So, question: Have you ever gone through some rough stuff? Like punches in the stomach type of stuff that make you crawl under the covers, leaving your pillow streaked with mascara? Yeah, me neither…
Regardless of circumstances, today I woke up determined to find at least one happy thing. And I thought of five. Victory!
So, here’s a list of five happy things.
1. This bag.
It’s the Fossil Key-Per Retro Utility. It’s huge and pretty and has approximately one billion pockets, including a place for the almighty laptop. I got the bag in the mail last week and I love it. (Annnnd it’s going to turn into the perfet diaper bag someday! Which is why I actually bought it.)
2. This guy.
I am so beyond lucky and blessed to be married to this crazy fool. He is just the tops in every way. I’m so thankful we have that kind of sparkling love that poems, movies and songs can only dream about.
3. This movie.
It’s a little raunchy. It’s a lot ridiculous. It’s Kristen Wiig at her best. I saw Bridesmaids this weekend with some awesome friends after having a really fun dinner. And even though we were late and we had to sit in the front row, we LOLed a lot. It was worth the neck cramp. I also realized that I have more weird + quirky Kristen Wiig mannerisms than I thought. I’m going to take that as a good thing.
4. These shoes.
Yes. Just yes. Say what you will, but sometimes a new pair of shoes is just…needed. I had been dreaming about these beauties for a while, and when a Target sale happens, well, it’s meant. to. be.
5. This art.
Some really awesome friends who are really more like family surprised us with this awesome art, which is now hanging above the couch. They took the tree from our ‘Rooted in Love’ fundraiser shirts and comissioned an artist, who designed it in vinyl between two panes of glass. The artist is also a woodworker, and he made the custom frame. It’s just so awesome and thoughtful. (His other stuff is amazing, too. Go check out his work.)
Recently, I was able to share some really awesome and amazing big news to people whom I had good reason to believe would be excited—or at least not unhappy—about said news.
Of course, I didn’t expect people to start crying tears of happiness and jumping for joy. But cryptic warnings of everything that can go wrong, snarky quips, rude unsolicited advice and blank stares can really burst a girl’s bubble.
I have a friend who recently got engaged, and people whom he had considered to be supportive and encouraging quipped things like, “Yeah, marriage is nice, until you get a divorce…” and “Oh, congrats. Marriage is really difficult…” and “More than 50 percent of people get divorced…” and on and on.
Cue the *wompwomp* from the Debbie Downer SNL skit.
I had to speak with a lot of Debbie Downers this weekend, and surprise, surprise, I’m feeling a little down. I guess the Debbie Downers of the world aren’t that bad when you expect it. But when the folks who you think are ‘on your side’ are suddenly playing the role of Negative Nancy, the gloominess is contagious. The fear and the ‘what-ifs’ start to seize your thoughts and excitement begins to wane. The bright and cheery news starts to darken, and you’re left with less peace and happiness and more worry and heartache.
The next time someone confides in me a bit of good news, I’m going give them a giant hug and tell him or her how genuinely happy I am about it. No *wompwomp* included.
Sparkling diamonds and pretty white dresses have been on my mind lately. A fabulous friend of mine got engaged last night (Congrats, E!), and I went dress shopping with another equally fabulous soon-to-be-married friend tonight. (A, your gown is GORGE.)
I am so beyond happy for my friends, not because of the fun stuff like reception center pieces or save-the-dates, (and, oh, are weddings fun!), but because I know how amazing marriage can be. I am so incredibly blessed to have a husband who is so effortless to journey through life with.
Allow me to walk down this road for a minute and give the hubs a blog shout out. He is a strong leader with a servant’s heart. He is incredibly smart but amazingly humble. He can preach about social justice and Jesus one minute (WHICH he happens to be doing right now. Brimming with pride, my friends! Wait. I’m not supposed to be prideful? I digress…), and make me cry with laughter the next. We are constantly blown away by how much God has worked on our hearts in the same ways, and I am so blessed to be able to share my life with him. I am jazzed about a lot of things in life, but nothing makes me more jubilant than knowing we will be serving Jesus hand-in-hand.
A lot of people say marriage is difficult. We have been married just more than two years, and while we’ve had challenges, our relationship hasn’t been a struggle. Sure, there are arguments and even the occasional tear-fest, but honestly, we have been so blessed. In the six years since the “date that wasn’t a date,” we’ve been able to grow together and shape one another. I can’t wait to see where God leads us.
I sincerely hope my brides-to-be a Christ-centered marriage filled with amazingness. :)
