Ten years later...

Jon and I are celebrating our anniversary today! Ten years ago we walked down a dusty, makeshift aisle in an old Colorado lodge and said our vows, as our pastor Kelly said, "in the eyes of God and this buffalo head" (which was peering down over our heads as he spoke).

We almost didn't get married under that buffalo head...

Two nights before, Jon and I had a huge fight at rehearsal because he wanted to change the order of our ceremony, and I could NOT handle one more change!! And then I bawled.

What we didn't know was that we had both secretly written each other a song, and that we both wanted to sing it (well, actually my dear friend Tosha, sang mine) at the same time. Of course, we couldn't tell each other our secret so we fought--and learned our lesson early about keeping secrets.

Fortunately Kelly and Tosha both knew what was going on, and Kelly assured Jon and I privately that he would give us an opportunity for the songs. Thank God for Kelly! No one canceled the wedding.

Our reception was held the night before our big day--a country dance at a ghost town museum--and then we woke up to blue sky and fresh snow on Pikes Peak. We ran into another little glitch, though, right before the ceremony. Seconds after the music began, my dad began having second thoughts about the whole wedding thing. He started crying, and I started crying, and it wasn't pretty. When we didn't show up at the doorway, Jon started to worry. I finally tugged on Dad's arm and pulled him to the door and down the aisle toward the buffalo head and my now quite worried groom. Jon thought he might have to wrestle me free, but when Kelly asked, Dad (reluctantly) gave me away.

Kelly forgot to bring our wedding vows (and, apparently, didn't want to tell me. hmm...I wonder why he was scared?). The thing was, though, I never even noticed that he revised our pre-written vows. I only remember saying "I do," listening to Tosha sing my song, and then Kelly turning with a smile and saying, "Now Jon has a surprise." My husband-to-be played his guitar and sang his beautiful song. And then I cried again, but this time for a different reason. I was one happy bride!

I never could have imagined ten years ago about the amazing adventure I was about to embark on that day. It has been an incredible journey...

I'm grateful for the godly, wonderful man who is my husband. I'm grateful for all of you who danced at our "pre-ception," celebrated with us on our wedding day, and have stuck with us now for ten more years. And I'm grateful, Dad, that you finally walked me down that aisle! :)