A lot of you have been asking why we are doing this! So, I am writing this to answer the many questions and also to document it as well.
So on our wedding day (one the happiest and most joyful days of my life) I forgot a small detail. In the moment it was not important to me but looking back I can't help but think about it. As silly as it is, I completely forgot to put on my slip under my dress! You know, that poofy thing that makes you look like a princess and makes your dress almost impossible to fit through doorways... yes that thing! I remembered it JUST before I was about to walk down the aisle. My family offered to stall but I was minutes away from marrying the love of my life... in that moment... I didn't care! Now looking back my dress didn't look as good in pictures and I tripped on it all.night.long! We also decided to get married in the fall... you know, cooler weather, pretty trees, great sunlight... so we chose September 1st! Well, being a native I should have known fall doesn't really start until the day BEFORE winter ha! It was so stinking hot we didn't spend nearly as much time taking photos outside and my hair fell out and make up was coming off... just simply too warm to stand outside wearing a full tux and wedding gown! Since it WAS practically summer still my hopes of wearing my hair all down in romantic curls changed into a cooler updo! My dear friend who did my hair for my wedding is doing my hair again for my shoot this weekend! And a new friend has offered to do my make up... I won't look orange and this time I know I will be able to see my eyelashes ;) She is a fantastic make up artist and I am so so blessed she is doing this with me!
The main reason why we are doing this is because of our recent life trial with David's health. As most of you know they removed a tumor from his thyroid last December. They weren't nearly as confident in their benign diagnosis as they were from the needle biopsy, and they left part of his thyroid in. The tumor was sent for multiple biopsies all over the country since is was coming back more gray instead of a clear assured diagnosis. Thank goodness they removed the tumor early on. After all the testing they predicted the cells were on their way to becoming malignant and could have definitely spread if we had dismissed it! In hindsight removing only part of his thyroid has prevented David from having to be on supplements but it has also left a wide open door for cancer cells form or spread and another tumor to grow! He will have tests every couple of months to check the remaining thyroid!
Since removing the tumor David sleeps better and so do I. It was blocking some of his airway and had pushed his trachea to the side causing shortness or breath and terrible snorning at night so niether one of us would feel rested in the mornings. It also messed with his hormones and caused some emotional rollercoasters for us all... poor guy! Now, he is a whole new person, with lots of energy, and just all around a happier hubby and daddy! He has a whole new lease on life and he is loving it!
Jess (whom I mentioned above) spent countless hours crying with me, praying with me and helping to distract me by planning this fabulous romantic photoshoot! In that scary time when we didn't have answers or biopsy results and while my mind constantly danced upon the thought of raising my children alone ... I frequently dwelled on the thought that my husband might not be here forever with me. You see, I have a problem. I am one of those wives who is sickingly attached to her man. Thank goodness we got pregnant early on in marriage haha otherwise, I am sure I would have smothered the poor man! I followed him around the house just so I could be in his pressence, I wanted to spend every night in his arms, holding hands and kissing him. When we first found David's tumor God really challenged me with questioning who I really put my TRUST and HOPE in. I always felt David was my everything, my confidante, my ROCK. Well, when your rock NEEDS a rock it becomes evident just how much MORE you need God! My relationship with my heavenly father turned from loving Him to NEEDING him just to breathe. My prayer life transformed from thankfulness and random prayer requests to constant conversations with my Jesus begging him to spare our family and asking for strength that I was very much lacking. I know David was not on his death bed but any time the word "Cancer" is mentioned your whole world seems to come crashing down. You start living life to the fullest every.single.day! Instead of thinking and dreaming of things you do them... like pitching a tent in your family room just because you think it would be fun! (A great memory)
Well, these photos will not only be a reminder of the limitless love God has demonsrated in our marriage, they will also remind us of the HUGE transformation I went through to deepen my realationship with God. They will remind us of God's EVER PERFECT healing and protection. And will remind us of His soverignty, for allowing this day to even happen.
David has more testing next month and we are VERY much anticipating GREAT results! We can't wait to party and shout to the world that is will be cancer free!!! Until then we will continue to trust God for healing and protection ... He has already done it once... at this point I have no reason NOT to trust Him :)
Thank you for coming alongside our family and praying for us! We have been so incredible blessed with amazing friends and selfless family! We can't wait to share this time of REJOICING with you through pictures!
With love and joy, Mandi
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