Me Monday - Happy 8th Anniversary.

For today's Me Monday I'd like to share with you all about my husband and wedding day since today is mine and Poppa's 8th year of marriage.  I'm writing all about how we met, our courtship, our engagement, and our life as husband and wife and Momma and Poppa but I'll refrain from getting into too much of those details and save those for a different chapter to come.  I will however give you just a little background.  I met Poppa in September of 1996, we were both 18, freshman in college and shared the same English class.  I asked him if anyone was sitting in the seat next to him, he proceeded to look me up and down and then gave that smile (that same smile that still turns butterflies in my stomach today) and said, "Yep, you are."  Quite the charmer uh?!  You'd think that's where I got sold, but nope it wasn't until he revealed he was the catcher for the college baseball team that I fell hard and for good.  So I did what any Texas girl would do, I told him we were going out that next night dancing.  We've been together ever since.  This is our engagement photo.

Poppa is the kind of man mothers and fathers pray to God for, for their daughter's future spouse.  He's the smartest man I know, he loves God and serves Him, he works hard and doesn't quit, he's loving, humble, meek, and he loves me like Christ loves the church.  He's dependable, forgiving, and he's the kind of father that a woman prays for to find in a spouse.  He's my biggest cheerleader and supporter in whatever I do.  He's my best friend and I seriously hurt at times at how hard we laugh together. He's the kind of husband that shares in all of the responsibilities.  Because I work full time he whole heartily helps me at home with cooking, cleaning, and taking care of Monkey.  He's the head of our household and I trust him with mine and my child's life and I'd die for him. I could go on and on about him but I don't want to bore you. Needless to say I love this man more and more every day and am beyond thankful to God for him.

We married at our church's headquarters in New Knoxville, Ohio in a beautiful Biblical Research Center.  It was a beautiful Spring day and I love replaying that day over and over in my head.
Our colors were purple with touches of yellow, I really wanted to carry yellow roses in my bouquet being that I'm an official Yellow Rose of Texas, (yes there really are such things) and he really wanted purple, at least I thought he did, in talking of color choices I threw out different options and he said I really like purple, later I discovered that wasn't exactly what he meant but it was too late by then.  So we made the two colors work together.  We had a very small ceremony with just 2 attendants each, the clergy was someone who is still so dear and near to my heart, he taught me so much about serving God.

We took a salt covenant at our ceremony, it being one of the oldest two covenants since antiquity, that and the blood covenant.  Salt is a preservative and it adds flavor.  It is commitment that preserves us in life through attacks and obstacles and it is commitment that keeps life from being bland and tasteless.  Poppa and I made that commitment, a commtiment that we mean what we say in our vows and will stay salted in that commitment.  And by doing so we've enjoyed great variety and beauty carrying out this commitment, first to God and then to one another. 

After the ceremony we had a receiving line and then portraits, then we headed to our reception.  All I wanted was a celebration type reception where folks could cut loose and have fun.  So we danced all night long.  Our song is Unchained Melody, the first song we danced to and still when we hear it today we stop and dance or if in the car stop talking and just hold hands.

We didn't spend a lot of money, a lot of time, we didn't go over the top, we kept it sweet and simple which kind of sums up our relationship.  It was an incredible day that I love thinking about.
Oh and I didn't know where we were going on our honeymoon, he kept it a secret, but he took me to Niagra Falls, a place I'd always wanted to go.  It was amazing and beautiful and I hope one year to go back on our anniversary.
Eph 5:31
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 
I am honored to be this man's wife, to respect him, to honor him, to cherish him and to sustain him and to love him with all my heart, in every situation, under every condition according to God's Word all the days of my life.

So that's Me Monday, Happy Anniversary Poppa, you bring my life so much joy and love.
 Hope ya'll enjoyed getting to know me a little more this week, thank you for bearing with me as I gush and mush a little over my hubby on this wonderful day. 

And since my brother in law sent me some of these and I added a few more, I leave you with some random marriage quotes.

To keep your marriage brimming, with love in the wedding cup, whenever you're wrong, admit it; whenever you're right, shut up. -- Ogden Nash

Marriage resembles a pair of shears, so joined that they cannot be separated;

often moving in opposite directions, yet always punishing any one who comes between them. -- Sydney Smith
I love being married. It's so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life. ~Rita Rudner

Success in marriage does not come merely through finding the right mate, but through being the right mate. ~Barnett R. Brickner

A wedding anniversary is the celebration of love, trust, partnership, tolerance and tenacity. The order varies for any given year. ~Paul Sweeney

“I have learned that only two things are necessary to keep one's wife happy. First, let her think she's having her own way. And second, let her have it.” -Lyndon B. Johnson

Happy Monday Ya'll.