Married folk

So, I decided to skip my last college class last Thursday...out of convenience...which leave only two finals left for my college career. American Sign Language test tomorrow at 4 and then a three page paper for my English elective. After being an English major for 4 years a three pager feels like a 25 point biology scantron from sophomore year of high school: breezy.

It was an interesting weekend. As I head into this new season of life, I am realizing that there is a very big part of it that I might not be ready for...people getting married, people MY AGE getting married. I have mixed reactions about this. On one hand it costs a pretty penny to have friends who get married, especially if wedding shower is a part of the deal. I have yet to experience the whole wedding party scenario that involves a dress, shoes, bachelorette party and so on, but I imagine this makes it even more expensive.

On the other hand, weddings involve such a slew of emotions. There is so much community excitement that the room feels like it is marinating in smiles. How could you not be happy? Plus all of the sentimental-ness that creates tears and an environment conducive to blossoming relationships aka wedding-meets.

Yesterday I got to go to my friend Khandice's wedding shower. She gets married in July, and straight after I went to see my friend Lauren get married here in Cincinnati. I know both of these women from YoungLife and they were both so wonderful to watch as they relished in their special days. I laughed and laughed at Khandice's shower, and shared in the ooh's and aah's as we watched her fiance's video message to the group. I just watched in wonder as Lauren and Brad were married, shedding my fair share of tears during the maid of honor speech and father daughter dance. This was just too emotional a day, especially for me, but I loved every minute of it. Even the slow dance when I slowly trickled back into the dining room with all of the high school kids in attendance.

Charles, the infamous guest blogger, was in rare form on the dance floor. He was a special guest of the mother of the bride to be in the can-can line for Abba's Dancing Queen. The music was funny and perfect, and hearing Brad serenade Lauren to Josh Turner's "Your Man" after stripping her of her garter was pricesless. Make sure you listen to this song. I sweated enough for a girls softball team and came away with only one burning hot coal that landed on my head during the giant sparkler exit by the couple.

But, seeing my beautiful friends in these special stages of their lives inevitably brings those dreaded longings into my head that I am so good at fending off. I pray that the Lord has a husband in my future, and I feel confident that I was not created to be a single girl for life, but it is not 100% easy to always wait and be patient. HOLD UP, WAIT A MINUTE. I am by no means saying that I want to get married, that I am in some sort of hurry, but I sometimes have a teensy weensy inkling for an itty bitty moment that gives me a taste of what that man will be like. I so admired how evident the love was between Khandice and Brian and Lauren and Brad. It was almost intrinsic in seeing them that this love stemmed from their individual love for Christ. How POWERFUL this love is...exponential.

For now. I'll sit on that...or this:

Another thing that put these little hankerings for a Christ-lovin' male in my life (this just sounded funny...I am also not DYING for a boyfriend) was going to the Mariemont Junior High play on Friday night. Adam, one of the boys I babysit for, was in Tom Sawyer. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly and pathetically I can turn into a High School Musical-loving-Zac Efron-worshipping preteen when I see two people kiss in person, particularly onstage. In this play, two 8th graders kissed...TWICE, and I had a front row seat. Clearly I was surprised that they let 8th graders kiss, but the surprise just made me giggle that much more and hit Audrey, the 10 year old girl that I babysit for, in the shoulder over and over trying to quietly release my disbelief. I am so immature.