The Gift

12 years ago Cory and I got dressed up in our college best. You know, clean hair, nice sweaters and jeans. We were fancy.

We even splurged on dinner that night. Olive Garden.

We held hands over dinner. We dreamed about our future. We talked about getting married someday. Our plan had been to get married after we graduated. But then. Then, we thought, "why not get married sooner?" We couldn't wait. We'd been dating since I was 16 and he was 17. We were done with dating.

We finished dinner and headed back to his room. Decorated with Christmas lights. Blinking red and green. Cory put a song on the radio by Jim Brickman...

Winter snow is falling down.
Children laughing all around.
Lights are turning on,
like a fairy tale come true.

Sitting by the fire we made.
You're the answer when I prayed,
I would find someone
and baby I found you.

All I want is to hold you forever.
All I need is you more every day.
You saved my heart
from being broken apart.
You gave your love away.
And I'm thankful every day
for the gift.

Watching as you softly sleep,
what I'd give if I could keep,
just this moment,
if only time stood still.

But the colors fade away
and the years will make us gray
but baby in my eyes
you'll still be beautiful

All I want is to hold you forever.
All I need is you more every day.
You saved my heart
from being broken apart.
You gave your love away
and I'm thankful every day
for the gift.

We sat holding hands. Starry eyed. So excited to be husband and wife. Deciding to get married the next December. We would play this song at our wedding.

After a couple of conversations with some very wise friends, we decided that being engaged for a year was not the best of ideas. We moved the date up to August and could no longer play a song that talked of snow falling.

This song still holds such a special place in my heart. It takes me back to the night I first heard it. Starry eyed. Joy and excitement filling every fiber of my body. Dreaming of being Cory's wife. Giddy.

When the song came on the other night I couldn't help but praise God. With the exception of the snow falling, God had given us every bit of our fairytale.

We have children laughing (and fighting) all around us.

We have the beautiful lights that Cory put on our house.

We have the fire that Cory made in the fireplace.

I have Cory by my side. The answer to my prayers. The love of my life... who I seem to fall more and more in love with everyday.

God's blessings seem to be overflowing on our family right now. I get tears in my eyes every time I think about it. Every time that song plays. I am simply blown away.

I'm not used to all these blessings. Scratch that. We have been abundantly blessed through all our times of trial. God was evident every step of the way. What I am not used to is the crazy blessings when life is going great in the first place. When He reaches down and says, "See. I'm here now too." When He does things that have no other explanation but Him. I feel I'm in a constant state of awe.

I find myself, again, starry eyed. So in love. Giddy.

Thank you Lord!