We went to Gatlinburg over Labor Day weekend this year and stayed in the log cabin where we got engaged almost 11 years ago when dh was a youth pastor (we were there with our youth group on a weekend retreat and weren't even dating at the time -- lonnnnng story!!!). Anyway, as we were driving to the cabin, we passed a little chapel called "The Chapel in the Glen" and my very romantic husband said that he wanted to get our wedding vows renewed while we were there (we celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary in July). I was very surprised because he is not usually the spontaneous type. But he felt that it would be a great opportunity to give our marriage a fresh start after everything we've been through this last year and declare a new season in our life together. So I agreed that I would marry him ... AGAIN!!! We hadn't packed any dress clothes, so I found a cute little white sundress and zirconia earrings at a boutique in downtown Gatlinburg and found white dress shirts for him and Benjamin at the outlet mall in nearby Pigeon Forge. We all wore sandals. Mine were white flip flops with little beads on them. I even had to buy make-up because I didn't pack any!! Chad and Benjamin both wore shorts with their white shirts and sandals. It was so sweet. We both cried all the way through the ceremony and Benjamin stood between us grinning from ear to ear. Then he asked us if we were sad, lol! We said, "No buddy, these are happy tears!" It was so sweet. To top it off, the woman who arranged the ceremony and the pastor who peformed it lost their first child, a girl, at five days old in 1979. I found out when she asked us how many children we have. Of course, I included Abby and ended up telling her about what happened. That's when she shared about her daughter, Anna. I immediately felt so connected to her. We cried and hugged and she gave me hope that time does heal and that even though there will always be that missing place in our family, we will find happiness again. I can't tell you how wonderful it was to marry that man all over again. I don't know what I'd do without him!!!
September 16, 2007
"I Do" ... Again!
We went to Gatlinburg over Labor Day weekend this year and stayed in the log cabin where we got engaged almost 11 years ago when dh was a youth pastor (we were there with our youth group on a weekend retreat and weren't even dating at the time -- lonnnnng story!!!). Anyway, as we were driving to the cabin, we passed a little chapel called "The Chapel in the Glen" and my very romantic husband said that he wanted to get our wedding vows renewed while we were there (we celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary in July). I was very surprised because he is not usually the spontaneous type. But he felt that it would be a great opportunity to give our marriage a fresh start after everything we've been through this last year and declare a new season in our life together. So I agreed that I would marry him ... AGAIN!!! We hadn't packed any dress clothes, so I found a cute little white sundress and zirconia earrings at a boutique in downtown Gatlinburg and found white dress shirts for him and Benjamin at the outlet mall in nearby Pigeon Forge. We all wore sandals. Mine were white flip flops with little beads on them. I even had to buy make-up because I didn't pack any!! Chad and Benjamin both wore shorts with their white shirts and sandals. It was so sweet. We both cried all the way through the ceremony and Benjamin stood between us grinning from ear to ear. Then he asked us if we were sad, lol! We said, "No buddy, these are happy tears!" It was so sweet. To top it off, the woman who arranged the ceremony and the pastor who peformed it lost their first child, a girl, at five days old in 1979. I found out when she asked us how many children we have. Of course, I included Abby and ended up telling her about what happened. That's when she shared about her daughter, Anna. I immediately felt so connected to her. We cried and hugged and she gave me hope that time does heal and that even though there will always be that missing place in our family, we will find happiness again. I can't tell you how wonderful it was to marry that man all over again. I don't know what I'd do without him!!!
