Four Years ago today — I was getting ready to marry my best friend. 4 years….It seems like just yesterday all of my closest girl friends (who I love and adore greatly!!) were all coming to Hickory to celebrate our wedding. It seems like just yesterday we were at the church getting ready and I was as calm as I had ever been in my entire life. It seems like just yesterday my Daddy was walking me down the aisle to meet my husband. Husband — wow….what an incredible feeling!! Every year on our anniversary we watch our wedding video. We laugh and I normally always cry, tears of joy of course! The pure joy and happiness that I felt that day comes back to me every time I watch that video. I really had an absolute blast beginning to end! My wedding day was everything I dreamed of and more (THANKS MOM AND DAD!!!) It was an incredible day!
I’m not exactly the most patient person in the world — shocking to most of you I know :). I can vividly remember countless conversations with my Mom and my girlfriends (thank you by the way for always listening to the same things over and over and over and over :)) about when will I meet “the one”. The one I was going to marry. I had this plan for my life from the time I was little. I would graduate High School, attend a college, meet the love of my life, get married after college and then have children. So once my senior year of college hit, I knew that my husband was NOT at Wingate University. Little did I know he was in Roanoke, VA. So after graduation friends began getting engaged. Wedding season happened! I was in and attended several weddings over the course of the next few years. During those weddings, I kept thinking “Maybe my future husband is at one of these weddings….” — haha – NOPE 🙂 My husband was still in Roanoke, VA. And if it wasn’t for me working at the Bobcats, and meeting Brad McFarland, I don’t know if I ever would have met my husband. See Brad was Justin’s best friend, and worked with me one summer at the Bobcats. The next year he came back to Charlotte to visit and had friends with him — Justin being one of them. We met, hung out, and the rest is history! Literally! I walked away the night I met him and knew something was different. He was different. I finally had those butterflies that I had always wanted. I quickly realized that he was “the one”. After years of waiting. Well what FELT like years (I was 23 when we met so I realize now that’s silly :)) – I realized that God has bigger plans for me than I even have for myself. Justin was made for me! In our wedding we had friends of ours sing the song “When God Made You”. Some of the lyrics that spoke to me when I first heard the song were, “When God made you, he must have been thinking about me”. I know in my heart Justin was made for me….and God knew it since before I was born. We balance each other PERFECTLY :). He truly is my soul mate and my best friend. I thank God every day that he made him thinking about me 🙂
Funny as I was driving to work this morning, all I could think about were those countless conversations I had with my Mom and friends over the years about getting married and my strong desire to fall in love and get married. And once it happened I got several (deserved) “I told you so’s” 🙂 When I graduated from college my Mom gave me a card that I still carry in my wallet today. The message is simple, “In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths” And it’s taken me 29 years to realize, that his paths are SO much better than my paths – you just have to have a little faith. And now here I am again…..in waiting mode. This time, I have the love of my life, but I’m waiting for a child. I already admitted that patience is NOT my strong suit. But this morning, on the way to work I realized that I’ve been here before and I came out in the end SO much better than I had ever dreamed I would. And suddenly I had a peace about the infertility that I haven’t had before. I know that the perfect baby (babies) are out there waiting for me — just like my perfect husband was waiting for me. God knows exactly who my children will be and is already loving them until it’s time for Justin and I to love them! My time will come, it’s just on God’s schedule not mine. I should have already realized that God’s schedule brings big things! Bigger than I imagine! Justin is so much more than I ever dreamed of and I know God has bigger plans for me and my children then I can fathom.
I wish I could go back and tell that girl from college, or right after to hang on and enjoy the ride because “Good things come to those who wait”. There will be good days, and there will be bad days. There will be days where you feel on top of the world, and days where you feel at the bottom of the valley. But in the end it’s worth it. Ohhhh — I CAN tell that girl, because here she is waiting again! Today is a special day. It’s a day that I can celebrate my love for Justin — but this anniversary is extra special….because I was reminded that sometimes – life is worth waiting for!
One Day At a Time... 