05/06/11

Some of my former students have been getting married.

This is a bit odd for me as I feel as if I just taught them last year. They are now in their early 20's and beginning their lives with their new husband/wife.

It has brought back a lot of memories of what I thought and felt 18 years ago. It has shown me how much I have grown in my marriage and how much differently I thought then and now. That is a part of the marriage process, which these young women and men will find out the longer they are married, too.

I am enjoying reading about the first meals, excitement of finally being married, and their hopes and dreams. I remember all of those.... the first meals for us were more of a nightmare. :) I can remember feeling so weird when I would call Steve my "husband." I can reflect on a lot of hopes and dreams that came to pass, while others are still just that.... dreams. I can also see how the Lord directed our marriage path to take on a whole new path than what I had always thought when getting married.

That is what marriage is all about. It is the learning, growing, mistake-making, hard times but LOVING through it all road of marriage. Marriage definitely takes work EVERY day. I am so blessed and thankful for the marriage I have been given.

Having said all of that, I have the joy and privilege of photographing two weddings this year. I am photographing a fellow teacher's wedding in June (the one I had posted engagement pictures of a while back).

I am also photographing the wedding of one of my former students, Renee, in October. It touched my heart that she liked my work enough to want me to capture her big day. She and her mom came over on Monday and we began talking about what she wanted. I want to capture every detail I can for her. That special day goes by SO fast. I felt like we blinked and ours was over.

If you get a chance, go to Renee's blog. She was a joy to teach many years ago, and a joy to watch as she is maturing into the woman God wants her to be. I am excited to have a part in her new life with her sweet guy.

Here is another blog of one of my former students who got married in March. Her name is Ashley and she has exciting excerpts from her newly married life. :)

I still can't get over that I have been teaching long enough to have former students getting married. Yes, I feel old. :)