For Better or for Worse
This post is a little late in coming, since Brandon and I's wedding anniversary was 2 days ago on the 8th. We celebrated 5 years of being married, and it has been a great weekend. I took some time to reflect yesterday as we were hiking through the Indiana Dunes and I wanted to share some thoughts on making it to 5 years, and also making it through one of the roughest years of our marriage/lives thus far.
Yesterday, we decided to head up to Indiana Dunes to experience Lake Michigan and also hike and be one with nature. It was a beautiful place to just walk and take in the scenery, and just quiet the soul. We were given a map to help us choose which trail we wanted to walk, and above all, help us navigate the dunes. We decided to head towards #4, but somehow ended up on #9, which was much more rugged and difficult than we wanted to experience. As I was struggling up a sandy incline, I realized that this was applicable to our current life situation and stage. When we got married, we had these plans and goals, not knowing what really would lie ahead. We thought that by following our own map, making our own destiny through specific choices, that our lives would look a certain way. And just maybe, had the ridiculous notion that maybe we would not experience any hardships because we were following a specific map that we ourselves had created.
In the past 5 years, we moved across state lines to a place where we were strangers and new. I decided to change careers and return to school, as Brandon continued working really hard, and learning the ropes of the new company. For about a year, I felt depressed because it seemed like even at the church I was attending, I was an outcast and struggling to connect with people or feel welcomed. I decided to work in the school system not knowing the challenge that would come with that, and then also struggled but made it through student teaching. I earned my teaching license and ventured off into a new field that I never imagined I would have ended up in. Along with the challenges, came great opportunities and new friendships, and then in 2015 we decided to venture into having children.
Of course with any new venture, come the plans, goals, dreams, and aspirations. I was also in my first year of teaching, and it was a stressful yet beautiful time of discovery. Fast-forward to last year, when Emerie was born, we did not realize that the "path" or "trail" we were on was really going to take a turn for the worse, and lead us through tough inclines, hidden turns, and times of wanting to give up. One thing that many people told us and warned us about was the failure rate of marriage after a couple experiences a loss. Brandon and I knew that after everything we had been through, we could not abandon each other on this "trail"; we had to remain together because only we (Brandon and I) really understood what we were going through and had gone through emotionally.
When we said our "I do's", we acknowledged that life might not always be good or full of health. Until recently though, did we learn of upholding the other end of our vows, and I am so thankful that neither one of us jumped ship when we hit the rough "trail" of life. I don't know what lies ahead for Brandon and I, but I am so thankful that we are together, holding on to each other, not giving up, even when the road ahead is rough, tiring, stressful, emotional, and just plain not fun. Continue praying for us, our journey is still continuing, the pain is still there, but we continue to move forward together, with God at the center.
Emerie, how we wished you were here celebrating with us, but we know that one day we will have eternity with you, and all this time without you will seem like nothing. Until then, continue to comfort us God because it will always hurt to not have Emerie, and she will always be missing from our lives.
Thanks for reading.
God Bless.
Yesterday, we decided to head up to Indiana Dunes to experience Lake Michigan and also hike and be one with nature. It was a beautiful place to just walk and take in the scenery, and just quiet the soul. We were given a map to help us choose which trail we wanted to walk, and above all, help us navigate the dunes. We decided to head towards #4, but somehow ended up on #9, which was much more rugged and difficult than we wanted to experience. As I was struggling up a sandy incline, I realized that this was applicable to our current life situation and stage. When we got married, we had these plans and goals, not knowing what really would lie ahead. We thought that by following our own map, making our own destiny through specific choices, that our lives would look a certain way. And just maybe, had the ridiculous notion that maybe we would not experience any hardships because we were following a specific map that we ourselves had created.In the past 5 years, we moved across state lines to a place where we were strangers and new. I decided to change careers and return to school, as Brandon continued working really hard, and learning the ropes of the new company. For about a year, I felt depressed because it seemed like even at the church I was attending, I was an outcast and struggling to connect with people or feel welcomed. I decided to work in the school system not knowing the challenge that would come with that, and then also struggled but made it through student teaching. I earned my teaching license and ventured off into a new field that I never imagined I would have ended up in. Along with the challenges, came great opportunities and new friendships, and then in 2015 we decided to venture into having children.
Of course with any new venture, come the plans, goals, dreams, and aspirations. I was also in my first year of teaching, and it was a stressful yet beautiful time of discovery. Fast-forward to last year, when Emerie was born, we did not realize that the "path" or "trail" we were on was really going to take a turn for the worse, and lead us through tough inclines, hidden turns, and times of wanting to give up. One thing that many people told us and warned us about was the failure rate of marriage after a couple experiences a loss. Brandon and I knew that after everything we had been through, we could not abandon each other on this "trail"; we had to remain together because only we (Brandon and I) really understood what we were going through and had gone through emotionally.
When we said our "I do's", we acknowledged that life might not always be good or full of health. Until recently though, did we learn of upholding the other end of our vows, and I am so thankful that neither one of us jumped ship when we hit the rough "trail" of life. I don't know what lies ahead for Brandon and I, but I am so thankful that we are together, holding on to each other, not giving up, even when the road ahead is rough, tiring, stressful, emotional, and just plain not fun. Continue praying for us, our journey is still continuing, the pain is still there, but we continue to move forward together, with God at the center.
Emerie, how we wished you were here celebrating with us, but we know that one day we will have eternity with you, and all this time without you will seem like nothing. Until then, continue to comfort us God because it will always hurt to not have Emerie, and she will always be missing from our lives.
Thanks for reading.
God Bless.
Love you, Jenn! Thank you for sharing your heart.
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