Reflections

2 days ago (who really knows though because my days have been all screwed up lately!) Marcel told me that he had run across my journal while looking for a notebook to take to his conference. He didn't want to tell me because he thought I might be mad at him for reading part of it and at first I was a little hurt, but I have no secrets so then I was just intrigued by what he found. He told me that he was reading from the end of my sophomore year, which is when our relationship started. He was getting very emotional (but that is just between you and me!) telling me about it, and even said that it made him fall more in love with me. All he really told me was he could tell how excited I was for our relationship, my first ever!

Today I was trying to be very productive, which I think I accomplished, except instead of looking a place of employment in Idaho, I started packing. Knowing we haven't touched our bookshelf since we moved in, that's where I started, so I too ran across my journal. I was surprised to find I hadn't written in it since July 2007! I went digging for the entry that first talked about Marcel--sometime in May 2006. I read through the rest of the journal and was also very fascinated with what Marcel had just read.

Some things that really stuck out to me:

• I had some doubts at the beginning, mainly during our first 3 months together since we were starting a relationship long distance, but once we were both back at school, things turned out great!
• I had very great friends who were there for me 100% when I need someone to talk through my feelings with
• I have been able to talk completely openly and honestly with Marcel from the beginning
• I had been very anxiously waiting him to say "I Love You" for a few weeks before it finally came on November 2, 2006...Kelly had told me not to say it before 6 months of dating to make sure I truly meant it, and Marcel respected that so he waited as long as he could before he finally said it, just 20 days early, but I know for sure that we both meant it ;)
• I had started to think about us getting married earlier in our relationship than I would have thought
• I was super excited to get good reviews from my family the first time Marcel made the trip to Idaho with me, which sealed the deal for me in a way
• I was grateful to be able to spend so much time by his side in the hospital during the liver tumor fiasco of 2007...we spent so much time joking that he'd have plenty of time to repay me as he stood by my side as I was delivering our children
• I was expecting a proposal on our first anniversary, just 16 months earlier than when it finally came

It also made me realize that we've nearly been together 3.5 years and what a ride it has been! Those were my reflections on the past and this is my glimpse into the future, trying to remember that we are not in control of any of it and we'll continue to gladly take what ever God chooses to hand us.

• Moving to Idaho, because all we've ever known together is the wonderful college town of Forest Grove
• Following Dave Ramsey's plan for our Total Money Makeover, and choosing to live like no one else so one day we can live like no one else
• One day becoming Mom and Dad, in addition to being Husband and Wife, something my mom is anxiously awaiting!
• Growing closer together each day of what I've made Marcel promise to be at least 60+ years!

And in case you were wondering, I didn't think I could possibly catch up my journal from the last 2 years, so I just started up again like no time had passed, and then packed it up promising myself that when we are in Idaho and I'm unpacking I'll be able to write about our first Christmas as a married couple, hopefully enjoying a beautiful white Christmas in Idaho!