Anniversary Reflection
A personal blog post in honor of sixteen years together.
From Brokenness to Blessing
It’s hard to believe that on October 2nd, 2010, I stood at the altar ready to marry the woman God had placed in my life. Only a few years earlier, I was walking through one of the darkest seasons I had ever known. I didn’t see a future for myself, let alone imagine a marriage, a family, or a life filled with love. But God was preparing something I couldn’t yet understand — He was preparing Delia.
When we first met, everything was both beautiful and rocky. We were two people with little relationship experience, trying to learn what it meant to love someone, to care for someone, and to build a life together. Our romance moved quickly, and although it felt natural, I sometimes look back and think we should have given ourselves more time. But even then, God knew what He was doing.
A Spiritual Beginning
Our wedding day at Tabernáculo Bautista in Los Angeles was more than a ceremony — it was spiritual. Surrounded by family and friends, we stood before God and began a journey neither of us fully understood yet. That day marked the beginning of a life built on faith, hope, and the belief that love could heal what was broken.
Moments That Shaped Our Family
Since that day, we’ve lived moments that shaped our family and strengthened our bond.
When our daughter was born, I saw a strength in Delia I had never seen in anyone. She became a mother with courage, grace, and a love that changed both of us forever. That moment didn’t just make us parents — it made us a team.
And in 2018, when Delia became a U.S. citizen, I felt overwhelming pride. She worked for it, fought for it, and achieved it. Standing beside her that day reminded me of her determination, her resilience, and the life we were building together.
The Truth About My Heart
I’ve always been hard on myself. Even today, I struggle with feelings of inadequacy — believing I’ve fallen short, believing she deserved more, believing I held her back. These thoughts come from my past, from years of hardship, loneliness, and rejection. They shaped how I see myself.
But Delia has shown me something different. She has shown me that love isn’t about perfection — it’s about growth, loyalty, and showing up every day. She has never asked me to be perfect. She has only asked me to be present, honest, and committed. And for sixteen years, I have been.
The Wound I Still Carry
One of the deepest wounds in my heart — and a constant reminder of my struggles — was the period between 2014 and 2018, when circumstances forced us to move back into my father’s home.
| It wasn’t just a house. It was the place where I almost lost my life. It was the place I vowed I would never return to. It was the place I promised I would never take my wife and daughter. |
Going back felt like breaking every promise I made on our wedding day. It felt like failing as a husband and father. It felt like dragging my family into the shadows of my past — a past I had fought so hard to escape.
But even in that painful chapter, Delia stood by me. She never blamed me. She never shamed me. She never treated me like a failure. She saw the truth: that I was doing everything I could to keep our family safe, sheltered, and together. We survived that season not because life was easy, but because our love was stronger than the circumstances.
Leaving that home again was one of the proudest moments of my life. It reminded me that even when life forces us backward, we can still move forward together.
The Life She Saved
Before Delia, in 2007, I nearly lost my life. My sister saved me, and I began the long road to recovery. But even then, I was losing hope again — until Delia came into my life. She didn’t just give me love; she gave me purpose. She gave me a reason to keep going.
I can say honestly: she is the reason I am alive today.
Sixteen Years in a Blink
Sixteen years. A blink of birthdays, holidays, celebrations, hardships, recoveries, and love. I barely remember the man I was back then — a scared, broken young man who only wanted to feel wanted and needed. Delia gave me that every single day.
I thank God that I get to wake up next to her, share my life with her, and build a family with her. And even though I sometimes feel I’ve fallen short, I pray for strength to continue becoming the husband and father she deserves.
Choosing Her Again
One thing I’m working on is letting go of the lies — the lies that I’m not worthy of her love, the lies that other men would have been better, the lies that I failed her. She tells me she’s proud of me. Our daughter is proud of me. I’m learning to believe it.
| Because the truth is simple: Sixteen years later, I choose her again. And I will keep choosing her for the rest of my life. |
To My Wife, My Rock
Happy Anniversary to my love — my rock — the woman who stands by me no matter what.
Thank you for your love.
Thank you for your patience.
Thank you for helping me become the man I am today.
Thank you for blessing me with your strength, your grace, and your heart.
God bless you, and God bless our marriage. I will continue striving each day to be a better husband, father, and man.
Thank you for loving me all these years.
Thank you for accepting me.
Thank you for giving me a life worth fighting for.
Written with love | October 2, 2026 | Sixteen Years
