Happy Anniversary to Us!

Just four years ago I woke up at 5:30am anticipating a very busy, very exciting day. My wedding day!
I remember sleeping in the sun room of my parents house and nudging awake Amy Massner, my personal attendant, my hair stylist and friend. I suddenly decided that I wanted my hair down vs up. The wedding wasn't untill 7:30 so I had a long day ahead of me.
One of my bridesmaids, Abigail Luhrs, had planned a brunch for all the women in the wedding party. It was so thoughtful! I wish I had let myself enjoy things like that, but instead I stressed about the details of the day, and scurried around like a chicken without a head. We then headed off to the Pavillion to get ready.
Pictures were outside on Central's campus. It was the second hottest day of the summer I believe, and no one was happy with me that I had everyone in black!

Specific Memories:

• Our DJ was...musically handicapped. I would say it nicer if I could, but that would be lying. He couldn't fade in and out of songs, he let the song, "Baby Got Back"play rather than Frank Sinatra, etc. We payed him way to much!
  
• Auburn didn't have her ears pierced so Tara "helped" fix that. OUCH!
• I BAWLED when people started arriving. I thought they were talking too loudly and they shouldn't be. Can we say "BRIDEZILLA"?
  
• I weighed much less at the time, and didn't have a huge appetite, but managed to eat about 4 sub sandwiches after pictures and before the wedding,making breathing in my dress a struggle. Eating always has been a nervous habit!
• A lot of the flowers died when the stored them in a glassed in room for multiple hours on the hottest day of the year. Not the brightest idea of my florist!
  
• I was so happy to have the day over with that after all the "mandatory" dances I found Joel and asked if we could leave early. We didn't wait for anyone to line up and say farwell, we just left!

The past four years have been such a growing and amazing experience. We have learned so much about becoming selfless and the specific roles God has given us. We have had more fun, than ever imaginable, and we suprisingly continue to learn things about each other. Now as we enter parenthood we realized we have just touched the tip of the iceberg when it comes to learning and dying to self, but we are excited for the adventure. It will be an amazing ride, and its exciting to think of where we will be at the end. God has smoothed out a lot of rough edges in the last four years, but still has a lot of refining to do!

Thanks for praying for us during our relationship, and please continue to do so as we attempt not only parenthood but our re-defined calling to ISU campus as missionaries. We love you all. Thanks to those of you who exemplify Godly marriages for us to imitate!