Autumn is a season that is near and dear to my heart. Not just because I’m your average basic white girl, but because it reminds me of a time when the seasons of my life changed in the most beautiful way possible.
October 6, 2013- In front of my friends and family, I said “I do” to marrying the man who took my heart when I was only 14-years old. And every day since has been… Well, it’s been four years, so if I’m being completely honest there there have been a LOT of days when marriage got hard and we (or at least I) had to take a step back and choose love over the alternative emotion I was battling.
As I reflect back over year three of marriage, I feel like this has been one of the most challenging, yet most rewarding years yet. We went through so many changes, like me graduating college, moving to Plano, getting new jobs, adjusting to life in the city- taking us away from everything familiar in our lives and planting us in the middle of the unknown. These changes brought us (or at least me) many challenges- many tears were shed (again, by me), but now I can see that the trials we have conquered in the last year has strengthened our marriage and given us a chance to grow.
Autumn is also a season that reminds me to be thankful-
Lately, I have been doing a lot of praying to Papa and thanking Him for, pretty much everything. I even try to thank Him for the things I take for granted.
So to sign off, I want to give Papa a list of 12 things I’m thankful for:
- Thank you for my health- even for full functionality of my 5 senses. That I can see, hear, smell, touch, and taste all that you have created.
- Thank you for my amazing husband- that we will be celebrating four years of passion and love in our marriage.
- Thank you for my absolutely wonderful, incredible, amazing family- I have parents who put their whole hearts into all they do with faith, family, and work, a brother who works hard, and Grandparents who’s marriages are still going strong (50+ years and counting).
- Thank you for my adorable fur-baby, Murphy, who brings so much sunshine and snuggles into my life.
- Thank you for my job- that I get to partner with the Kingdom and TTNI to see Papa move in Toyota.
- Thank you for all of my friends- past, present and future friends. Connection is so important and I’m lucky that I have people to make those connections with.
- Thank you for my plants- that I get to join in the praises my plants are continuously singing to Papa.
- Thank you for providing- We have somehow, really magically, never gone without. Papa has always provided for us.
- Thank you for our home- for the roof over my head and a bed to sleep on every night.
- Thank you for my freedom- that I have been made powerful through Jesus and that I can live out a life of freedom from my fears and enemies.
- Thank you for giving me dreams- that I can dream big without fear of failure.
- And thank you for autumn- because without it, I would have gotten married in the Spring and there wouldn’t be a season for pumpkin spice.
Barefoot in the City 