I am often reminded of a talk that Cam and I had in my parents' basement laundry room. We were newly engaged, and even doing laundry together seemed romantic. I don't remember how he started the conversation, but I so clearly remember him leaning on the dryer, while I sat on the counter across from him. He told me that life had never gone smoothly for him and that he knew that it never would. This annoyed me. I tried to interrupt and explain that things always get better. He gently told me that while he knew that we could be happy; it would be because we got better at dealing with the trials, not because they would go away. In fact, he knew that trials would mount and increase in intensity. There were things that he felt called to do in this life that would be overwhelming and different than the things anybody we knew were facing. Some would be trials, some would be choices, some would be both. 

  Over the course of our marriage I have seen the very beginnings of some of these things. Certainly, we have seen trials. We've also seen such great happiness and found the peace that comes from knowing that as a family and especially as a couple, you are aligning your will with that of the Lord.

  I love to look at the lessons we've learned. I love to look at the small and big ways that we have changed. Our desires have been shaped throughout the last few years. I want things that I never dreamed of wanting, and things that seemed important to me before are not anymore. I am so satisfied with every one of these changes-perhaps more because I know a bit about what the cost was to shape me. I can continually see the hand of the Lord guiding us and preparing us. I don't know what it is for, but I am excited to find out.