A Dream Come True...

Two years ago today, I got married. Looking back, that was such a wonderful day; like any bride, I was floating on a cloud of love and dreams and had no idea what marriage was like (aside from the books I had dutifully read to prepare myself for this blessed event.) Since I was still in college and Jonathan would be teaching, I had a basic idea of what the next few months would be like, but anything beyond that was fuzzy at best.

A couple of kids, those two.

I would never have guessed the twists and turns our lives would take in the first two years of our marriage. From maintaining a full-time schedule at college (while taking a stab at the whole "housewife" thing) and starting off a teaching job (with no formal background in teaching), we both had our hands full. That transitioned to the two of us teaching, me for the first time, and an extremely rewarding but also uniquely challenging school year for both of us. And while we were certainly in God's will for us at the time, and serving Him full-time, Jonathan's dream has always been to be a children's pastor. He has an incredible gift (that I do not) for working with kids, and while he was involved in the children's ministry and had been for years, the desire to work with them on a full-time level was strong. 


So, in His wonderful way, the Lord allowed us a ministry opportunity where he gets to be just that- the children's pastor. And when I first heard that the dates of Vacation Bible School at our new church would coincidentally fall on our two-year anniversary, I was a little bummed. Through all the preparation (decorating, studying for lessons, buying snacks, etc.) I have been excited but, naturally, wished that our anniversary had fallen on, say, Jonathan's day off or something. 


But tonight, the kids gathered in the auditorium, and there was my husband, decked out in his Hawaiian shirt, lei, flamingo tie (which he was very proud of) and straw hat, welcoming the kids and basically having the time of his life (minus the nervous breakdown in the days leading up to tonight.)

He was loving it!

And at the moment (I know this is so sappy) but I almost teared up... mostly because I was proud of him but  also because I got to spend our anniversary helping and watching Jonathan serve in the way he has always dreamed of. And "Promise Island" was enough of an anniversary getaway for me, because it is the best feeling to see your husband throwing himself into serving and teaching kids about Jesus.

So, his "dream come true" was, by far, my best anniversary present. (Plus I got to teach wearing a straw hat, which I may do during school this year, because I was digging it! =)

I'm so thankful for these two years... and the many more to come!

Ash