10 years together!

The year was 2007. I was 26 years old. I had just recently moved into my second house and I lived alone with my dog Charlie Brown. My life was filled with work, church, violin and keeping up my home. I tried very hard to be content with being single but it was very hard. Even though I would have never admitted it, I longed to be a wife and mother. But I felt that no one would ever want someone like me. I was very shy, introverted, serious and very messy. 

I had heard about internet dating sites and I thought, "who in the world would be so desperate to try something like that". But one night I actually tried eHarmony. I tried it for a free weekend and then I quit. I felt guilty for taking things into my own hands. I felt that somehow I was taking God's place in finding a husband. I felt that I was rushing things and that maybe I should just wait. A week or two went by and I prayed earnestly about it. One day as I was driving home, I felt that God was telling me to go ahead and do it. I felt Him telling me that I wasn't taking matters into my own hands and that He can use things like eHarmony to bring the right people together. After this I had a peace about it.

In July, after about a week on eHarmony, I got a message from Jason. We started messaging back and forth. He said that what caught his attention, aside from my amazingly good looks, was my love for log cabins. It was destiny, two log cabin loving nerds had met each other. It was meant to be! A week or so later he called me for the first time. The first thing I noticed about him was his southern accent. I'd found me a country boy. We talked for almost an hour. That was probably the longest I had ever talked on the phone. In August, we met for the first time. After that, things moved very quickly. 

In October, he asked me to marry him and we were married the following year in March. 

My life changed drastically in less than a year. I married a man I had just met. I moved to another state and started a new job. Although many would say I was crazy, I knew that I was so very happy and I couldn't imagine living life without Jason. I know this is often said, but he really did complete me. I felt that God had made us for each other. 

For two years, it was just Jason and I. He was content to not have children but I secretly longed to be a mother. Instead of trying to change his mind, I started praying. A few months later, he told me that God had been convicting him about some things and that he felt that we should have children. In August 2010, our first child was born. Clark changed our lives. He was such an easy baby.  We thought this parent thing was a breeze. 

While I was pregnant with Clark, we began building that log cabin we had been dreaming of. We moved in when Clark was 6 months old. Little did we know what God had in store for that little log cabin.

When Clark was only a few months old we found out we were expecting again. We were excited but a little scared about the closeness in age. A week later, I miscarried. I was heart-broken. But somehow I knew that God had a plan. 

Four months later, we were expecting again and in March of 2012, our second child was born. Callie was the total opposite of Clark. Let’s just say she knows what she wants and if she doesn't get it everyone will know about it. 

When Callie was a few months old, we found out that we were expecting again! Just like before, I miscarried a week later. I was so sad for the lost of our two children, but somehow through the sadness I knew that God had a plan. 

During these years we had talked about adoption but we never got serious about it. I kept feeling God urge me towards adoption but Jason wasn't quite on board. Then in 2013, God spoke to Jason through a TV program about Ukrainian orphans. His heart was broken for what these kids go through. He knew then that we would adopt from Ukraine. I was so thrilled! I was burdened for a child with special needs but Jason was worried that this would be more than we could handle. Then one day in December of that same year, I saw Katy and Brody's pictures on an online adoption website. Katy had special needs and Brody was her biological younger brother. When I saw their ages, I laughed out loud. They were 2 and 4 years old. Callie and Clark were 1 and 3. I sent Jason their pictures and within a few minutes he texted back, "Let's do it!'.

After Jason said those words the crazy adoption process began. By July 2014 (only 7 months after we started the process), we were in Ukraine meeting our new children. It all seems surreal how it all happened. On July 30th, we were declared Katy and Brody's parents in an Ukrainian courthouse and on September 3rd we brought them home. We can't imagine our family without Katy and Brody! We are so blessed to have them as our own.

D. Crowe Photography

Just like that, we now had four children! Life has been nothing but crazy and loud with four kids. But, we can’t imagine life without our kids! 

It’s been almost 4 years since we adopted and I have to say that I’m so grateful we took the plunge. I’m not going to say it’s been easy because it definitely hasn’t. God has used it to help us grow in so many ways. Katy and Brody are knit to us now. They are apart of us just like Clark and Callie. 

What I’ve learned the most, during these years, is that love isn’t true until you’ve had to sacrifice something. Marriage, motherhood, adoption and beyond. Selflessness and sacrifice is at the center of Christ’s love for us. I fail so much at demonstrating this, but it is my prayer. I want a love like Christ’s. I want to be the wife who is willing to sacrifice and live selflessly for her husband. I want to be the mother who is willing to sacrifice her desires so that her children will benefit. This is the total opposite of what the world teaches but I feel that it is the key to successful relationships. Each one giving their all to each other not expecting anything in return. We all know that it often feels as though we are giving and giving and everyone else is taking. But, if our hearts are right, I feel that God will give those who trust in him strength to persevere.

I am so very grateful that God brought Jason and I together! Tomorrow is our 10th Anniversary!  I love Jason more than I could ever put into words. He is so much fun to be around. Life with him is never boring! He is the hardest working man I’ve ever met. He puts his heart and soul into everything he does. He loves me despite my short comings. He is very tolerant of my messy and disorganized ways. He loves his kids! Even when he’s exhausted after a 12 hour work day, the first thing he wants to do is to spend time with his kids. I sure do love him!

D. Crowe Photography