Where it all began- 1987?

Number 6 on our 2008 Top 10 was our tenth wedding anniversary so i thought it would be fun to start at the beginning...The Graham Half Dozen really began in 1987- yeah, can you believe it? Kyle and i met when he moved in around the corner from my parents house in the seventh grade (yes, our parents still live around the corner from each other - kinda weird i know!) We walked to junior high school with a big crew of friends and it all began.

He wanted the inside scoop and access to all things female and i wanted the same- it was an arrangement that benefited both parties. We hung out "in groups" and the Lord held our friendship in His hands- nurturing us individually. i am so thankful we never "went together" because the Lord had something so much better planned for us. How often we mourn the loss of something we want when He has something so much better planned for us?

He even drove me to Lake Highlands High School each day because he is WAY older than me :) and Michelle and I needed wheels. He hated waiting for her because she was NEVER on time- especially for school. On random Friday or Saturday nights when there were no plans for either of us, we would go to dinner alone and just talk. We spent HOURS just talking and hanging out. Truly as friends encouraging one another.

The guys were a little jealous because for those of you who know KG, he drove a suburban (not just a suburban - the Kodiak). You can fit a LOT of teenage girls in a suburban - so there were also many nights when KG drove dozens of teenage girls around because like i said, we needed wheels.

When it was time for college, i recall an ex boyfriend telling me someday he better get an invite to my and KG's wedding- i said GROSS! He is like a brother to me and there was NEVER another intention. I gave him the most hideous cow monogrammed stationary so he would write only me on it from separate collages- way too embarrassing to send to even his mother. We wrote letter after letter from college and then it began to change. He would probably still have every one of these letters if i wasn't so non-sentimental and such a wanna be neat freak.

The Lord knew we were designed for each other and KG began to pursue with a little liquid courage. We dated so easily, i knew this man from the inside out for seven years before we went on our first official date. There was something different about him i knew i could be me because he knew only me. He survived my brothers interrogation and we dated when we were home from college.

We somehow ended up at the same college and began to pursue our relationship without dating others (ok yea, i transferred to A&M). there was the typical on again off again re-evaluative moments but all in all dating was fun and we had a blast hanging out and tons of memories from this time in our relationship. an amazing proposal of marriage followed (there were cannons and sabers- i had no choice but to accept). this best friend became the man God destined to be my husband, the man of my dreams and His plans.

A very fun time of wedding planning began- my mom did 3 weddings in 3 years so it was old hat for her. All i really cared about was no carcass of meat on any table - so we had fajitas- classy i know....but it is just us. We had a beautiful ceremony on the most beautiful June day in Dallas with all our friends and family. The reception was a truly Texas celebration with a band, dancing, and food and more food....

i prayed for my husband many times (just as i pray for the future wives of our boys). I never guessed in a million years it would be the boy around the corner and that the Lord had all THIS planned for me. I still cannot believe this is my life and the Lord his given me all this. i am not saying it has been easy. marriage is the hardest thing we have done; not because of him but because of me. And thankfully there is the most important HIM.

I put my thoughts and ideas first and selfishness sets in. Communication is complicated. We have had to learn how to fight and that it is good to do so - occasionally. we have spent hours discovering where we came from and why we do the things we do. but most importantly there is God who is holding our marriage as sacred. and we do to. There are many people who have encouraged us and helped us on our journey in marriage- church, counselors, community group, friends....we are not in this alone-thankfully!

Someday I will tell the "funny" story of how our family began soon after we were married....