Our Greatest Adventure

Here is some insight into our relationship and the meaning behind the name of this blog.

The name comes from what I (Anna) felt like God spoke over our relationship from the beginning.

 I had grown up near a military base and after having friends come and go all throughout childhood, I decided I did not want to marry anyone in the military. I did not want to raise a family in that culture, I prefer to be settled and really build a deep community.

Fast forward to my senior year of college and Gabe. 

When we first became friends, and even at the beginning of our relationship Gabe was applying to be in a program through the military. It was an extremely competitive program and not everyone made it through the interview process. 

From the beginning I never doubted that Gabe wouldn't make the cut. 

Gabe has a drive like I have not seen in anyone else. He gives his all 100% of the time and never puts anything less than his best foot forward. He had also prayed about this job and felt like God said to go for it. Once I had wrapped my mind around the fact that Gabe was going to get in, I needed to pray and think about that rule I had set up for myself back when I was a child.

Was this guy worth breaking that rule for? Was our relationship meant to be? Or were we just supposed to be friends?

Well, after a couple of weeks [one of those being a retreat for my discipleship school that gave me plenty of reflection time] of praying and thinking about it all, I felt like God said to continue to pursue this relationship. 

I felt like he said if I follow him within this relationship it will be my greatest adventure yet. 

I decided I needed to tell Gabe that I was in this relationship for as long as God determined. So I did...and at that point we had only been dating for a month. Wow. Commitment. The day I decided to tell Gabe I was in this relationship no matter what his future would look like was the day before one of his biggest interviews. If he passed this phase he was going to DC for the final phase of the interview process. Well y'all he made it. Of course he did. Gabe was sworn in in DC, he was in this thing, no turning back now. 

I was excited for Gabe, Gabe was excited; we were headed on an adventure. 

Gabe finished up his senior year and almost immediately headed off to become an officer. This was the first time we would be apart for months. It was hard. By this point in our relationship we pretty much knew we wanted to get married. After living in the same town for our first year together to being thousands of miles apart, we were welcomed into life as a military couple. And I wasn't a fan. 

I needed encouragement and courage from God to truly realize that this relationship was worth the hardship. It was more than worth it. 

Things got easier, not easy, as time went on. We started to learn how to capitalize on different types of communication, and even quick weekends together. Now in no way are we perfect and have everything figured out, but we are getting better at this whole military thing. 

Then December 22nd happened and somehow things got harder and so much better at the same time. 

Gabe surprised me in Waco, and took me on my favorite date yet. We went to campus, and then the suspension bridge where he put the most gorgeous ring on my finger. Saying yes to him was one of the easiest things I've done. 

Knowing we were getting married made things harder and easier, and so exciting! 

7.11.15 couldn't come fast enough. Planning a wedding while living in a different city and while your fiancé lives in a different state is hard. But thanks to my incredible mom things are happening and getting checked off our list! 

We are so close to the next chapter in our greatest adventure!

Stay tuned for updates and stories for our life as a married couple...