Hitting the Fork in the Road

So I'm a day late and dollar short (thanks for the phrase, Kathleen!), and thus my happy anniversary post to my husband…a day late.

And I was not a dollar short, but quarantined to my home this week, so not even a card was exchanged.

However, we enjoyed a lovely time yesterday at my cousin's beautiful wedding, and dined on my uncle's dime, so Joe was off the hook for dinner! Thanks, Uncle Jeff!!

Us, August 2, 2014

While the same exact date, eleven years ago, Joe and I were truly quite different people, in different places (geographically and career wise), and had the whole rest of our lives ahead of us. Watchingmy cousin and her new husband (who are the sweet, tender age of 23 and 24…was I EVER that young???), exchange their vows and enjoy the night, I couldn't help but replay our night, eleven years ago. Dancing, good food, good friends, a beautiful ceremony (despite a little hail…yes, HAIL), but where we were in that moment is what got to me.

And us, August 2, 2003

Joe was poised to be a force in ag education and training. I was teaching, but was ready to start my first semester in an educational administration program, tracking me to be a principal in five years. We traveled; we ate out; we even had a pool in our backyard.

Seriously.

A pool. And a principal? Who the heck did I think I was? Grad school was college without the fun. And a pool. Honestly...

Anyway, looking at Joe and me eleven years ago and comparing us to who we are today would be unfair. Life has thrown us curve balls, has changed our paths, has exhausted and excited us. In our eleven years, we started with a plan, but that's okay. However, this year has caused us to look at each other and feel a day late, and a dollar short (sometimes literally). Our life plan has changed. Our life path has hit a fork, and we are standing at this crossroads, hand in hand, but looking at it in bewilderment.

This has been a hard year, one for the books, actually. But the thing is, when you're with someone who you know has your best interest and your love in the forefront of his decisions, even if you're not on the same page with all the time…maybe not even in the same book, for that matter, you can face that fork and forge through together.

Joe and I covet your prayers. Our marriage is strong, but with trials come stress, with change comes consternation, with great big scary life altering events come big fat hairy exciting blessings.

It's been an interesting and unpredictable eleven years, Joe Webel…and we're planners! In fact, right after we got engaged, we told my parents, we shared with friends, and then scheduled an appointment with the financial advisor. Such a romantic…

So, in spite of our stress, in spite of our exhausting and overwhelmingly full household, here's to many, many more forks in the road. Let's keep plugging away, surviving, thriving and planning only to have our plans laughed at, but let's keep doing it together.

I love you, Farmer Joe.