Memphis . . . . Back Where WE started

This past October Marty and I had the chance to revisit Memphis TN where we lived for several years after we were first married.  Marty and I married July 29, 2000, honeymooned in Sedona, AZ, came back to WV, packed everything we owned and headed to Memphis to start our life together.  We had been together seven years but we had no idea what it took to make a marriage work.  Those seven years we did our own thing.  In fact for part of it we dated long distance. Marty in Morgantown, me in Harrisonburg, VA. Marty in Memphis, me in Harrisonburg, VA, Marty in Memphis, me in Salisbury, NC.  Now we were sharing space in a tiny apartment in a big city.  We were sharing finances (which we both handled vastly differently).  We were sharing life, and we had really no idea how to share at all! 

I have to say, that being together, all on our own, away from our families (twelve hours!) was a great way for us to start our life.  It caused us to depend on one another in ways which we wouldn't have otherwise.  There was another wonderful thing that happened while we were in Memphis which I will be eternally grateful for for the rest of my life.  It has made our marriage what it is today.  Twenty years after I met Marty, I am more in love with Marty than I ever have been.  He makes my life so rich, and full.  We have had our share of struggles and ups/downs, but I can't have imagined the depth of our relationship that we have now in my wildest of imaginations. 

What was this wonderful thing?  A mentor. 

Marty has a wonderful family and wonderful parents.  However, since they divorced while he was so small, there was no one to model for him how to be a husband.  He has wonderful values, all given to him from his great parents.  But being a husband is hard, and being a godly husband is even harder. 

Marty's first year in optometry school he had the opportunity to join a Men's Bible Study.  The teacher was an orthodontist who had been gathering a group of men from the optometry school for years now.  His goal was to "disciple" them the entire four years they were in optometry school.  Marty's friend Blake asked him to do it.  For reasons I don't know and Marty doesn't really know, he joined.  He was newly saved but not really growing all that much spiritually.  Once a week, Marty would go to this orthodontist's house with around ten or so guys.  The orthodontist, David, would study with the men through a series called "Milk to Meat" and his wife would cook them a homecooked meal, complete with a fabulous dessert.  In fact she had all the guys write down their favorite dessert and she made it for them for their birthdays. 

The more Marty studied with David, the more I saw him change.  The more the Lord changed him, and changed our relationship.  David taught him how to follow Christ, how to make Him the center, how to love me, and most importantly how to lead His family to follow Christ.

This man is so dear to Marty.  I can't even tell you without sobbing how much he and his wife have meant to us. They were friends to us when our family was so far away.  And I can't even begin to tell you how much this man has served the Lord . . . . how many men he has discipled along the way, throughout his life. 

When we went back this year, we had an opportunity to sit down to dinner with David and his wife Donna, our friends, and each other and fellowship like old times. The whole time I kept looking at David and thinking . . . . I need to tell him what a hot mess of a marriage we would have had without him, how he has eternally impacted my life, and what a great gift of a wonderful spouse he has given me.  I was a teary mess the whole night.  So happy, so grateful, and so blessed.

This is a picture of David and Donna.

Here is a picture of some of Marty's optometry buddies and their wives.  Blake's wife Sarah, Blake, Louis, Chris (Marty's roommate) and Amber, Chris's wife.

Here Marty and I are at his 10 year reception. 

 

We finally got to stay at the Peabody. We could never afford to stay there while we lived in Memphis.  LOL!

The mighty Mississippi! Amber and I took a walk along the river one morning. It was gorgeous! I will always love the city of Memphis. There is so much I miss about it. I love the southern hospitality. I love the BBQ!  I love that Marty and I have memories there that only we will share.

 

This year, Marty and I were married thirteen years but we have been together twenty years. Two decades---unbelievable!We for sure don't have it all figured out. We have experienced our valleys and our mountain peaks. We will for sure have struggles in the future.  But I have to say . . . . it sure feels sweet this year.