Our Anniversary!

 Today is our 14th anniversary! As I reflect on this past year, I've been blessed and challenged in ways I didn't see coming, and I'm still shocked by. Sometimes it doesn't seem real how much different our lives are now compared to 4 months ago. There's a simple line in a song I love that says, "This is your life, are you who you wanna be?". Last year I heard a redone version of this song that refreshed it for me in a way that I couldn't get it out of my head. For months, this little question plagued me as I realized that my honest answer at the time was "no"; I was not okay with who I had become. I mistook comfort for true contentment, all while begging God to change people and situations around me that I wasn't okay with just for the sake of me staying in what was comfortable and what I knew because the unknown was unthinkable and therefore felt impossible to me. It took many tough conversations for me to finally accept that I had to let go of the things I had no power or authority to change. As Joe and I sought the Lord, we knew that He had released us from the roles and positions we had and was giving us a choice. And we choose the unthinkable, seemingly impossible, and utterly uncomfortable; we choose to step away. We left what we knew and started down a new, unknown path. It was incredibly hard and very scary at first, and it is often still quite uncomfortable. But God has been with us through it all. He has blessed us beyond belief. He's provided for me in ways I know I don't deserve. He's protected my heart as He's gently reminding me over and over that there are no unknown paths to Him and that He will always be with us.

So today as we celebrate, I thank God for giving me Joe, my loving, patient, and wise husband who I love so much and who has been so supportive of me, especially as I've had a whole lot of emotions to process with all these recent life changes. One of the most surprising blessings that has come out of this new season of life for us is Jane. Just a few months ago, I thought we'd never get another dog, but the life changes we went through opened up a door that had previously been closed. Jane had a dark, difficult past, but has brought so much joy, silliness, and comfort to me in just the 2 months we've had her. Seeing her transform from the terrified dog we brought home to a happy, loving, and sassy pupper has been amazing and so rewarding. 

I still have so many questions about the future and there's so much I wish I could know now, but I'm resting in the knowledge that even when I don't have what I want, I have what I need. Life is beautiful, bitter, and sweet, and in the darkness there's always a Light. And best of all, I've got you, Joseph! You continue to amaze me with all that you are. You are more wonderful to me than I deserve. I don't know what's around the bend, all I know is that my love for you, it knows no end. Thank you for always choosing me. I love you more than ever and ever before. Happy Anniversary Joseph! ❤️

On Sunday, when we were talking about what we wanted to do for our upcoming anniversary, we thought of HC Kitchen as a possibility, but realized it wouldn't work since we had prior commitments.  So, on a whim, we decided to drive to Fishers right then to make a stop at IKEA and pick up food from HC Kitchen.  We took Jane since she needed dinner and we wanted to see how she'd do on a short road trip.  She did great in the car!  She was a little hesitant to eat her food with so many people walking by the car, but she settled in and ate.  After we'd picked up our food and eaten it in the car, we went on a short walk in a nearby park.  Then we drove home.  It was so fun!