Savored Steps

From the beginning of our lives, we each have been taking steps to get us where we are today. Some have taken smaller steps, while others went for an enormous leap. And at some point in our lives, we probably did both. My goal is to appreciate each and every step I have taken thus far and savor the many more that are to come.

My goal for my blog is to capture the next steps of my life story. In high school and college, I documented practically everything and all the girls knew they could count on me to have a camera nearby. As life's pace begins to pick up, I find myself documenting life's happenings less and wishing after the fact that I had snapped that picture. Blogging will hopefully diminish those after thoughts and give Jared and I a new way to savor each step of our lives together.

Jared and I have been beyond blessed with supporting family and friends. We have a saying in our house that says, "May our house be too small to hold all our friends." This is exactly how I feel!

Here is our story:

Thank you, Lord, for sand volleyball. Our story begins on a sand volleyball court, but I didn't realize it that night. Nor did I realize it for a while. Jared was with one of his best friends, Brian Alderson, and we were at the Armes' for the traditional Sunday night show down in sand volleyball. To be honest, I didn't even notice Jared. But still to my amazement, he noticed me. I went into our first date, thinking and believing that this would be the ONLY date. WOW...was I wrong. Our date was nice. No, he didn't fly us to New York or have fireworks set off for me that night, but I felt a connection that I hadn't felt in a long while. I longed to learn more about him. At the end of the night, he make the comment if I wanted to ever hang out again to just give him a call. I thought, "Okay, God, that is your way of saying you are in the clear. Shaya, he doesn't want anything more and going into tonight, you didn't either. Let it be." So, I did.

That was Tuesday, August 19, 2003. On Friday, he surprised me with flowers with the hopes of another date. The surprising part of this story was that he asked my mom to deliver them to me. Mind you, this is how Jared introduced himself to my mom. He went to Mom's workplace, introduced himself, and asked if she would be kind enough to deliver these. He's a smart one; he had her instantly won over. Needless to say, with every additional minute spent together, every small step we took together, he was winning me over.

By the end of November that year, I knew he was the one I desired to spend my life with, take the next huge step beside. God as a way, a humorous way, of teaching us life lessons. God taught me patience. August 19, 2003=the year we started dating, April 1, 2006=the year we got engaged, and June 23, 2007=the year we were united in marriage.

During those years, I finished college earning my bachelor's degree in elementary education, moved back home from Evansville, was a bridesmaid for at least seven of my friends at this point, and was enjoying every step of the way. Mom has always told me not to wish my life away. This is one of my new year's resolutions. Enjoy this step, this season ,of my life.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.

So, fellow bloggers and readers: I want to savor this season of my life: my first years of marriage, my twenties, the beginning of a life long career, becoming an aunt, learning about investments, insurance, and the other hundred million things adults have to try to understand.

I do not want to look back and say, "I wish I had written that down or captured that picture."

Here's to the beginning of the Smiths' Savored Steps!