Monday, February 9, 2009

Our Sacred History


For the past several months, our Community Group has been going through the book Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas. It's a great read whether you're newly married or seasoned veterans! Eric and I have learned much from the book and from being able to read it with some of our closest friends!

In chapter seven of the book, Thomas encourages couples to spend some time talking with each other about which stories should go into their "sacred history" to one day be told to children, family, and friends. Our group took some time to do this last night and pictorially represent some of the events that have shaped who we are as couples. Eric and I enjoyed looking back on (almost) 10 years of marriage and seeing our story in the midst of what God is doing in His! Because this blog is primarily for my girls, I thought it appropriate to explain to them some of what has happened in the past 10 years of our lives together!

1. When we met, we were at different colleges. Our "initial meeting" was through an e-mail (Daddy went to high school with one of my good friends, "Ms. Rachel," from college). So, our first picture is of our Alma Maters' flag (Cedarville University and Grand Valley State University) with a computer between the two. The computer was one way that we stayed in touch during our long distance relationship. On a side note, we never lived in the same state until after we got married!

2. On July 24, 1999, we were married!!

3. After our honeymoon, we moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where we lived for the first two years of our marriage. We found a great church--Chapel Pointe, where we made many great friends! We also look back at our first tax return and see that our income totalled $12K! God provided for us in amazing ways during that first year (for example, we never turned on the heat in our apartment--we lived in Michigan!! And, no, we were never cold!)

4. During the third year of our marriage, Daddy took a position at Furman University, so we moved back to South Carolina, home for Mom! We visited several churches and ended up back at Southside--the church where Papa and Nana met and married and where Momma grew up! We started our small group--not so small these days!! And, we got bedbugs from the downstairs neighbors in our apartment building...oh, what a nightmare...that's why we don't say, "Good night, don't let the bedbugs bite" at our house! Daddy and I know what it's like when they do bite and it's not fun!

5. We bought our first home which we loved! We have so many memories of that house!

6. Our favorite memories from that house are bringing home our three baby girls! Ella Grace, Annabelle, and Katie--you are the best parts of our history together!

7. After Katie was born, we bought the house we live in now! It has a lot more room--I think you guys really like it here!

8. Our last picture is full of question marks! We know that bringing foster children into our homes will add to our history, but we don't know exactly how!

Loving each other is one of the best ways we can love you girls--and love you we do!!!

Mom & Dad

1 comment:

Beth Monty said...

this is great..love it. i knew that those were bed bugs before i even scrolled down to read the description..i know its not funny to you but that pic took me back and made me laugh!