are ju married? jethk!

It’s been WAY too long! I have decided I am the worst blogger ever. I have such great intentions…and then life hits. I am going to be better. I resolve to be better this year. I have an entire year to catch up on – but instead of recapping it, I will just hit the highlights and dream of the future…God’s up to something new…Isaiah 43:19 has been my life verse for the past year…

You may remember a post from 2010…"Are ju married?"…I have to say it was one of favs to write. It was very personal and seemed to strike a chord with many of you as well. In fact, it was the most popular to date – not that there’s that many to choose from…haha!

And believe it or not…almost exactly a year later from writing that…I got engaged to my very best friend…and married 5 months later (September 16).

Other than if you attended our wedding…I haven’t shared very many personal details about this special someone. I kept it a very dear secret. Not from my God, my family or my very dearest friends…but to the world…especially the FB and blog world.

If you’ve ever publically fallen in and out of love, you know what I mean. When something special like this comes along, after years of turmoil and hurt, you want to keep the good thing good and not have it tainted by “the others.” You know, the ones who love to give their opinion, think they owe it to you to be honest or maybe even have a “word from the Lord” on your behalf. Some being friends, and some even being family. When what’s good becomes public, many times what starts as sacred becomes, well, stained.

But this time, this time was different. I had heard over my 31 years of life that once it happened, it would be different. And it was. I had also been told when it happened, it would happen fast. And it did. Two weeks from the first date, he said he loved me. It took me an additional week to say it back. I told him I had to think about it…and he was man enough to handle those words. I had known that the next time I said those words I wanted them to be the last. Then 5 weeks from our first date we were engaged and 5 months later we were married. In fact, we haven’t even been dating a year yet. Crazy I know?! : ) But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

He is my best friend, my love, my other half, my equal, the one I can be an absolute dork with (I’m told on a regular basis), the one I laugh the hardest with, the one I can be vulnerable with and the one who doesn’t try to change me and lets me be me. He is well on his way to knowing me the best. He’s learning…as am I. And more importantly, he loves Jesus with all his heart and desires to lead us well. He is my answer to prayer. The one I prayed for, the one I cried over and the one that made all the lonely nights absolutely worth it.

And wouldn’t you know, Maria even ADORES him?! The very first time I brought him into McAlister’s they all oohed and awed over him and told him how very happy they were for both of us. It may be sad or endearing, we haven’t decided which, but we invited McAlister’s and Starbucks employees to our wedding, and they came! : )

Anyways…I’m sure I’ll share more over the next year, but in the mean time, please meet Brent and enjoy some shots from our wedding. My sweet grandfather (90 years old in March!) and my amazing father did the wedding, my sweet friend Kari sang and my talented cousins played all the music and I had lifelong friends stand with me on this special day and dream come true…

Happy New Year!