A Wedding!

Many of you don't know but Eli and I got married young, really young.

I was engaged at 18 and married at 19.  When people found out we were engaged they assumed a baby was on the way. Who gets married for love at 18? Well we did.  We were constantly asked "why?" much like we are with our adoption. We wanted to get married and the sooner the better.  My parents were not thrilled for the rush of it but were surprisingly very supportive.  We were definitely immature and had a lot of growing up to do.  We just knew that we could not bare to be apart and there was a reason for it. The best part is, we got to grow up together. 

 One of my best friends got married this past weekend.  It was beautiful and everything she dreamed of I am sure.  She found a beautiful man to share her life with.  Eli and I have been married for over 9 years and most of my friends from high school are just now getting married or aren't even engaged yet. Which is the norm.  Through out my marriage there were many many times I felt I missed out.  Missed out on the whole going away to college experience.  Living on my own, having my own money and space.  Having people my age that could identify with me. 

On Friday night I went out for the bachelorette party as any matron of honor should.  That scene was not me at all.  I had fun with my sister and catching up with high school friends but it was very clear that I haven't missed out at all.  At the end of the night my (married) sister, (engaged friend) and I all looked at each other and said aren't we so lucky.  One of my single friends their even said to us at the end of the night please pray for the right guy to come along for me.  There is nothing wrong with being single or going out to have fun with friends.  Many people prefer to be single and God has a different plan for them.  I was just amazed that we could be out there amongst all that fun and truly miss our significant others.  I realized how much God has blessed my life.  My marriage was very hard when I wasn't focused on God.  It is so easy to see how everyone else lives and follow along.  God created each of us for a different purpose on this earth so if we all try to do what everyone else is doing we will never be fulfilled.  It is only when we look to God with our decisions that we will be blessed.  God has changed Eli and I so much in the past 10 years since we got engaged.  We have been through some very hard times together and some very beautiful times together.  We were made for each other.  Even though there were many times when we didn't think so.   God has blessed me with a Man who wants to change the world with me, who reads my mind, who doesn't put up with my anxieties and always cheers me up.  He prefers me with no make-up and sweat pants.  I don't have to impress him to get his love.  I love him so much more today then when we stood face to face on our wedding day.  As long as we follow God's lead with our future I know we will continue to be blessed so much more then we deserve.

Sometimes we just need to be reminded of how beautiful our life really is.

How is your life beautiful?