Anniversary

I would like to use this post to talk about my wonderful husband and our marriage.

Christopher is the best husband anyone could ask for. He is loving, supportive, and very hard working.

Christopher and I will be celebrating our third wedding anniversary tomorrow. And what a wonderful three years it's been.

Year One:

Our Wedding Day

Our first year was filled with so many changes. We had to grow up a lot that year. Some of my favorite memories of that time were of just the two of us in our tiny apartment.

I remember one time Christopher surprised me with candles all lit around our apartment. He took my hand and we danced  in to the night. (He's always been romantic like that :) )

Another memory I have from that year is cooking for Christopher and I. It was so much fun to try new recipes. I used to make him homemade pizza all the time, he loved it.

Year Two:

Our First Anniversary

Our second year was so different from our first. Our second year was filled with many ups and downs. Not necessarily in our marriage but in our financial situation. We had to make difficult decisions that eventually lead to where we are today. For the first half of our second year Christopher and I were working crazy hours and really never got to see each other. I know this may sound dumb but I NEED to spend time with my husband. We aren't one of those couples that do our own things all the time. He is my best friend and I am his. If I'm excited or upset about something there is no one in the entire world I want to talk about it with more than my husband. When I was at work I would be missing him. I eventually took a job where he worked just so I could be near him. I loved working with Christopher. He is such a hard worker. He always gives 100% when doing his job (which is hard to say about our generation sometimes.). He made me so proud at work! It was so nice to be able to be around him other than when we were going to bed or worrying about our bills at home.

Even though we finally got to be around each other the financial stress became too much to handle. Christopher and I prayed and prayed that God would provide. We were running out of money to pay for school (Our rent was part of that.). But we also knew if we didn't go back to school we would not have a place to live. If we could have stayed in that cheap apartment and take a semester off, I think we would have been fine. But it wouldn't make much sense for them to let us stay there without being enrolled.
   
When we visited my parents for Christmas before the next semester was to begin, my Dad came up with the idea of letting us move in for about a year, so we could save up some money and go back. So that's what we did. We moved in with my parents while Christopher took a few online classes. We went from being on our own to living in the same home I grew up in. Christopher got a job at QuikTrip and I took one as a "Nanny" (everyday babysitter). We didn't end up making as much as we did in Springfield, but at least we had a place to live.

With all of that being said, moving back in with my parents has both tested our marriage and made us stronger.

One of my favorite memories from this year was watching Christopher with the little girl I babysat. He was so sweet and understanding of her. When I would watch him play with her it made me know what a great father he would make one day.

Year Three:

Our Second Anniversary

Our third year was been very similar to our second but very different at the same time. When it was time for the fall semester to begin we knew that we were not financially ready to move back to Springfield. So we set our budget and goals on being able to return to Springfield fall of 2014. Christopher would only have two semesters to finish before he could graduate. The plan was for me to work full time that way he wouldn't have to worry about working. We could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. So we kept working and saving. We only had a phone bill to worry about so we knew we could make it. 

Right about the time you feel like you have control of your life God likes to remind you that you don't... 

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not lean on your own understanding

In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make straight your paths.

On November 30th, 2013 I took a pregnancy test... and it totally changed our comfy plans. Another fun thing we had happen was with our car. Our car totally pooped out and we had to buy a "new" one while we were visiting Christopher's family in St. Louis for Christmas. So we found out we were pregnant and got our first car and insurance payment all with in a month of each other... All I can do now is smile and shake my head. We were seriously starting to doubt if we could afford going back to Springfield. 

Earlier in December God had provided us with a trip to go down and visit some missionary friends in Mexico. As you probably know, Christopher and I want to be missionaries in Mexico one day. It was such a wonderful opportunity. It really set our hearts on fire for what we already knew, God wants us in Mexico one day. This trip could not have come at a better time. It was still early enough in the pregnancy that I could travel, we didn't have any kids to cart around (yet) and God knew what we would be going through with the car. God's timing is always perfect. Because of this trip we knew that if we trusted God, He would get us through this up coming year. 

Our Third Anniversary

The plan is still to move back to Springfield in August. Christopher is going to work full-time and go to school full-time while I stay home with our daughter. It is going to be such a hard year but once Christopher graduates it will be totally worth it. 

Our hope is for him to graduate in May and soon after find a missions intern position at a church somewhere and work while I finish my schooling online. 

This fourth year is going to be totally different with a baby, but there is no one I would rather be beside me than Christopher.