Our love story began 17 years ago today. Looking back, I can’t help but ❤️ our love story more each year. Small town boy meets big city girl while training in the Army. Both of us coming from broken relationships. Both of us with our own pile of baggage. We literally bumped into each other in 0430 formation on February 9, 2002. Later, we crossed paths just as I got a huge red knot on my forehead from walking into a handicap parking sign (and there was an audience that hysterically laughed when it happened). Our courtship was short, like 3.5 months short. Being in uniform, we could not show public signs of affection or be seen alone together, unless we wanted the wrath of a drill sergeant. We didn’t have cell phones, so we used these portable two way radios (in the picture) to talk between the male and female dorm buildings. I would sit in my dorm closet and talk for hours after our evening inspection. So our courtship had serious boundaries, but it still flourished with long radio conversations and quick kisses in the urology section of the Ft. Sam Houston medical library 🙂
What most people don’t know is that our meeting and eventual marriage was an answer to a prayer. It was a dark, clear sky with a full moon as I was cooling down from a PT run. I looked up at the moon and prayed to God to cross paths with the man I am supposed to be with, to know love with this person, even if it would be brief. I had already been married and divorced with the wrong person. So I prayed to find the man I was meant to be with, not one of my choosing.
While I made the connection of a prayer being made and answered, because it was written in our vows for our big wedding one year later, I didn’t appreciate the full implications of a prayer being answered. But I understand more now. I understand that God is so loving and good. He knows our needs, knows our hearts, and longs to be in a loving relationship with us.
God took the mess Jason and I made of our individual lives up until that point and brought us together. And we continued making a mess of our lives as we turned our backs on God together in the face of God blessing us over and over again. Not surprising our marriage has had its share of valleys, challenges, and brokenness. And it was amidst our yucky mess that God transformed our hearts so that we finally turned to Him…..together. There is nothing or no one in this existence that can make something so good come from something so broken. Only God.
Just when I thought I couldn’t love my husband more, I discover yet more depth to our love. The more we turned to God, the more we made God the center of our relationship. The more God became central to our relationship, the deeper the love between me and Jason became.
Making God the center of our lives doesn’t guarantee the easy life, the end to the valleys. Marriage is hard work! It just means we have a faithful Light for the dark days coming.
Para mi luz y espejo: I am blessed beyond measure to share this life with you. On your worse day, may you remember that you were an answer to my prayer. I love you Jason. Happy Anniversary amor.
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