Beautiful

Hello Everyone!

The wedding is drawing nearer by the day (duh Josh) and Brooke and I are getting excited about being married in less than 5 months! So far it has flown by, and I'm sure the coming months will not slow down. Brooke is doing a wonderful job with wedding planning and I am contributing as I am needed (I mean made).

Brooke and I have known in our hearts from pretty much the time we started dating that God has put us together and that we are meant to be together for the rest of our lives. As is expected, some people don't understand or see why we would want to get married at such a young age. Brooke and I both have had several people try to talk us out of getting married. Even though it is always people that don't know us very well and haven't been around us, it is something that bothers both of us when it happens. We have both heard, "why don't you just want to hang out after college" or "you are making a decision that affects the rest of your life, why don't you just take some more time to think about it" or "your life is over after you get married"(get that one a lot) etc, etc... pretty much saying that we are stupid for getting married. Although it is in a joking manner most of the time, I can also sense that they truly mean it and given their history it is for good reason. I know they are trying to spare us from the pain that they have experienced with marriage.

I never have doubted whether I want to get married to Brooke, but these "talks" people have had with me have made me think of why I want to spend the rest of my life with Brooke.

• Brooke is more important to me than being "free" and actually she has always made me feel free when I'm around her. I can truly be myself with her.
• She makes me happier than any other person or event could ever come close to.
• She makes me a better man by just being around her. She sharpens me and encourages me every day.
• She is going to be the greatest companion through life that I could ever ask for. I look forward to sharing the ups and downs of life with her. She makes me laugh multiple times a day without trying.
• She meets every need and then some that I have for my future wife. That is what really shocked me when we started dating. I realized needs that I never knew I had because she was able to meet them.
• Brooke loves me with her whole heart. She holds nothing back from me and that is a huge blessings and one of those needs that I had.
• One of the reasons I knew we were right for each other is that it just feels right when we are together. My love for her just flows out of me, I don't really have to try. I don't have to pretend to be anyone else but myself when I'm around her. She loves me for who I am, not for who I could be. (Not that it is easy all the time...which leads to the next reason)
• She doesn't give up. You all probably know that Brooke is pretty hard headed. Although, this sometimes can be frustrating it is actually a huge blessing. She doesn't just quit when things are tough in our relationship, we persevere together. We have had some rough times in our relationship and because we trust in God's will and put our hard heads to work we always make it through.
• Lastly, she is the most beautiful person in the world, inside and out. Why would I want to waste time doing other things when I could start an adventure through life with such an amazing person? I remember when I first started hanging out and "talking" to Brooke the only word I could use to describe her was Beautiful.

Obviously, this is not the complete list of the reasons why I want to marry Brooke, but I thought I would share just some of the reasons she is so special to me. I love her with every single part of my heart and how could I not?

"A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life." - Proverbs 31:10-12