Happy 13 Years to US!!!

I know what you are thinking..what? They haven't been married 13 years! I was in their wedding, I went to their wedding, SHE isn't old enough to be married 13 years. Well folks, it is not a wedding anniversary, it is the first night Kenny and I talked on the phone, which is when I consider we started dating. It was December 8th, 1995. Wow, it just seemed really weird to type 1995...and in less than a month we will be typing 2009! Time truly flies when you are having fun! In those years, we have been through so much..at first, our parents weren't too crazy about the idea of us dating for obvious reasons, and then things happened, my grandmother died, Kenny went off to college, we moved to the mountain when my dad's plant shut down, and my parents began to see Kenny for who he was and not so much for skin color. All of this was in a 2 1/2 year time span. Not over night people! I think people are raised certain ways and see no different in their perfect world until something comes up and makes them deal with it head on. After researching the Bible on it and realizing for many years they had believed just wrong doctorine, they accepted him and began to weed out their true friends and family. And beleive me, there are still some who believe our relationship is just wrong, and have absolutely nothing to do with us accept speak if they see us..and that is okay! Seriously, I have always said, just don't push your beliefs on me and I will not push mine on you. I understand that some people can't get past it and never will..do I still love them? ABSOLUTELY!!! I do and always will! IF they needed me for any reason, I am there! and I hope they know that! Our relationship has brought many changes to my family. After being in a church for my whole life, a church my own grandpa started (he has been retired from there many years), daddy a deacon, SS teacher, VBS leader, Mom was treasurer, organ player, grew up singing and loved it with every ounce of our souls, but when mine and Kenny's relationship came about, well, let's just say they were none-too-accepting. And that is okay! Their reasons I will never understand, but it was time for our family to move on. My immediate family were the only ones of our family still left. Not knowing where we were going, or what we would do without the strong hold of the ONLY church we had EVER known. But, when my daddy resigned, we knew that God had a plan for our lives and that He was the one "who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine" Eph. 3:20, we as a family held on. And let me tell you HE has!! and HE continues!! My family found their church home and have been active since joining...Daddy is now a deacon there, AWANA leader, Brylee was dedicated there and they are learning and growing so much in Him! Kenny and I both went to college, got our degrees, moved to Daphne, worked in schools and he coached, purchased our first house, had our first baby, Brylee, and moved to Atlanta and now we are here! We have family we adore so much and are blessed to have in our lives..and the ones that choose not to participate b/c of that, well, they are just missing out on a lovely time! And we couldn't be any more happy than we are and where we are in our life. Sure we have had our ups and downs, our struggles and trials and I know we wouldn't be where we are now without the mighty hand of God in our lives. He was and continues to be our Savior and our Hope in the life we live. I know that we both have grown closer to Him and learn to trust Him for the daily things we sometimes take for granted. Our church, church family, friends and family are huge parts in our lives and WE are here still together 13 years later, and are enjoying a "MOMENT IN THE LIFE OF A HILL"...I leave you with a few pictures of our earlier days..please note..that IS me in the pictures!!! Some I have blonde hair, some I have long curly hair, some I have straight brown hair...and most I am several pounds lighter! LOL..and the one with the blue dress is not our wedding..it was my senior prom! :)







Blessings to you all,

Brooke