Seven years ago today was the last day my entire family gathered for a celebration. It wasn’t exactly planned to be that way, but in retrospect, it indeed was our last gathering as a family together on earth. You see, my mother had not been well that year, and my Grandfather’s sister was still with us, the matriarch of our Geddie side of the family. The event was a quiet family wedding, one that perhaps many of the guests felt should not be happening at all, particularly sixteen weeks after we met, with four children involved, a cross two states romance, and with the bride’s track record.
You see seven years ago, I woke up to a day full of promise for me, a day of gathering flowers from friend’s yards so that we would have flowers from each of them for our wedding day.(An old Southern tradition, followed by each of them giving us a cutting to continue the tradition) A day of gathering with other friends for lunch after going to buy the marriage license together to enjoy moments together, a day of scurrying here and there because this day seven years ago, I married the love of my life and miraculously, he married me….how fortunate can a girl be?
The pictures are hilarious….two extremely estatic people and a host of “maybe this isn’t such a good idea” faced family members. You see, he had come out of no where sixteen weeks before and as some would say “she had to go a state a way to find a husband” code for she might not be the best choice. …a single mom with two children….well, not every mother in law’s dream for a new daughter in law. Who knew it would be the last set of pictures with my 15 year old nephew, Father in law, mother, and great aunt with us? God would have them in heaven before two years was out. Who knew that it would indeed be the year before life changed in our family in ways we couldn’t forsee. Who knew that this time of extreme happiness for Les and I would be only the beginning of a life together we could in no way know was coming….the delicate balancing of becoming one family with children from two.
Our wedding day was held in the Dietrich Powell historic civil war home in Camden, Arkansas. Our neighbor, Dr. Fred Dietrich, was kind enough to allow us to be married in it, the first wedding there in over fifty years, walking down steps that brides walked down to meet their grooms for over 150 years. Our minister, who was not allowed to marry us for it was a remarriage, but attended to show his support of a relationship he truly believed was God ordained as we did. (in a town where such a marriage was highly controversial) Brian Smith, our minister, was doing his first wedding ceremony ever, and we all loved him for it. My best friends drove from Fayetteville and Dallas to be with me, girlfriends and their children came to support me in this adventure called marrying Les. One of my favorite stories was when one of my girlfriends said very seriously “I think you are the bravest person I know to risk loving again after what has happened in your life” Les’s children had only met me three times when I became their step mom, at 12 and 16. We had primary custody, so it meant they had a new teacher who was also their step mom at home….a woman who moved them from the city to a tiny country school so far from the world they knew. My children, then 5 and 8, had a new step dad who would come to Arkansas to live with them….who would come home every night and be glad to see them….huge life changing differences….and many more to come…
Who knew seven years ago that God would so gift me with such a man as Les. The most integrity based Christian I have ever known. A man so gentle and loving that my very prevalent heart wounds were kindly probed and He led me to allow God to complete the healing work in my heart and to fully trust again. I had simply told my friends and family 8 weeks before meeting Les that “I was perfectly happy alone and would NEVER consider remarriage” and it was as though it sealed my fate. Not only did he arrive in my life, he swept my heart away entirely away with his arrival. I don’t know what that boy did…but whatever he did that God smote him with me, I am eternally thankful for!
Anyone who has ever joined two families and extended families will tell you, you step lightly and you forgive freely….but Les has done more than that. He has become the tie that binds all of our families. As a step child himself, he knew that choosing the path of peace was more than simply important, it was vital for our children, our families, and our family.
Seven years later, the fairy tale continues…I still squeal when he walks in the door unexpectely. I still adore him . I still thank God each morning and night for sending such a man into my life..and I wouldn’t trade the best bird dog in the county for him either….
God is good and I am so happy to say today is our seventh anniversary, I cannot wait to have more! God is indeed a God of restoration and my life is full of God’s promises fulfilled…one of those promises was to give me you dear husband! I thank God daily for you too!
Happy Anniversary my love!
xoxo
Sweetie
