Teenagers?

"Oh, you're too young to be getting married!" "Why do you want to end your life so soon?" "But you have your whole life ahead of you!" These were the sorts of comments I got when my friends & family found out I was getting married this past August. While none of my immediate family or close friends was inclined to think I was missing out on some great opportunity by wedding my best friend at the age of 21, it was still hard to hear... especially after the 30th time or so. Our pastor's wife, Christy King, said something in telling Ryan & I their own "falling in love" story, many moons ago at Josh & Amanda's wedding (last July!) that stuck with me, and helped offset all the disparagements. "It was such a blessing to spend our 20s together; we grew so much as people, and it was wonderful to grow together, as a couple through it." I remembered that, said so "in passing" and have already found it to be true. Who better to grow with than with my best friend and the one I both love and am in love with? Who better to help me, hold me, encourange and challenge me than the one who pursued my heart in the first place? And who would I rather go on adventures with, say to Barcelona or the Biltmore, or downtown Louisville?? (I wonder- did people think marriage would HINDER my travels?) There's no one I know with a better imagination and creative will to make it happen. Together, we're unstoppable!! :)

Seriously, though-- I'm not condoning rash marriages or ill-advised unions arising out of infatuations, flings, desires to cover past sin, or merely to slake lust. But Scripture does speak glowingly of the joy of the companionship of "the wife of one's youth" and I am so thankful to be that to this man who has given me his name. I love you, Mr. Ryan Szrama! :D

Ryan & I at the Old Louisville Coffee Shop, which was HOPPING during the St. James Art Fair. This is where my blogspot blog started-- free wireless in this little joint right behind Ashlea's & my old place. We were walking around the art fair, enjoying the booths and each other, holding hands and laughing and marveling at how hot October in Louisville can be... and I realized just how young we looked -- like two teenagers in love. :)

Our neighbors, the Carnifax-Needlers, whom we came to support. He's becoming quite the local folk artist. Sweet Christian couple-- and ("Mrs. Debbie") Ryan's high school FCA coach! Who knew he'd move in with his new bride across the street from them??

Me slurpin' the last of our shared Frozen Mint Mocha... this is what's great about being young & married: you still get to wink at each other over a shared coffee drink and then go read Tolkien in the park, baseball cap and all. Ok... so we plan on doing that when we're no longer young...

Continuing on the "Adventures of the Young and Married" theme: Ryan & I were given a rather diseased-looking... cactus?... by our neighbors. Until one of us has the time to adequately disinfect said organism, it resides happily enough on our back porch.