One Year Later

365 DAYS!!! 

This past weekend, Aaron and I celebrated our ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY! This would be a good opportunity for me to recount the moments leading up to our blessed union. 

I was a self proclaimed serial monogamist. Both relationships I'd had prior to Aaron lasted two years each. Any new dating situation was entered into in hopes of finding the one. I was taught and adhered to the belief that dating was supposed to be very intentional, with the end result being marriage. 

Aaron was very different. 

My interest in a relationship with Aaron was very short-term. I wanted to go through that crazy, date-lots-of -guys, college phase so that I could have a more, oh I don't know... seasoned(?) understanding of the dating world. This desire was borne of an incredible distrust resulting from an abrupt end to my previous relationship. The boy, who I just assumed was going to be the guy I ended up with, woke one day and decided he didn't want to be in love anymore. And he informed me just as plainly. I was devastated and not in any way looking forward to being betrayed by my next suitor. 

Aaron was going to just be someone to flirt with and think about while I was busy figuring myself out. Though I was fairly certain there was a mutual interest, he went about the whole thing with great indifference. For example, since he wouldn't ask me out, I had no qualms about accepting dining offers from other eligible men. He even encouraged and laughed with me about the various quirks these other guys had. I found myself on dates waiting for a free moment to sneak away and text Aaron how bored I was.  When we finally did get around to dating, it was oddly informal and he took his sweet time in officially asking me to be his girlfriend. Still, my intentions were short-term. 

Four months into our relationship I'd realized that this kid wasn't going anywhere.  I was growing attached to this man who was in so many ways so very different from myself. What on earth this conservative, country boy found so intriguing about a lefty, city girl still escapes me. But by the time we'd spent our first Christmas together, snowed in on a New York vacation, I was hooked. I had that gut feeling that they talk about in books and movies and legends of old but you're sure doesn't exist in real life. I just knew. 

...

That next December I was at the tail-end of a six-week engagement, finishing up finals, getting ready to graduate, move across state, get married and go on a honeymoon in the span of about two weeks. I'm crazy, I know. My life was finally at that point that I'd dreamt of all my adolescence. I was about to be married to the most peculiar love of my life, a love I still can only explain as being predestined by God. I was moving to a new city in a new home to start a new life as a wife and career-woman. Everything was unfolding as I had hoped. 

--

Now, one year later, we have no careers and no city or home to call our own. Though I don't think I would change anything. I am a wife to a great, God-loving man who keeps me sane and reminds me every day that I am not going through this chapter alone. He is my comfort and my perfect fit. When he fails to live up to my unrealistic expectations, his constant focus on and desire to grow more like Jesus give me the security that I need to trust that we were put together to do good work for God's Kingdom.

One year later, it feels so strange to say that I've been married for a year. It's still strange to wake up and think "... I'm married?!" even for a day! I am so thankful that I get to share this frustrating journey that I'm being carried through with my husband. And I know God's plan for my life was just this and it is perfect in its imperfection.

Our First Photo                    Our Wedding Day

 One Year Later                                              On Our Anniversary Date

 Museum of Nature & Science & Planetarium!! 

I love museums!!

 Me as a Dinosaur                                                        Under a Giant Nose

 HAZMAT Suit Aaron                                                             Aaron and a Bear

Year old wedding cake... Tasted about as good as it looks....