A Butterfly Year

We've been married one year yesterday.

WAWHOO!!! One down, somewhere between 49 and 74 more years to go!! :-) Now, for all you anti-romantics out there, don't go sipping that haterade too early... This isn't gonna be a gushy, mushy, so-sticky-sweet-that-it-seeps-through-your-screen-and-ruins-your-computer post about how much I love my beloved Brandon and how lucky I am to have him in my life (although I do and I am!)

Instead its going to be almost practical. (Or at least that is what I am shooting for.)

Marriage is... interesting. For all of my married friends, you can probably attest to that. For my single readers, buckle up. You are in for an adventure!

My present to my beloved... Not to fry
turkeys... but to boil his malt & hops
for his home brew. Apparently, its a
new Knobloch hobby. 

As I was reflecting on this past year, I wanted to come up with a single word to describe it. But words like happy, romantic, awesome, lovey-dovey (that's one word-- the hyphen doesn't count,) sweet and educational didn't quite cut it.

In one word, the first year of marriage for us has been TRANSFORMATIONAL.

It was a growth opportunity for both of us. And not the kind of "growth opportunity" that I reference when something was a total nightmare and I am just trying to be optimistic. Rather, we have truly GROWN this year-- not only as a husband and wife, but also as Christians.

We based our marriage on 1 John 4:18-- "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." Thanks to trusting the Lord, this transformational year has certainly been that: transformational.

Brandon and I were talking the other day about how God has changed both of us and Brandon used the word "metamorphosis." I don't know where exactly we are at in our metamorphosis as a couple-- I am hoping that we aren't one of those scary awkward caterpillars with the horns and huge eyes, but I also know that while it has been a "Butterfly" of a year, we aren't quite at the beautiful, soaring butterfly state yet. Not sure if we are still wiggling around in our cocoon or if we are a baby butterfly with wet wings... but check back with us in the year 2060 and hopefully we will be in our optimum soaring state.

God has transformed our hearts by placing changes in our physical lives that we have had to work through (think: butterfly struggles to get out of the cocoon... but all that work makes it STRONG! Same for our marriage)

"Physical" transformational gifts God has presented in the last 365 days 

(which resulted in A LOT of Spiritual transformation):

• October 2, 2010: WEDDED BLISS!! Depart for honeymoon in Rome, Italy.
• November 2010: He called me to go back to school and get my masters.
• January 2011: Brandon leaves for Drill Sgt School
• March 2011: I fly out to SC to see Brandon graduate DS School
• April 2011: I resign from a job I love as we prepare to leave our home and head to Georgia.
• May 2011: We arrive in Georgia. Just the two of us. Zero friends present. Adopt a puppy.
• June 2011: God leads us to Christ Community Church and Brandon begins his first full cycle as Drill Sgt.
• July 2011: I beg Kelli to let me serve somewhere within the church; I become her intern. Gradually start making friends.
• August 2011: Cycle graduation. I start blogging. We start praying specifically for people daily. God is working overtime on our hearts.
• September 2011: Our prayer life grows. I become FRG leader for Foxtrot company. CCC Women's retreat. More profound transformation.
• October 2, 2011: Happy Anniversary to us. Thanks, God!

Our cake tastes even better than last year!
Or at least I am able to slow down
and taste it this time. 

He calls me "Lover." I call him "Beloved." We have eaten our year-old wedding cake. (Don't worry-- it was in the freezer, and I think the sugar got even more concentrated. YUM) We have exchanged gifts. But most of all, we have been transformed by Christ teaching us how to base our marriage on Him, the unchanging, everlasting solid rock on which we stand. For then next 49ish years (or however long God keeps us on this earth) we pray that God, through His grace, will make each year a "Butterfly year" and transform our minds by living out the instructions from the word: 

"Wives, understand and support your husbands in ways that show your support for Christ. The husband provides leadership to his wife the way Christ does to his church, not by domineering but by cherishing. So just as the church submits to Christ as he exercises such leadership, wives should likewise submit to their husbands.

Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church—a love marked by giving, not getting. Christ's love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness. And that is how husbands ought to love their wives. They're really doing themselves a favor—since they're already "one" in marriage." --Ephesians 5:22-28 (MSG)

Serious husband points. Thanks Brandon!
You are kind of my favorite... <3 

Thank you to everyone who has prayed, pep-talked, cheered for us, supported us, ministered to us and loved on us, even from a distance over the last 365 blessed and PRECIOUS days. GOD IS SO GOOD! Praise Him! We are beyond blessed and incredibly undeserving to have a Christ-like marriage that is "More Precious than Rubies..." 

Here's to many more Butterfly years! 

Loving our cocoon, 

SGK 

"Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned." --Song of Solomon 8:6-7