Another year of the same promise

Yesterday Mr. McBrayer and I celebrated SIX YEARS of being married to each other. 

It's pretty amazing where God has taken us since this day. In some ways, I feel like we are exactly where we were then: in school, in the mountains, and poor. But in other ways we have grown so much and our lives have changed accordingly. 

I'm remembering our first year of marriage and what a disaster I was in the kitchen. For the entire months of October and November I cooked chicken breasts for dinner every night - I had never cooked anything else before in my life. And it was awful. One day the hubs and I were grocery shopping together and he sweetly asked if I could cook something besides chicken breasts and I just started bawling and was inconsolable. I used to cry when I would put the meals on the table before we even started eating - I knew they were just awful. My sweet husband would thank me for dinner and ask for seconds.

I made a McBrayer family recipe for venison stew one evening and put two TABLESPOONS of peanut butter instead of two teaspoons - the whole thing tasted overwhelmingly like peanut butter. 

We used to have Dooney's roommates over for dinner - they would bring the liquor and we would provide the food (I think we all knew that the McBrayers were getting the better end of that deal). One night I made dinner with red wine vinegar instead of red wine, not thinking it would be awful and it was AWFUL! 

That year I was finishing my degree in English and Mr. McBrayer was working at Compassion International. Three days a week, I would drive to his work and we would eat lunch in the parking lot together. I loved that.

(click on the picture to see full size - this one is click-worthy!) 

If you know me, then either you or someone you know is probably in this picture.

Thanks to all of our family and friends who continue to support us and encourage us in our marriage and in our life. Our lives wouldn't be the same without you!

That first year was fun, being surrounded by family and friends in Colorado. We didn't know then how short and precious that season was. After we had been married 9 months we moved to Kenya and celebrated our one-year anniversary in Nairobi that year.

I am happy that our future is in one place for the next few years - I see the potential for some roots to be planted. The baby itch has found me again and is pesky and cruel as before, but I do continue to hope for some babies. Or maybe I'll get a job and things won't be so tricky financially. But even if none of these things are to occur, at least I know that whatever does happen, it happens to us both, and that we are together in this life. It is wonderful to have a partner in life, especially one as resilient,  hilarious, adorable, exciting and wonderful as my Mr. McBrayer. 

My dear, home is where you are.