Our Love Story: Ryan & Sherbie

16 years of being together through many ups and downs... 16 years of telenovela-like marriage. 16 years and counting... I just feel so blessed that we've reached this far... we've not just grown in size (haha!) but have grown in (mature) love... again... walang perfect pero may forever! - This was my FB post a day after my church wedding with my husband, Ryan. 

My husband and I have been civilly married for the past 16 years. We are blessed with four wonderful kids - Ray John, Sheryn, RS, and Jobie.   

We had our own reasons why it took that long before we walked down the aisle. Back then, I was the one with more apprehensions and some resistance.

Our married life is not a bed of roses. It took a lot of ups and downs. We had to weather a lot of storms that almost torn us apart. We've been through a lot of challenges both together, and on our own as individuals.

Our church wedding is both a religious ceremony and a symbolism of love, forgiveness, acceptance and hope.

Our love story started way back 1999. I was 18 years old while he was 20 turning 21. 

We were classmates in one subject in the College of Human Sciences at Saint Louis University, Baguio City. It was his back subject because he came from the seminary and transferred to SLU. We were seatmates since our professor arranged our seats alphabetically. I was Joan Sherbie Agbayani, seated next to Ryan Joseph Acosta.

Ryan is a funny and warm person, which did not appeal to me as I have always been the serious, no- nonsense person. 

His laughs used to be as free as air while my smiles were as few as diamonds. We were opposites in so many ways. He is a devout Catholic, while I am a Christian. I displayed the classic independent first born child syndrome while he was the stereotype of a youngest pampered child. He is a Pangasinense. I am an Ilocana. 

All these would already give you an idea of how different we are in countless ways.

Despite our differences, love found its way. In June 18, 2000, we had our civil marriage in San Fernando City, La Union.

While we started out as madly in love with each other, I have to admit that I was also wondering if its meant for a lifetime. Let's face it, we were very young back then. We were at the height of our love hormones, the period of discovering ourselves and our future direction.

Our life together was marked by several milestones, and the best of those milestones are the times when our kids were born.

We had Ray John, the same year we got married. About six years after, we had Sheryn. During those times, life was very difficult. We were raising our kids. We were also busy pursuing our careers. Finances were also an issue, and so many other things.

Life has taken a toll on us. But, we still continued. The year 2008 was the most difficult time of our married life. It was a time when we both brought out the worst in each other. That same year, we had Ryna. Eleven months later, we had our youngest daughter, Jobie. 

In 2009, we came home to San Carlos City to face new adventures, new careers, and raise our family with a fresh new start. The road to healing, forgiveness, and acceptance of each others faults and shortcomings, was never easy. It took a lot of time, effort, understanding, and tons of prayers.

Seven years after 2009, we finally took our church marriage vows. 

December 28, 2016, marks the start of our new journey as a family. Now, we enjoy a more mature form of love characterized with better understanding of each other's uniqueness, and a more realistic expectation from one another.

I can now say, "May forever pero walang perfect." If you are looking for perfect, then, that's when you can expect "Walang forever."