Three Years!

Three years ago today, I stood in the little alcove in between the foyer and the sanctuary of our church and listened to my groom welcome the guests who had come to our wedding. I leaned in as he told them the story of how God had brought us together. It was the fulfillment of a dream ... not only the lifelong dream of finding the man I would commit myself to, but also the fulfillment of a very literal dream. Two years prior to our wedding I was suffering from broken-heartedness and lots of confusion. A relationship that I hadn't thought would end, had. I had traveled all over Europe with two of my friends and experienced one of the greatest months of my life; and while it had helped to settle my heart about who God had created me to be, the trip had done little to clear up the confusion in my head about relationships and what was best for me.

In the midst of all this turmoil, there was one brief moment of clarity that was granted me. At some point during that summer of 2004, I had a dream that it was my wedding day. In the dream, I could not see the face of my groom because he was surrounded by a group of my friends; but I could hear him as he excitedly told them about our relationship and our joy. When I awoke from the dream I was terribly curious about who this mystery groom was ... I only knew that he was not the fellow I had previously dated. Two years later I stood, listening to Josh, as he excitedly told all of our friends and family our story. Just as in the dream, I could not see his face, but I knew that moments later the doors would open and I would fix my eyes on his face as I walked down the aisle to him.

It has been three years since I stood, grinning, as I listened to that story. Little did I know then how much of my life I would spend hanging out at the back of rooms and grinning as I listen to Josh tell stories. (note: I just realized the previous sentence makes Josh sound like an attention-hog ... he's not. Since he's a pastor for 4th-6th graders, he just happens to spend a lot of times at the front of rooms, telling stories.) We have had a wonderful life together, thus far. Josh makes me laugh on a daily basis and knows me better than I thought I could be known.


Here's to us, honey, and the thousands of stories we have yet to live.