We had a big weekend in Chattanooga celebrating our friends Ryan and Amanda as they stepped into the mystery of marriage together. Ryan used to work with me, and in fact, stepped into my job at the church doing junior high youth ministry for a while, and Amanda is the love of his life, who we also enjoy. Ryan is so intentional in everything he does and most especially in the ways he loves others and the Lord, and beautiful Amanda will always be the first girl Isaac has ever noticed. He adored her from the second he met her, and in fact, agreed to be the ring bearer in their wedding, which makes us all laugh because he so clearly does not understand that in so doing he helped celebrate the giving his girl away forever. Isaac was excited about his duty as a ring bearer. He loved the suit Amanda's mom sent him to wear--he said he felt handsome in it! He also really likes the "Pom Poms" he got to wear with all of the other groomsmen who also had black Toms on their feet. And, he of course, enjoyed Jenna Brooke, who was "my flower girl." he kept saying, "where's my flower girl?" when it was time to walk down the aisle, i heard isaac say to Jenna from the back of the church, "well, are you coming?" and then when Jenna bolted into a pew half way down the aisle, he stopped and looked at her before continuing down himself, swinging his pillow the whole way, intent on the sucker he would receive as a prize at the end of his shift. Afterwards we went to the reception with the wedding party. Isaac was so excited about riding on top of a double decker bus through downtown Chattanooga. He couldn't believe it was okay to ride without a car seat! Though the cake was his biggest highlight at the reception, Ada was bound and determined to spend her time on the dance floor. After every song she would say "one more time!" Watching her be so free to enjoy herself and her little body was SO freeing and wonderful for me. What a sweet gift.
The wedding itself was really beautiful. I love how quickly weddings remind me of my own vows to Jeremy--of the gravity and power of them, but also of the unique wonder of them. I love sitting beside him and hearing a pastor's (in this case Mark!) challenge to become an expert on loving your spouse. I'm amazed that 6 years into that journey I still have so much to learn, and i'm so grateful that it is my joy and my duty to do so. God gave me in Jeremy a partner that I didn't even know how to ask for. And I am grateful to be doing our lives fully together.
We love a lot of the same people that Ryan and Amanda love, and had such a fun time with our friends before, during and after the wedding itself. Yesterday we went to the aquarium and Jeff and Kelleigh gave Isaac and Ada each a stuffed animal. Isaac got a 10 foot red snake named "Froggy the Penguin" and Ada got a penguin she's been calling Birdie. I think they both might be really special and integral parst of some child hood memories. Maybe even beyond!
Congratulations to Ryan and Amanda! And thank you, Lord, for marriage!
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