My sweet husband

For our wedding, David and I decided to write our own marriage vows. Although I had the audio recording of the ceremony, I really wanted a copy of our vows that we had written--in our own handwriting-- for our children to one day have.  After our wedding, his vows disappeared and I assumed they had been misplaced while we were on our honeymoon.

Thinking I had lost that paper has always bothered me.  Those promises that David made to God-- in front of me and our friends and family --are one of the most precious gifts I will ever be given, and having a copy of those promises, written with his own hand, was just too valuable for me to put into words.

While rooting around trying to find the photos for the last few posts, I found David's vows.

As I sat on our hardwood floor, rereading the promises he made, I just boo-hooed all over again.

Since I was in a sappy, sentimental mood, I pulled up itunes and listened to the audio version of our ceremony.  At times I had to strain to hear the words we were saying to one another because of the loud crying and major sniffling coming from our guests.

Sounded like a funeral. 

The sobbing was getting louder and louder the further we got with our vows. First, David's and then, mine. And for me, the most emotional moment came in the middle of my vows when I said, "David Cannon, I love you.  I have waited so long to say those words to you." [ As a teenager, I made a personal decision to wait until my wedding day to tell my husband that I loved him.  I wanted him to be the only man that I said those words to and I wanted him to know how serious they were to me.]

A lot people knew that, so as soon as I said those words, you could feel the emotional release of the moment.  Even in the audio you can hear people just LOSE it.

Hilary was my matron of honor.  Apparently--which we learned after the fact-- Hilary cried the whole time and had a abundance of tear/ snot mixture running down her face.  And because it was her role to hold both of our bouquets, she was left completely exposed for all to see.

After I told my husband that I loved him for the first time, her crying obviously got a little out of control because the officiating pastor actually INTERRUPTED MY VOWS with, "Could someone get Hilary a rag?"

The place erupted in laughter.

The whole thing just seemed appropriate for our wedding.

And I was reminded once again sitting in our living room, reliving that whole experience, just how incredibly fortunate we are.   God has shown me so much about His love for us through the way David loves me and our life that we have created together is filled with so much laughter.

I feel like we have been given so abundantly, and for that I am thankful.