I've never been a big proponent of change ... some might say this is an
understatement!! But, good or bad, change has always been difficult for me. When I set out travel nursing a little over four years ago, it was in part because people at work almost dared me to try it. It was also (to a lesser degree) a way to force myself to become more adaptable & flexible to change. Believe me, learning a new hospital & NICU every three months FORCES FLEXIBILITY!!!!
A few verses from the Bible have been my encouragement through the trying times and my reminder to praise my Savior through the joyful times:
"for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose." -Philippians 2:13
"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" -Jeremiah 29:11
"But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever; the purposes of His heart through all generations."
-Psalm 33:11
Little did I know how God would use 2 1/2 years of flexibility lessons when I made my "temporary" move back to Texas in the fall of 2009!! My plan (obviously, and thankfully!) wasn't what God had planned for me. Did I mention how GRATEFUL I am that He had this plan instead of using mine?!?!? :o)
A little over 18 months ago from today, my life changed forever with one single email.
Here's a little background . . .
I wasn't really looking for anyone to date or have a relationship with while I was living in Fort Worth because in my mind, it was only temporary. I'd decided that I was moving back to the east coast (specifically North Carolina) as soon as my contract was complete. In February of 2009, I watched a friend that I've know for close to 20 years bury her husband of 10 years. It was heart wrenching to see that. On my drive home that evening and the following days, I was thinking about her and praying for her, but I also (more selfishly) began praying again for God to give me that kind of love I'd seen so clearly between her & her husband in the past. I wasn't sure at the time if God had marriage in mind for me or not, so I also continued to pray that He would take away the desire for a husband if it wasn't in His plan for me.
One of the first Sunday mornings of March, 2009, I was reading my Bible with a Christian radio station in the background. It seemed like every time I listened to this particular station, I'd hear the commercial about this new, Christian dating website. This particular morning was no different. On a whim, I logged onto the website and started a profile page.
March - May, 2009
I received a short email from someone on that website. I wasn't sure at first what to think. The email made me laugh, but when I looked at his profile, there was a picture of him dressed as a clown. Hmmm...faced with a dilemma here! I emailed him back (giving him the benefit of the doubt), and it turned into three months of getting to know each other via emails. It was great, because I got to see how he viewed the world around him and a little how he dealt with life's challenges. I LOVED the fact that he initiated everything - from the first email communication to the first phone call and first date . . . what a gentleman!
In April, I accepted a full time (yes, permanent) position at the hospital where I'd been working as a contract nurse. The travel nursing chapter of my life had just come to a close. So, I moved apartments and settled in for what I believed would be two years. That way I could finish saving a house down payment and find the place I wanted to buy. Again ... not exactly what God had in store for me! :o)
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| New Fort Worth apartment |
June, 2009
We decided to meet in person for the first time. We met for lunch at a Chili's in a city midway between where we lived. Our first date was about 5 hours! We just kept talking. It was fun & natural since we'd been getting to know each other for a while at this point. After the 2nd date, which my friend called our "marathon date" since it was around 12 hours, we both started feeling that this could be something special. But, neither of us said anything about that. We just kept everything casual as we continued learning about each other.
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| August, 2009 |
Fall, 2009
School was starting back, and it was Marshall's first year as a teacher. I wasn't sure what to expect with our relationship since we'd be keeping such opposite work & living schedules, and we lived exactly 1 hour apart from each other. I was pleasantly surprised! Not that it was easy. We learned early on that we both had to make adjustments if we were going to spend time together. It was truly a lesson in balancing schedules! I was amazed at how quickly I'd gone from "me" to "we". I was in awe at how God had brought Marshall into my life!
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| October, 2009 |
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| Marshall in A Christmas Carol |
December 21, 2009
This was Marshall's first day of Christmas break, and we'd planned to spend the entire day together. I didn't know that yet another change was coming that evening! Yep, this is the day he proposed to me in downtown McKinney, TX!! It was all decorated with Christmas lights, and it was beautiful! This began a new chapter of our life together . . . wedding planning - more decisions than a person should have to make in a lifetime are made in the few months leading up to a wedding!!
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| Kinda blurry in the picture, but the real thing is beautiful! (And, he picked it out himself) :) |
January - May, 2010
What a whirlwind!! I firmly believe one of the reasons God made marriage for life is because NO ONE should have to plan two weddings in one lifetime!! :o) SO MANY DECISIONS!! It was fun, most of the time. We'd learned how to work out our schedule differences a little better after the fall, so we were able to spend more time together ... a definite plus!! It amuses me that there seems to be a "set question" everyone asks when they see me. When I was in college, it was either "how are classes?" or "have you met anyone
special?". When I was traveling, it was usually "where have you been lately?", but still sometimes "have you met anyone
special?". When people found out we were engaged, it was always "how are the wedding plans coming?". It's the "acceptable" small talk conversations ... except most single people (well, maybe just girls) don't like the
special someone question. Oh well, off my soap box!
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| Just before our wedding shower in Livingston |
It was a CRAZY BUSY 5 months, during which I lost the friendship of my sister due to a decision I had to make. The last time we really talked was Super Bowl Sunday, 2010. This is the sad change in my life over the past 18 months. The decision was the correct one, and it was made only after LOTS of prayer and seeking advice, but it was a hard one which caused pain. I hate that, because it would have been wonderful to have her with me in all the pre-wedding festivities. It makes me sad. Marshall & I have been praying about this situation for months, and I have hope that we will be friends again someday. Enough about that...
JUNE, 2010
This is the big one!! Marshall finished school the first week of June. SUMMER was finally here!! The week before our wedding, we moved all of his stuff into storage, and he moved into my living room. We were married on a beautiful spring day (which, of course, felt like summer ... it is Texas after all). It was a wonderful celebration of what God had done in our lives!!
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| It's official, now!! |
After the wedding, we went on a relaxing cruise to Mexico. We were able to catch up on some of the sleep we'd missed out on during the spring with our busy schedules. And, we were able to eat at least our share of the 8 tons of food on board the ship!!
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| Waiting for dinner one evening on our cruise |
When we got back home, we had more
change to face. He hadn't lived with anyone in 2 years, and I hadn't lived with anyone in 7 years. And, neither of us had ever been married. Life as a married couple is different ... GREAT different, but still an adjustment. Life got back to the new normal as I returned to work.
August, 2010
More change in the works ... Since we work in cities about 45 minutes apart from each other, we'd found a new home in a small town about halfway between the jobs. But, this meant another move. So, off we went to our new apartment the day before Marshall started back with his teacher in service. Not the greatest time to be moving, but we've learned to be flexible!
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| Our soon to be office & craft room |
SO MUCH STUFF!!!! This is the first time we've had all of our things in one place, and it turns out we have too many things. It's now late September, and we're still going through boxes ... slowly, but surely making our way through years of things stuffed into nice, cardboard boxes.
God has blessed us more than we could ever ask or imagine!
"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." -Ephesians 3:20-21
I was lying awake the other night just going over the past 18 months and few days in my head. I continue to be amazed at what God has done! He truly is a God who has a plan for my life, and His plan is SO MUCH better than I can fathom!! I'm excited to see His next step for us. :o)
