Friday, April 13, 2012

A Child Bride

April 14th, 2001, David and I stood before everyone we loved and made a pretty big promise.

We were both about 19 years old, just kids.

We had a little house we closed on a few weeks before the wedding.

I made David sleep in the guestroom of our new house until we were married.
I, of course, still lived with my parents.

I was a freshman in college at the University of Arkansas and didn't have any time off from school.

So, we had a short honeymoon at a bed and breakfast nearby and drove to the zoo.

Eleven years later, my heart still hasn't changed.

I still look at him with eyes like I did when we first started dating at age sixteen.

I'm sure we are some statistic, marrying so young, high school sweethearts.

We entered our 20's together, forgoing wild parties for dinner and popcorn on Friday nights at home.

We "grew up" together.

We both celebrated turning the big "21" with two years of marriage under our belts, and didn't go out- we stayed home and made lasagna.

We taught Sunday School together.

I've had short hair, long hair, really long hair, and really short hair.

We've bought and owned four homes, one we built custom.

I've only had two cars in the eleven years we have been married. Don't ask me how many David has had. : )

We've vacationed in Rocky Mnt. Nat. Park, Yellowstone, Glacier Nat. Park, the Sequoia Redwood Forest, Monterrey Bay, Orange Beach, the Badlands, Dinosaur Nat. Park, Steamboat Springs, Garden of the Gods, Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Arches Nat. Park, Telluride, Santa Fe, Aspen, Mount Rushmore, Niagara Falls, Crazy Horse Monument, Kansas City, Little Rock, Tulsa, Windsor, Ft. Morgan, Silverton, Ouray, skied at Wolf Creek, Breckenridge, and Keystone, whitewater rafted in Colorado, driven our motorcycle to British Columbia to spend only one night- we've made up for lost time since our college days are behind us.

In eleven years, we both earned our degrees.

We've added a total of sixty pounds between us. And neither of us notice it much. : )

Have experienced the passing of David's father, our two year old nephew, and countless other loved ones.

We waited seven years to start a family.

We both graduated college and began professional careers.

We began our "30's" together, wondering where in the world our "20's" went.

We uprooted and moved out of state, 1,000 miles from everyone we know.

We've prayfully thanked God for three growing babies within my womb-
This March, I miscarried 11 week old identical twins. Thank you again for your sweet prayers.

In the past eleven years, we have disagreed on everything from paying bills and whether the orange juice should have pulp or not.

We have agreed to disagree and gotten over it. It's okay to be wrong sometimes.
"Winning" an argument for the sake of pride gains nothing.

We have prayed our way through many a hard and trying times.

As God pulls us together, we build a life.

We are a family, no longer two 19 year old kids at an alter.

And I'm so happy.

Happy 11th wedding anniversary, David!








36 comments:

  1. Happy Anniversary! You have been on my heart so much since you posted and deep down I knew it was related to Harbor's siblings. As an IVF Momma, I know heartache, albeit a little different. I'll continue to pray for your family and that His will and your will for more children align soon!

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  2. My dear sweet friend! What a beautiful post that brings tears to my eyes. So much you have been through and to learn of your recent heartache. As a mom to two boys and three miscarried babies, I know how you must have felt and may be still feeling.

    Praying for you forever and a day. With much love and thoughts.

    ~Samantha
    www.thepeanutsgang.com

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  3. What a great post.. I am sorry to hear about your loss, you and David seem to have accomplished so much!!

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  4. Happy Anniversary! You guys are a beautiful couple!

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  5. Beautiful. Happy Anniversary!

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  6. Happy Anniversary. Beautiful then, beautiful now. I'm so sorry for your loss. You and your family are in my prayers.

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  7. Happy Anniversary! It is so nice to see pictures of David's father. I truly loved him ... he was such an awesome man! I'm sorry for your loss seems hardly enough. Just know that I will remember you in my prayers.

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  8. Happy 11th anniversary! You made such a beautiful bride. It is great to see another couple that married young and has made it through so much together. God bless your marriage for many more years to come!

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  9. Happy Anniversary!!!

    Such a heartfelt and beautiful post, Jess. I'm so happy for the both of you, it's so refreshing to see two people so in love.

    I didn't know about your miscarriage and a tear rolled down my cheek when I read it. I can only imagine how hard that must be. But just remember that they say everything happens for a reason, there's always a silver lining somewhere. Heartbreaking things like this are sent to try us and in the end make us stronger and better people. I'm so so sorry for your loss, and I am sending positive thoughts, prayers and lots of love your way. Thinking of you honey xoxo

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  10. Happy Anniversary! You and David have accomplished so much in such a short time! I am so sorry for your loss. I pray for your family often!

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  11. Happy Anniversary to you and a SUCCESSFUL marriage. I am so sorry about your recent loss and in my heart I knew something wasn't right but I did not know the depth of it. Praying for you as you are in this season and so far from family and close friends. You are one brave Momma, one incredible wife and such an inspiration to me. Beautiful post, thank you for sharing.

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  12. Happy Anniversary! 11 years seems so long when you are young, but you two are doing marriage well! So sorry about your loss. I'll be praying for your family.

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  13. Happy anniversary! You were a beautiful bride! I am so sorry to hear about your babies. I cannot imagine how much heartbreak you must be feeling. Praying for you. :)

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  14. Happy Anniversary! I am so sorry for your loss. I will be praying for you.

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  15. Happy Anniversary ; ) Your wedding photos are so sweet, you made and adorable bride/groom! I am very sorry for your loss and pray for peace in your heart.

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  16. I am so sorry Jessica about the miscarriage. I know that heartache all too well. Happy anniversary to you and your hubby!

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  17. Happy Anniversary! I am so sorry to hear about your miscarriage :-( I love your blog and you and your family are just adorable!!!

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  18. Happy Anniversary! It's so fun to see those pictures of you two so young!

    I'm so sorry about your twins. In the back of my mind I thought you were probably dealing with a miscarriage. Just know you have been prayed for and thought of often. Thank you for sharing with us.

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  19. Beautiful post. I'm so sorry to hear about your loss.

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  20. i hope you had a wonderful anniversary, sure have accomplished a lot! you have a beautiful family. i'm so sorry to hear of your loss, pray you are comforted during this time.

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  21. Sweet post! Sending a prayer your way! So sorry to hear about your miscarriage.

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  22. Jessica,
    I am so very sorry for your loss. I pray for God's comfort and peace to surround you, David and little Harbor at this difficult, difficult time.

    Your wedding pictures are just gorgeous. What a Beautiful Couple you are!!!

    Love and hugs ~~ Dawn

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  23. Happy anniversary! So thankful for Jesus' hand upon your marriage. Praying for you as you continue to process losing your precious babies.

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  24. I smiled and cried while reading this! You've been so heavy on my heart lately. I will continue to pray for your sweet family. I love you!

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  25. Happy Anniversary!! I'm so sorry for your miscarriage. I wondered if that might be what you posted about a while back but didn't want to pry. Praying for you and your family, just know God has a plan for yall!

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  26. What a beautiful post, Jessica. I hope you had a wonderful anniversary, and I wish you many many many more years of happiness together!

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  27. Love the pictures!! The one at the bottom is the Jessica I remember :) We always had a "pose" to go with every picture your mom snapped (and there were tons of them!) I am so glad that was have such wonderful memories of our high school days and that your mom was there to document them for us. Love you and tell you mom and dad I said "hi"!!

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  28. I am so sorry for your loss, Jessica. Your family is beautiful and an inspiration. You will be in my prayers.

    Happy Anniversary :)

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  29. I feel your pain. I had a miscarriage at 8.5 weeks this past Feb. Everything was so hard and unexpected - we are IVF patients and had just seen a very strong heart beat at 7 weeks. Learning the baby had no heartbeat, having to wait a week for the D&C, erasing all the plans we had made during the last 8 weeks it was so sad. I had just made my 2.5 year old son a "big brother" shirt the night before we found out. THe day I found out I was supposed to head to my parents' house and get my maternity clothes so I would have them on hand when I needed them. I am so sorry you had to go through this pain. I wish that no one would have to go through it. It makes me so sad thinking that other women have to feel this pain and saddness. we are going to try again soon and feel that this next child will be a gift from the one we lost as we will probably only have 2 children. Stay strong. You are not alone.

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  30. I have been thinking and praying for you ever since you posted a while back requesting prayer. I am so sorry to hear that you had to endure this pain, and I pray that you, David, and Harbor feel the prayers from the blogging community.

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  31. I have been reading your blog for a long time...but never commented. Know that you are being covered in prayer by so many people all over the United States. God is good.

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  32. Jessica, I wondered if you would ever share this. I guess you have had time to process it all,some things in life will never make any sense. But maybe by you sharing it, it will help someone else who has, or is or will go thru this, the lose of children in their past, present or future. I really belive everything we go thru is for a reason we may not know the reason why but God knows. God loves us & wants the very best for us. Talk to you soon, give Harbor a hug & kiss from Poppy & Gigi...Mom

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  33. Beautiful post. So sorry for your loss you guys are in my prayers.

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  34. Congratulations on 11 years! Even today that's something to be so proud of! Lots of love and prayers.

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  35. I just wanted to let you know I'm praying for you and your family as you grieve your babies. While you may never hold those sweet babies here on earth, know that Jesus is holding them in the palm of his hand until you meet them in Heaven.
    Having lost our first baby at 12 weeks I can remember the heartbreak and the pain, but one thing I'm remember most is that Jesus really did carry me in the days and months ahead. Trust Him to do that for you too!

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