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.