I am just so overwhelmed. Overwhelmed with planning this wedding that is now in less than 6 days; overwhelmed with working two jobs and going to class; overwhelmed with what's happening with dad; but also overwhelmed with love. My fiance (who I have already started calling "hubby," judge me all you want) has been so sweet and helpful and amazing. Through all of this wedding craziness (deciding one week ago that I would move the wedding up to two weeks from then) my family- immediate and extended- has been amazing. My parents have been amazing, both to me and to each other. This whole "I'm about to be a wife and share my whole life with another person" thing changes a person. I think all this good and bad is happening all at once for a reason. Not only is the marriage bringing happiness so life's not completely all gloomy, but watching my parents now, and remember how they were when it was mom's turn, is really showing me how marriage should be "in sickness and in health."
When I was born I was jaundiced. The doctor's hooked me up to IV's and stuck me under an incubator, or whatever those are, but little did they know that it was not me, but my mother who was sick. You're welcome, Mom, for indicating the illness ;-) Anyway, very long story short, my mom had an illness called AutoImmune Hepatitis. Her liver was being rejected by her body. Her body eventually almost shut down completely when her sister, my Aunt Jeana, gave her part of her liver (because miraculously the liver grows back!) and my mom was saved. Here is where I interject about the power of prayer, since I have already previously stated about my faith in a Healing God.
Though I was still very young (her surgery was when I was only 12) I sort of knew what was going on. It was still not half as real as all this with Dad is. Not to me, anyway. Not that it wasn't big, but I was just so young. Anyway, lately I've been remembering how Dad stuck with Mom and how now Mom is sticking with Dad and I just know that Clayton and I would be like that, too. I just know it. So much so that I am tweaking my already written vows a bit to fit these latest realizations. I will post the vows after the wedding, which is this Saturday.
I guess my final words are to my parents:
Thanks, Mom and Dad, for your love for each other and for your children.
You have been an influence when you didn't even know it.
And to all the readers out there:
If and when you are married, and if and when you have children, I challenge
you, and myself, to be as my parents have been. There have been ups and downs
and many hard times where maybe it almost didn't work, I'm sure (I hear it happens
to the best of them), but they are still together and that's saying a lot.
