A three month honeymoon.

Copenhagen, Denmark

I read those Confessions of a Shopaholic books, and I remember in the one where they get married, they take a year-long honeymoon. I remember thinking, "That is the most amazing thing in the world! Also, the most unlikely." Kind of like her 500 designer handbags, that was one more thing that Becky Bloomwood and I would never have in common. Sigh.


Copenhagen, Denmark

Fast forward to my own wedding. Daniel and I thought we might only get a weekend for our honeymoon. My dad chuckled at my forlorn expression and explained his own honeymoon lasted only a day, as he had to be back to work Monday morning. When Daniel's job changed, and we found out that we would have a whole week, we were both ecstatic, and our honeymoon turned out to be an amazing trip.



Paris, France

Then, nearly a year later, we had the opportunity to go to Europe. Everything fell into place, and we began to get really excited. This would be the honeymoon I had always dreamed of.

Paris, France (on top of the Eiffel Tower!)

I remember when we were in high school on the verge of falling madly in love with one another, us girls talked Daniel into playing a MASH game. He chose me for his wife **BLUSH** and Paris for his honeymoon destination. Well, right then and there I knew we were meant to be.


Paris, France

So we prepped and planned for our exciting European adventure. We both giggled as we splurged a little extra for our hotel in Paris. It was a magnificent place. One of the quaintest, most gorgeous hotels I had ever seen, and we were going there!



Paris, France

The week before was full of madness. I packed and laundered nearly every article of clothing I owned. I was making sure we were fully prepared for this trip. Nothing could have prepared me for the call I would receive that sunny July morning.



Paris, France

"They told me to leave. They told us all to leave. The minute we got here, they said 'Pack up your desk, and go home." Daniel's voice was too calm. If things bother or annoy him, he gets short and a little miffed. If he's calm, it can only mean one thing; its really bad.

London, England

How can someone tell you just like that that you don't have a job any more? Don't they care that your life depends on it? I have never been so angry with something so intangible. I was mad at "them" whoever they were. Daniel tried to calm me down, as I sat there on my bed, sobbing. The insecurities tapping on my shoulder. Only a few months before I had blogged about how God took away Daniel's teller job, to provide something better. Why would he now take away the "something better"?

London, England

Slowly, through my husbands amazing attitude toward the situation, and my own slow acceptance of reality and trust in God. I came to the conclusion, that I wanted to find the purpose, big or small.

London, England

After some debate, Daniel and I decided to continue forward with our Europe trip, and God blessed our trust in him. Upon our return from that trip, Daniel found out that he had had made in commission enough to cover our Europe expenses.

Luton, England

The timing of his job loss couldn't have been more perfect. What seemed to us like horrible timing, turned out to be the best that could have been. Because we had not yet gone on our trip, Daniel was paid for the vacation time that he didn't use. Also, I had just quit one of my jobs, and my other one had moved away. So I was jobless too. "Wait, Emily, you were both jobless? How could that be a good thing?" Oh you darn naysayers! That's what I thought too, until I realized that we had been given a precious gift.

Cue the three month honeymoon.



England

They say that the first year of marriage is the most difficult, and while ours was fairly easy, we still had our share of ups and downs. I think that a year after marriage is the absolute perfect time to take another honeymoon. It is very helpful to stop and regroup. What are we doing? Why are we doing it? Do we still believe all of those things that we vowed to one another?

Dunstable Downs, England

At this point you know a heck of a lot more about what marriage is really like. What does "For better or worse" actually mean? More important yet, what does "Love, Honor, Cherish" mean? Those are some big words for two really giggly insanely in love people, who can barely see straight, to promise to each other for always.



Greenville, Mississippi, US.

So we took our accidental three month honeymoon. We traveled a lot, we saw some exciting stuff, we (I) took lots of pictures, we laughed a lot, we messed up a lot, we got back up on our feet, we relearned forgiveness, we remembered younger days, and most importantly we were just together.



Greenville, Mississippi

I remember when it hit me. A huge culmination of something that had been brewing since moment #1 of meeting this special man in my life. I was staying at a semi-janky Comfort Inn in Pensacola Florida (the city, not the beach...hence the janky) while they got our condo ready for the next day. Daniel and I were swimming in the pool that probably would have fit in our Apartment-sized living room. We were racing and I was losing, as I always do, and he appreciates very much. We were laughing super hard at our own silliness.

Perdido Key, Florida

A janky pool in the middle of the city. I looked at him choking back tears and I said, "You know what I love about you? We can be on top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, a beach in Jamaica, or a tiny pool with rust around the edges at a Comfort Inn...and I can thoroughly enjoy myself in each situation. There is only one common denominator, and that's you."

His reply?

"You should blog that."

::rolls eyes::

That was the beginning of the realization of why. I had wanted an answer so badly, and now I had it. The reason that this was happening to us. It was to aid us in evaluating our relationship.



Foley, Alabama

Evaluations are not all sunshine and roses. They look at both sides of the story. There is lots to look at and say, "Wow that's great!" and there are a lot of things that make you sad, angry, and downright disappointed in yourself. How could we have gone a whole year, and just now some of these things are coming to light?



Perdido Key, Florida

We worked through a lot. It was not necessarily my plan to do a self-inventory and then self-counsel our marriage back to where it needed to be, but that's what happened. Through various books, sermons, and long-talks, we have really come an insanely long way.

I didn't think I was that far off course, but sometimes you don't know where you were, till you get where you are going. ...or something like that...



Perdido Key, Florida

 I felt the need to share about the personal aspect of our relationship through what has been a transitional time for both of us. We have both sorely missed our jobs, and we have found solace in Christ and in one another.

For the first time since we have been married, we do a consistent devotional time together. We also share things; spiritual things with one another. He is learning not to be afraid to tell me areas that he is struggling, and that is because I am learning not to judge or harbor bitterness. We are a team.



Perdido Key, Florida

 

What seemed to us like horrible timing turned out to be the best timing of all. :) Daniel was paid up through September so this is really the first month that we have even felt the sting financially, and even now God is good and he provides.

Thank you all who have kept both of us in your prayers, and please don't stop. We are still adjusting to new jobs, new schedules and new faces. Daniel is trying to seek Gods will and discover if this is what God really wants for him. I am trying to discern whether to finish school, find a job, or stay home and just attend to daily stuff. Life is full of questions, but we are confident in the one who has the answers.


Perdido Key, Florida

So I write all of this to say; I am thankful. I am thankful for the timing of all of this. I am thankful for the glorious hours upon hours that I have been able to spend with my husband (more than ever in the history of our relationship!) and I am thankful to be able to see God's gracious hand throughout this time, confirming once again what I already knew; "'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the Lord." Is. 55:8.