He wanted to know what time they should expect us to reach them.  Then my mother-in-law came on the line, and she congratulated me.  Only then I realized “it’s 14 December – it is the 17th anniversary of our wedding!!” 

Seventeen years!!  It flew past in the blink of an eye.  Sometimes I still cannot believe my luck, I never even had a proper boyfriend as a girl, and then I met Nestus, he became my best friend and eventually my husband!! We met as students at a christian outreach group, we both refused to admit how much we liked each other for nearly two years.  Then one day I realised that I loved him, but he did not seem interrested at all. Then he had to join the army for a year and on his first open day I visited him.  He asked me to be his girlfriend, and added that being his girlfriend would imply that I would have to  marry him.  He advised me to take time to think it over!!  I replied that I did not need time, I knew I wanted to marry him!! That was May 1990.  We were married on 14 December 1991. 

And now it is seventeen years later.  I can truly say there was not one day that I regretted saying “yes” in 1990.  Our relationship has only grown, it became better, deeper and more mature!  We enjoy being together even more than when we were basically children, back when we got married!!  I once went on holiday for one week without him, as he could not get leave, that was the most horrid week ever.  Without him everything was empty and boring. 

One of our friend said last week, if she hear someone describe a man as a nice or good man, she immediately want to see his wife.  Is the wife really happy, is she really allowed to be the person God intended her to be, is she allowed to grow and really live? 

In our lives the answer would be a resounding YES!!  This incredible man helped me to become more than I ever thought I could be.  He really brings out the best in me, he builts me up, he encourage me.  I did not even think I was ever going to get a husband, and then my Loving Father chose him for me.  For years my prayers consisted mainly of thanking God for this incredible man, and I still thank God for making the right choice for me!!

Seventeen years…  we plan on growing old together, travelling the world, living life to the fullest, holding hands….