Fifty Percent.

Nineteen years ago today, I married this guy:

This is not the first time I've celebrated a wedding anniversary on this blog (here are the flashbacks to our 16th, 17th, and 18th) but this is the first time I can say this: today marks the point at which I have been married for half my life. 

did you hear that? HALF MY LIFE!

That is the CRAZIEST thing to me. It seems like I only recently I said 'I do' and at the same time I feel like I've always been married. I can barely remember what it feels like to not have a husband. My maiden name sounds odd to me, like it belongs to a different girl... one I used to know or read about... or maybe saw in a movie. That girl who existed for the first 50% of my life seems so far from who I am today.

I can think about a bizillion things I could tell that child bride if I had the chance to travel back in time- wedding day advice like slow down, pay cash, let it go, finish school, open your Bible, floss your teeth, eat less, exercise more, don't buy so many movies on videotape. There are a lot of things it would be helpful to know 19 years ago. I probably would even know where to start....I do know the thing I know I would say to her for certain is this:

outside of giving your life to Christ,

this is the smartest thing you will ever, ever do.

relax... sometimes it'll be difficult,

sometimes it'll be fantastic

but you'll never be sorry

A very happy wedding anniversary to Jason- an amazing father to my children and the faithful, loving, supportive, strong, handsome man I've called my better half for half my life. 

Thank you, Jesus for helping us beat the odds and live deeply in love for the last 19 years. I'm one HUNDRED percent thankful for my amazing husband.

Didn’t the Lord make you one with your wife (or husband)? In body and spirit you are His. And what does He want? Godly children from your union. So guard your heart; remain loyal to the wife (or husband) of your youth.

Malachi 2:15