Celebrating 20 Years Today!

Yep... it's been 20 years.
Crazy, I know.

                      

 Seems fitting that we would be under a Winter Storm Warning today.
Our wedding took place in the midst of what felt like the 'Blizzard of 93'.


I remember standing downstairs a half an hour before the wedding was about to start, and asking my sister-in-law if anyone was even up there... it had been snowing since the night before.  She laughed and told me they were having to set up chairs in the very back.  I'm thinking people knew we all had something to celebrate that evening!

After all, I was marrying THE KEVIN SHOCK... #9 on the DHS football and baseball teams.  The kid had stolen my heart a few years back, and I honestly couldn't believe that we were actually getting married!



Not that it was all roses... you can read about our story here.

It's just that God had a plan to lavishly shed His grace on us.
Kev and I know to this day how undeserving we were/are of His love for us.

Our marriage has in no way been perfect.
If you know us at all, you know we can fight with the best of them.

Here's the thing though, we just know that we are in this together.
We are a team.
We function best as a couple when we remember this.
                                                             


This life isn't easy.

These past couple of years have NOT been easy.
We have walked through more death than ever before.
I have shed so many tears... and my husband has held me through most of them.
His sweet smile and awesome bear hugs have been just what the doctor ordered.


In the midst of the pain though... we have had some pretty special times this past year.

We took our first ever family mission trip to Haiti.
Kev lost his luggage and didn't have it the entire time...
The man did not complain once!
Can you even imagine if that would have been me????
I shudder to think about it.


















We went on a cruise.

Had a great time.
My husband is a whole lot of fun.
He even busted out a couple of songs in the piano bar.
Love him.





















And we just added the 9th member to the 'Shock Nation'.
Little Livia Ann Good.
Everyone says she looks just like her Uncle Lance.
The Shock genes are strong, I tell ya :)!

















So tonight, we will go out for dinner.
We will talk about the last 20 years...
God's faithfulness to us through the good times and the bad.
Kevin will point me to Jesus in it all.

And... We will dream about what God has for us in the next 20 years.


















Then.... we will come home and watch OSU beat Indiana.
Cuz that's what we do.
We are a team.
And I love it.


















I love you Kevin Charles Shock.
Thanks for marrying me 20 years ago!














Comments

Leslie said…
God is so good. We are blessed to help celebrate with you your 20 years of marriage. Thank you for your example to us and to our boys. Keep looking up and I have every confidence that you will be blessed with another 20 years.
Congrats and Love,
Steve & Leslie
March 5, 2013 at 2:44 PM
Amy said…
I still have a few hours left to say "thanks." Thanks for your example, as Leslie said. Through "better & worse", Billy & I have been able to watch you & Kevin let Jesus be more than enough for both of you....we have been pointed to the ONE who can satisfy our deepest needs, not our spouse, but Jesus! Thankful that you guys know how to wrestle problems, chew on the deep things of God, & just enjoy being together. We are 8 years shy of your 20 and I pray that we can say the same when we arrive at 2 decades together!
March 5, 2013 at 10:19 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Homesick

Ahhh...  Quincy (my precious nephew that I babysit) is napping, kids have finished school, dishwasher is running... I have a free minute! I'm thinking that since I have stumbled upon Ann's blog aholyexperience.com ,  I have somehow been intimidated by her beautiful writing and my brain has been in a fog when it comes to blogging.  Realizing just how completely ridiculous (and sinful!) it is to even compare myself with her... I am back... just being who God has made me to be :). Things are going well with my parents.  I will have to post some pictures when I get another minute... their bedroom is just a little slice of 1123 Schultz St... it's perfect for them. I have to tell you though, that my Dad keeps saying he wants to "go home"....  When we start to respond, he says "I know, you are going to tell me I live here now, but I still want to go home".  It is really hard for me to hear that and not take it personally... and to know that it isn't g
Read more

Celebrating Today

17 years ago today, I sat in a cold dark hospital room recovering from an emergency c-section just a few hours prior... and wondering if our precious little Andrew was going to live or die.  He had been sent off to Toledo Hospital (an hour away) after delivery.  Dr. Matthew came in and gave us the news that our newborn son either had a broken blood vessel or an aneurysm on his brain. My memories of that hospital stay are awful at best.  Let me first say, that I was not walking close to God at that time. I that point, I was simply praying to Him that He would save my son... I knew nothing of the Peace that He had to offer. I felt so alone.  Kev was in Toledo with Drew (where I wanted him to be), and I was in pain!  The hospital was short staffed, so I remember having my breakfast, lunch and dinner trays all piled up in the corner of the room.  I just stared at Katie Couric on The Today Show.  Relief was nowhere to be found. By the way... c-sections are really painful! It ended u
Read more

The Touch Tree

The touch tree. Who I am. Everything God has made me to be. All my experiences? They are the soil.  My past, all mixed in together. The good and the bad. The hardest moments. The most glorious times. All working together for good. All growing me into me. Producing a tree that gives fruit. That needs to be watered. Rained on. In order to bring life. To flourish. These hard memories. The brokenness. The tears. They aren’t for nothing. The hope that springs up from the ground. The love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and self control. It all comes from the depths of the Earth. Rooted in Jesus. My weaknesses and hardships. My times of weeping and pain. Grow me up to be a strong, steady, place of refuge. Learning today to be grateful for the soil of my life. Thank you @glennondoyle for the beautiful illustration.  I want this to sink deep down into my soul.
Read more