8 years

I cant believe that its been a whole 8 years! On the 9th January 1999, a very odd time to get married due to its proximity to Christmas and New Year, Andy and I became husband and wife! We were both 23 years old (aaaaaahhh) . I had adjusted to life in a new country, had 3 jobs in that time, moved 3 times and had all the pressures of leading a youth group and planning a wedding in the space of a year! The church was only about 50 people but they were amazing planning and helping out. I think our wedding came to £1500 altogether, including dress, venue and honeymoon! All the church brought food and the dress was a present from Andy`s aunt Stef, even my old boss did a deal for me with the blues band. That's what it was all about for us, a wedding that showed true community and unpretentiousness (I'm not sure that's a word!).

I always thought that with time you took your other half for granted and soon it would be inevitable that you wouldn't love them as much...all that heart fluttering, young love would come to an end. Nobody warned me it would take on a greater, deeper and all more significant emotion altogether. I used to scoff at old people talking about how you husband becomes good companionship. May be they used the wrong word or I didn't get their meaning. Andy has become my best friend, the one who loves me no matter what. That's no small thing. To trust someone so completely and whole hearted is truly incredible. When I saw Andy for the first time I felt God tell me I that he was the man I was going to marry. I didn't believe that voice at first. God chose well, he always knows what we need. I'm so glad I waited for the right one to give myself too. What a man.