My least favorite part of the day is “zero six thirty” when David leaves, cycling down the road to work. This is also my most favorite part of the day. Early mornings in their shadowy darkness and quietness are lovely despite my best friend leaving. I start the dishwasher, make the bed, pick up the house, and sit down on the couch by the kerosene heater. The only thing that could possibly disturb the silence is the back-door-neighbor, a green-eyed pit bull who lives in the dirt behind a chain fence. If his owners have not yet let him out, all is silent and communion with my Father proceeds in peace.
Twentynine Palms, California. I’m here. Rather, WE’RE here. David moved here to the Mojave Desert in the fall for Communications School and I joined him after our Christmastime wedding.
I’m married! I’m married and I love it. Plainly, it has been just one month (to the day!), but I rest certain, knowing I will forever delight in this decision. David is the most caring, calm, God-loving, intrepid, and handsome man. There is no one else with whom I would rather spend my time. I like eating cereal and toast with him before the crack of dawn. I like when he rolls in the door all sweaty (sorry, Dave) in the late afternoon and I get to kiss his face. I like running with him. He is so kind to do this with me though his mile time is four minutes faster than mine. I like when we pray together. I like reading together. He can stay up taking in C.S. Lewis stories on his Kindle for what seems like hours while I doze off after a few pages. I like that we can talk about anything, even more things now that we’re married. I like long drives with him and slowly grazing bookstores together and hiking mountains and climbing rocks. I like visiting friends from church and listening to him talk so purely and joyfully. I like going to Del Taco with him….sort of. We visited once and both agree we can most definitely live without returning to the local fast food joint. But I reckon I’ve made my point. I like to do most everything with my husband. Call it the honeymoon stage if you like, but married life is terrific.
This season is undoubtedly a testament to God’s never-ending faithfulness. I’ve prayed long and hard for my husband. God did clearly intersect our paths. And our new path couldn’t be better. Am I naive to the fact that trials and less than awesome times may materialize? I don’t think so. If truth be told, I sometimes wonder when they will eventually happen. But for now, I am living in gratitude for these days and pray I can do so when life brings valleys. And when I’m stuck in a ditch, I rest assured Dave will help to pull me out. I pray I can do the same for him. When we’re down there together, we’ll have a hand to hold.
I thank God for this time in Southern California. I am grateful for the blessings of a sweet, sweet place to spend time as a newlywed. The mountains and our little home and the people in our lives are beyond what I could have hoped or dreamed. I am getting to know my husband better by the day, by the hour. And I love him increasingly more. Time here will be short-lived, for we are headed to Okinawa in April. I am thrilled and prayerful about the coming months here and abroad.
In short, marriage is GOOD. My friend Stephanie Wilson once said, “marriage is like having a slumber party with your best friend every. single. night.”
Catching August 