Rica Peralejo and Joseph Bonifacio will be celebrating their ninth year as a married couple on February 5, 2019.
But as early as January 30, the former actress has been commemorating their journey as husband and wife.
Her February 3 post recounted the reason she "cried a lot" during the ceremony. The poignant moment was captured by Lito Sy.
She was then 27 years old, a third year college student in Ateneo de Manila University, and had become less visible on television.
Rica wrote, "This was the one and only part when I cried a lot during my wedding. It was when @fjlaurel [Franco Laurel] was singing the song @davidbonifacio [her husband's brother] wrote specifically for the event.
"While listening I looked around and saw people and faces of such good and godly men and women in the room who covered us with so much love and spiritual authority.
"I was overwhelmed as I couldn’t so much reconcile how someone like me, who has had such awful past and a colorful lifestyle, could have such a noble and dignified wedding, and actually marry such a good and decent man?"
The couple got engaged in June 2009, after ten months of being together.
In an interview with the defunct showbiz talk show The Buzz, she revealed they have not kissed yet at that time.
"Merong [beso-beso], we hug and we hold each other's hands. Pretty much normal, wala lang kiss and everything."
Back to her post, Rica admitted that what was happening to her then was "all new to me."
She continued, "But after nine years I have come to realize that when God has a will for you, it can’t and shan’t be taken away from you no matter how hard you fall in life.
"For as long as you come to Him sorry and willing to change, you will still get that which He has prepared for you. The restoration of your relationship with God is more than enough to cover for what has happened when you were not living under His direction and love.
"I still sometimes have the habit of disqualifying myself but God keeps reminding me only He qualifies and disqualifies. And for as long as He says I am qualified because of what He has done and not what I have done, we are good."
Her reminder to ladies who went or are going through the same thing: "...Mistakes are part of life. But they shouldn’t define us okay?
"God is a redeemer and nothing is too hard for the Lord. Remember that..."
Currently pregnant with baby number 2, Rica is a picture of marital bliss.
In another post, she made an attempt to quantify what she and her pastor-husband have achieved so far: "9 years, 3 cars, 4 houses, 3 surgeries, 1 graduation, 2 masterals (ongoing), 2 local centers, countless plane/train,/boat rides, many many nations, several mountains, 1 diving accident, numerous hospital runs, 4 babies (1 on earth, 1 in tummy, 2 with Jesus)...
"And still, so much can’t be quantified in this marriage. Too many things in between where God and God alone was able to bring us through each and every season.
"It hasn’t been easy but I am sure God chose the one and only person I can perfectly go through all of these things with. All these years, all the joys and pains, but you are the only perfect person to share them with. I love you @josephbonifacio !!! Happy 9th year to us."