5 Year Anniversary w/ Jearbear!

Our journey together has been so unique, with ups and downs, good days and bad days, joy and pain, and yet, The Lord has directed every step for us. We have never gone without. We have never been left alone. We have never given up. We have been given so much love from God for each other. Here is a look at the last 5 years:

5 Years Ago
The anticipation of the big day had arrived, and we were so ready to be married. We had a simple ceremony with our loved ones around, and thanked God for allowing us to become one. We drove off for our honeymoon, and the nervousness of entering "intimacy" for the first time had me as a blushing bride. We laughed through our honeymoon, making memories and enjoying our new life together. We set up our home together in Hurst in the best apartment I could have ever asked for, and shortly after became dog owners to a pup named Cooper that didn't stay with us long. We shared our car, learned all about budgeting and finances together, and stayed up late watching hours of Friday Night Lights. I cried over being away from the familiar, and we served together in a church. We were young, in love, and had so much to learn about life.

4 Years Ago
We celebrated our One Year Anniversary in Dallas at the Adolphus Hotel (the story about this night is priceless..Jearen scared the tar out of me!). We looked back at what all happened in our first year as husband and wife, and had so much to be thankful for. We celebrated holidays together, went to multiple Ranger's Games, established new friendships in the metroplex (which was huge for me), and took 6 students to youth camp as we served as youth pastors for a few months. We thought about leaving the metroplex and moving to my hometown, and I learned so much about myself and about my husband.

3 Years Ago
We celebrated our 2 Year Anniversary by going to the doctor, after Jearen thought he tore his MCL on the lake. I drove us to Dallas that evening to have dinner, and J had to use crutches. We were two weeks away from moving into our first house that we purchased, and I couldn't have been more excited. Little did we know that our house was going to flood in the first 3 hours of moving in, and that God would have to hold us during a difficult day. I became a lead teacher in a preschool class, and Jearen started a new job back in March. I decided to start getting my butt in gear to become a certified teacher, and we started our 12 Dates of Christmas in December.

2 Years Ago
We celebrated our 3 Year Anniversary w/ a staycation in the metroplex & John Mayer concert. Earlier in the year we went to Vegas for the first time (for a work trip) and then Jearen surprised me with an overnight trip to the Grand Canyon. We brought home our new dog, Maggie, and began helping with a jr. high ministry at our church. Jearen became a licensed minister, took us to a Cowboys Game for Thanksgiving, and we had our 2nd Annual 12 Dates of Christmas. At the end of the year, we found out we were pregnant, and celebrated/prayed over our gift everyday.

1 Year Ago
I was with the youth from our church at camp, and Jearen was in New Hampshire for a work trip. He sent me a huge bouquet of flowers to my camp, and we celebrated the next week by going to my favorite place for a date night. At the beginning of the year, we lost our baby & I had to endure an emergency surgery. We took our 2nd annual trip to Vegas, visited family at the beach, took a day trip to Memphis, and bought a new car. We endured so much pain & heartbreak month after month, and had to rely on God's strength, love, and joy to bring healing to our hearts and minds. We went on a mission trip to Estes Park, CO, I took my generalist teaching exam & passed, and we had our 3rd annual 12 Dates of Christmas.

Today

We are currently on Waikiki Beach in Oahu. Throughout this year, we attended a Garth Brooks Concert, went on a Valentine's Day Scavenger Hunt in Dallas, and went to Vegas again. I took my ESL test & passed, and now I'm waiting for the new school year to roll around so I can teach at a middle school.

Being married to my best friend has been nothing but a blessing. I never knew how much love I could have for someone until I met Jearen. He has allowed me to be my goofy, sensitive, sappy, quiet self, and has loved me more than I ever thought was possible. He is the man who protects, provides, and cares for me and I am so thankful for all he does day in and day out. God has been good to me, and I am beyond grateful for the gift my husband is to me. My prayer is to make his life fun, encourage him, love him, make him feel safe, and provide a home that he can relax in, all while being a witness of what God wants to do in his life. He is my best friend. The man I love. My forever date. My sweetest gift.  I love you, Jearbear! xoxo