11 Years Ago Today....

...at 7:00pm, EST, the bells of the Asbury College Chapel were pealing. And our pianist began to play Pachelbel's "Kanon in D" as our attendants started their walk down the aisle of Estes Chapel at Asbury Seminary. I was nervous and excited, and a little tearful, but kept it together as my dad whispered, "If you cry, you're going to make me cry!"

As I walked towards my soon-to-be husband, I welled up, but smiled so broadly as to make my cheeks keep the tears in my eyes. They were only tears of joy...that this day had finally arrived, after 22 months and 3 days of engagement. I remember much of the ceremony, even today--surrounded by friends and family, beautiful music ("All I Ask of You" from "The Phantom of the Opera," "The Lord's Prayer," and Gershwin's "Someone to Watch Over Me"), and most of all, the love of my life. We had no idea how things would turn out, but now, 11 years later, we're more committed to each other today than when we began.

A very wise great-aunt of mine told me at my bridal shower that we should "begin as you mean to end." I had to think about that for a while, but understood and understand now that if you intend to stay married for life, you should begin that way, too. And so we have.

This isn't to say we've escaped rocky times. We haven't--not by a long shot. There was a time, about 2 years in to our marriage that I thought we would divorce. Thank God that we didn't. And then 5 years after our wedding, I became so ill that everyone, including all of my doctors, thought I was going to die. Mark stood by the hospital bed, watching me struggle to breathe, and had to release me to the Lord. And to this day, we credit the faith-filled prayers that were uttered on my behalf for my recovery and health. Mark also will tell you that I 'turned the corner' on the day he handed me back to God, relinquishing his "right" to have me as his wife. God answered all of those prayers so abundantly!

All of this to say that we wouldn't be here today, celebrating 11 years together, without the grace of God and major answered prayer. All of the struggles we've seen, including Brendan's challenging gestation, have made our celebration much sweeter.

So my advice to those of you who are on the cusp of a forever-relationship: begin as you intend to end. Aunt Frances was right on so many counts (besides, she could bake a *mean* raisin pie!), but she was especially right on this one.

I'm off to spend time with my sweet husband! :)