Tell me a story.

With each new day, there is a growing excitement in me for our life. Things are changing. Drastically. We've lost a lot. We've gained a lot.

Peter lost his job suddenly, unexpectedly, this week. We are still praising the Lord. The day he was let go I started a full time nanny position. We're so encouraged that long before any of this happened, God laid a desire on Peter's heart to go back to school. And that is exactly what he is doing.

Our plan is for him to go to school full time and work through it as quickly as possible, while working part time somewhere close. I will continue nannying. Things will be tighter than we've been used to since we got married, but we're so excited. We'll live on love and get by and always have food on the table and grow more and more together. We'll pour more and more into one another and hold on tighter than ever. And, we'll cling to God, praising Him for indescribable peace and provision in this time.

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During our trip to Virginia last week I was able to read I Will Carry You: The Sacred Dance of Grief and Joy by Angie Smith. It is written by the wife of Todd Smith, singer of the Christian band Selah. Todd and Angie were told by doctors that the baby Angie was carrying, their fourth daughter, Audrey Caroline, would die after birth, if not before. I won't go into much detail, but the book is incredibly powerful. I read it to help cope with the grief and struggles I have been facing after miscarrying, but I truly do see her story applicable to any trial in life, not just loss.

Her story is heart-wrenching. I tried reading aloud to Peter several times and could never get farther than a few paragraphs before one (or both!) of us burst into tears. I highly recommend the book. I would to anyone. Have some Post-its and a box or two of Kleenex near by.

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I love when Peter tells me stories. Whether he makes them up as he goes along, retells our love story and changes all the names, or uses the classic Three Little Pigs, they're all equally entertaining.

"Tell me a story," I said to him this afternoon.
"Once upon a time there was a boy named Peter. He married a cute girl named Angela. They lost their two sons. Then he lost his job. To be continued."
"Were they in love?"
"Mhmm. Very," he said as he kissed my forehead.

He ended it there, though I know it is not the end. He said it would be continued. He'll come back to tell me the rest of this crazy story we're writing together. This truly is just the beginning.



I love watching a smile spread across his face has I nuzzle up close and rub my nose against his cheek. I love how we laugh together. He tells me we're "so silly". I guess we are. We roll around on the floor and he tickles me until I cry for him to stop. I like to ask him to go for long walks with me, then run away from him just so he'll chase me. And he does. He runs until he catches me in his arms and holds me while we catch our breaths.

I am so in love.






-A.H.