Five years ago this afternoon I stood at the top of the stairs at Richland Hills Church and waited as Brittany began singing the song for my entrance into the auditorium. I had a quick moment there completely alone to thank God yet again for all He had done to bring me to that day. I was getting married! I remember turning that corner and seeing that sea of people and feeling so, very loved. Most of my focus, though, was on the two men I was walking toward. At the bottom of the stairs was my dad, the man who had fulfilled my childhood dreams and needs for a girl's Prince Charming. A man who had loved me unconditionally, cared for me, protected me, taught me, and helped me to choose the man with whom I would be spending the rest of my life. Once I reached my dad without falling or tripping (hooray!) I could focus less on walking and more on the other people. On every side were people from church, friends from all areas of life, family, and standing on the stage was my man. The one who was now going to be caring for me, supporting me, and living with me. I was barely twenty-one and very much in love, and if I had had any idea just how good life with him was going to be, I think I would have forgotten the heels and train and just run down the aisle. I can still make that walk in slow motion in my head because I was working so hard to soak in every second.
When we got married, I knew John as well as anyone can know someone they haven't lived with. We met as children and I knew him when he wore red suspenders and talked in a high voice, when he played baseball and took math classes, when he couldn't talk to girls even though all the girls wanted to talk to him, when I had braces and glasses and would have had a heart attack if he had sat next to me, when we graduated together and five of us set off on our senior road trip, when he gave me my first kiss and was the first guy to tell me that he loved me. We have 20 years of memories, but the best have definitely been crammed into the last five years. I have watched him grow from the boy I loved into a man of God whom I respect and admire. And just when I would think I couldn't love him any more, something like May 19th, 2004 happens and as I watched him hold our firstborn son, my love for him grew exponentially in a single moment.
Five years later I know that there is absolutely nowhere I would rather be than standing next to John. We have been through things we never expected and have definitely experienced more hard things in these five years than I had in my previous life. But no matter how hard things are coming at us from the outside, we have had five years of peace and oneness inside our relationship. John is a very big guy and when he wraps me in his big bear hug, I feel completely protected. That is a perfect picture of how things work. I can be hurting and lost but never without his love and protection wrapped around me helping to carry the load. What a beautiful picture of God's love he daily shows me. Baby, marrying you was one of the best decisions of my life and I would do it all over again. I love you more than I ever have and look forward to finding out just how much more I can love you in the future. By God's grace, you have made all my little girl dreams come true and way beyond what I could have imagined. Thank you for choosing me to be the privileged girl who gets to spend her life with you!
Five years ago this afternoon I stood at the top of the stairs at Richland Hills Church and waited as Brittany began singing the song for my entrance into the auditorium. I had a quick moment there completely alone to thank God yet again for all He had done to bring me to that day. I was getting married! I remember turning that corner and seeing that sea of people and feeling so, very loved. Most of my focus, though, was on the two men I was walking toward. At the bottom of the stairs was my dad, the man who had fulfilled my childhood dreams and needs for a girl's Prince Charming. A man who had loved me unconditionally, cared for me, protected me, taught me, and helped me to choose the man with whom I would be spending the rest of my life. Once I reached my dad without falling or tripping (hooray!) I could focus less on walking and more on the other people. On every side were people from church, friends from all areas of life, family, and standing on the stage was my man. The one who was now going to be caring for me, supporting me, and living with me. I was barely twenty-one and very much in love, and if I had had any idea just how good life with him was going to be, I think I would have forgotten the heels and train and just run down the aisle. I can still make that walk in slow motion in my head because I was working so hard to soak in every second.
When we got married, I knew John as well as anyone can know someone they haven't lived with. We met as children and I knew him when he wore red suspenders and talked in a high voice, when he played baseball and took math classes, when he couldn't talk to girls even though all the girls wanted to talk to him, when I had braces and glasses and would have had a heart attack if he had sat next to me, when we graduated together and five of us set off on our senior road trip, when he gave me my first kiss and was the first guy to tell me that he loved me. We have 20 years of memories, but the best have definitely been crammed into the last five years. I have watched him grow from the boy I loved into a man of God whom I respect and admire. And just when I would think I couldn't love him any more, something like May 19th, 2004 happens and as I watched him hold our firstborn son, my love for him grew exponentially in a single moment.
Five years later I know that there is absolutely nowhere I would rather be than standing next to John. We have been through things we never expected and have definitely experienced more hard things in these five years than I had in my previous life. But no matter how hard things are coming at us from the outside, we have had five years of peace and oneness inside our relationship. John is a very big guy and when he wraps me in his big bear hug, I feel completely protected. That is a perfect picture of how things work. I can be hurting and lost but never without his love and protection wrapped around me helping to carry the load. What a beautiful picture of God's love he daily shows me. Baby, marrying you was one of the best decisions of my life and I would do it all over again. I love you more than I ever have and look forward to finding out just how much more I can love you in the future. By God's grace, you have made all my little girl dreams come true and way beyond what I could have imagined. Thank you for choosing me to be the privileged girl who gets to spend her life with you! 
7 comments:
I LOVE it all!!! I love reading this stuff. That was so sweet! Happy 5 Year! It has gone so fast I know.
Oh and I love looking at all of the pictures. Your sisters were so little. Love the pink.
What a special day! You were (and still are) a beautiful bride! It is hard to believe I didn't know you then. I feel like I've been friends with you forever! Love you both---
I feel the same Shelly. I wish we had all known each other then better. How fun would that have been!:)
I agree. We got our video out and watched it last night. It's hard to believe that you two aren't somewhere in that crowd of people! I'm so glad I was able to be at yours even though I didn't know you, Shelly. Sometime we need to have a video fest so I can see Ches's. You guys may not be up for mine, though! It was long!
That's a great idea. Mine is long in places but we can always fast forward through the slow parts.
I love getting to see your wedding pictures since I didn't know you then! You were (as everyone has said!) so beautiful and I love the look on your & John's faces when you walked back down the aisle. Pure joy! Thank the Lord for his blessings on your marriage, and for giving me a sweet friend! Love you!
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