The Background. Five Years Later!

Five years ago I was probably on the phone giggling and twirling my hair like crazy. This is because five years ago tomorrow, my NOW husband asked me to be his girlfriend. I suppose that it was about this time five years ago that Andrew had asked me to go to a Harvest party at his church with him, and of course I pleasantly accepted the offer! You see, we had been "talking" (such a dumb term) for months before that night. And before that, I'd been "stalking" him (via myspace) for months and months. And even before all that, we'd been classmates with teensy weensy crushes on each other for years. It is funny to see the progression of our relationship. To this day, I am not sure where I would be without him. I didn't spend much of my life without him (well nine years...). When I look back on all those years, dating and not, I am simply amazed at just how carefully and finely the Lord orchestrated each step of our lives to glorify Himself in our relationship.

 I believe that we are blessed not only because we have done our best to follow God but because our parents laid that foundation for us. Each of our parents put Christ as the center of their homes and hearts. This made it easy for me and Andrew to fall in love because we shared the same passions that had been kindled within us at very young ages. Sidenote: After we started dating we actually found out that we had even gone to the same pre-school together!! That goes to show how similarly our parents were raising us. I think it is funny that our parents could have seen their children's spouses as young as three years old. (And it's not like we grew up in a small town... VB is the biggest city, population wise, in VA!) I am thankful that the Lord delicately intertwined our lives together even at such young ages.

 And that is amazing. I am so thankful for a man who loves me unconditionally and accepts my quirks and makes up for my shortcomings. A man who does not let me settle for an "okay" attitude but who does whatever it takes to turn my attention off myself and onto the Lord. A man who wouldn't think twice about filling up a stranger's gas tank (which he has done SEVERAL times). A man whose musical abilities far surpass what anyone has heard because this man is HUMBLE. I am eternally thankful to the Lord for blessing me with a genuine, loving husband who had the courage to call me when he was 14 years old just to say "I like you". (true story) The thing I love most about Andrew is not his dashing good looks or his great personality but it is his genuine love for the Lord. He refuses to put me above God, and THAT is a real man. I know he will absolutely kill me if he ever reads this, but I can't contain it! 

And down below are just a few pictures portraying bits and pieces of our relationship! Enjoy!

Riding in the back of our parents' cars....

Trying to get the "perfect" myspace picture!

Finally realizing that we really aren't photogenic.

Trying to look way cooler than we really are.

Walking on the beach (our favorite)

On our HONEYMOON!

With our firstborn, Chip.

 

What I Wanna Be When I Grow Up!

As I sit here munching on my grilled cheese and sipping my apple juice (from a juice box), I am plagued with many thoughts. I guess my meal choice is actually a bit indicative of what I would like to talk about. Perhaps you have been asked at least once in your lifetime, "What do you wanna be when you grow up?". I'll just go on a limb and say you have been asked that a time or two. 
When I was very young I always told people I wanted to be an archaeologist... Reality hit at about 12 when I realized that not every dig includes groundbreaking discoveries leading to more and more insight as to what really happened in the past. So I believe after that I said I wanted to be a veterinarian for a short time. That was short-lived because, well, I'm not the biggest animal fan and I really didn't want to go through all that school. I started high school and decided to finally do something a bit out of the ordinary, and I joined the student athletic training club. I'm not sure that it was a club because we didn't have a secretary or president or anything, but I absolutely LOVED it. That was my dream until yet another reality hit which I already went over in another blog. So now that reality has sunk in once again, I believe I know what I want to do. 

And while we wait for a human baby, Chip is my little practice child

I want to be a mommy. Well, a wife first (got that one down) and in a few years I hope that parenthood follow. I know this may seem a bit dumb or boring, but I have felt the Lord placing me in various positions to be rather bold about this calling on my life. I would never look down on someone who chooses daycare for their child. I would never condemn a mother who absolutely loved her career and children. So please don't get me wrong. But God has truly pushed me out of my comfort zone in this calling, and I think that is partly why I am so sure it is really my calling. You can ask any of my family members, (except my mom because my mom ALWAYS knows EVERYTHING) and they would have said I would never have chosen this sort of path. Maybe I am wrong, but I don't believe I always put out the most loving, motherly vibes. ;) 
Anyway, the reason I am posting this is because I have decided to finally embrace this feeling and be more open about it. Believe it or not, it is very frowned upon to not plan on attending graduate school or look forward to a successful "career". I am thankful because the Lord has shown me that though some women may find fulfillment in a more traditional "career", I will feel such achievement in being with my children through every teensy weensy step of their lives. Again, women who work outside the home can also be vitally involved in their children's lives. I have learned that I will not look forward to a paycheck but to tiny kisses and even the "I hate you's"... Because we all know that the "I hate you's" mean you have actually said "No" to your child, which is a rarity in today's society! My work challenges will be when my kids get tummy bugs or when I feel hurt for them when they struggle to make choices that I can no longer make for them. Financially there will be plenty of stress and struggles but "leaning on the everlasting arms" will be our motto. I pray that our household will be filled with joy, laughter, and tons of fun. And money will just be a necessity to life but never consume us.
I feel that by fulfilling this calling in my life, the Lord will be able to bless others through the examples my children will give others who do not have the privilege of growing up with BOTH parents who genuinely love them but love the Lord more. So whatever you do, truly do it to the glory of God!