5 Years

5 years ago today, M and I said our vows in a small ceremony on a Friday afternoon at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Auburn, Alabama. (Why Friday at 2pm? Little thing called the Iron Bowl that weekend... we are nothing if not practical.)



Reception at Greystone, Auburn, AL.

2005 was a whirlwind.

Our first date was just 11 months prior to that November day, January 14th to be exact.



Spring 2005- Alpha Psi rodeo. I LOVED the shaggy hair. Little thing called "a real job" got in the way...


Our first real conversation was December 2004- the night before I left for the Christmas holidays. The night before M graduated.  I would have said "yes" had he asked me to marry him that night. (Turned out, I didn't have to wait too much longer.)



Summer 2005- one of many trips to Rosemary Beach with friends

I worried the opportunity was lost over the break... but, come January, an out of the blue phone call for a Friday night date changed everything.



Honeymoon, Nov 2005

We spent every single day together from that January 14th date on. The first day we didn't see each other was in May when M rode home with his brother to Macon. To buy a ring, I would later find out.



Wedding shower in Macon, GA.


He was set to stay through the weekend... but, I drove to Macon and picked him up early.  The next night, May 19th 2005, M asked me to be his wife on the front porch of his college house.



Five years later, and we have 2 kids! We often sit and reminisce about how we met. How God perfectly orchestrated the unlikely timing and circumstances.  How He was so gracious and merciful to put us together.  How thankful we are that we share the same world view.



1st year of marriage... our little duplex in Auburn.

M, you are my favorite.  Your work ethic and devotion to our family still impresses me.  Most of all, you love grace. It's how I knew I could marry you after 1 hour. For that, I will ever be thankful.



Rehearsal dinner... J Williams, Auburn, AL. November 17, 2005. Excuse the purple teeth... and the duct tape on M's finger. He sliced it open with a knife (trying to remove a pen top, if I remember correctly) at Amsterdam's having dinner with my parents. The photographer had a hard time getting her obligatory "ring" picture.


Our children will see how you treat me- I thank God that J has that model to follow, and that AP will know what to look for in a husband someday.



October 2010

The song below was the (instrumental) recessional at our wedding.  My hope is that we are always keenly aware that our family is an undeserved mercy from God.

Thy Mercy, My God

Thy mercy my God is the theme of my song,
The joy of my heart, and the boast of my tongue.
Thy free grace alone, from the first to the last,
Hath won my affection and bound my soul fast.

Without Thy sweet mercy, I could not live here.
Sin would reduce me to utter despair,
But through Thy free goodness, my spirit's revived
And He that first made me still keeps me alive.

Thy mercy is more than a match for my heart,
Which wonders to feel its own hardness depart.
Dissolved by Thy goodness, I fall to the ground
And weep for the praise of the mercy I've found.

Great Father of mercies, Thy goodness I own
In the covenant love of Thy crucified Son.
All praise to the Spirit, Whose whisper divine
Seals mercy and pardon and righteousness mine.
All praise to the Spirit, Whose whisper divine
Seals mercy and pardon and righteousness mine.

©2001 Same Old Dress Music (ASCAP).

Happy Anniversary, M! I love you.