Those that know me, know that I did not grow up down here in Southeast Texas! I grew up where everyone evacuates to, Longview, Texas. I went to Spring Hill high school and for freshmen initiation I met who would ultimately become my best friend, and husband, Kason.
From the very beginning, I knew he was the one for me! Kason was a senior, when I was a freshmen, but even after he graduated God still kept us together. We went through boot camp together, combat training…The coming years would include a long distant relationship, Kason went into the Marine Reserves, therefore he was still able to have a civilian job, McAlisters. They moved him to College Station to open up a restaurant, and he was there for about a year, God again kept us together through that time. He then moved Tyler to work in their restaurant, while Tyler is only a 30 minute drive from Longview, I was still in high school, which made spending time together still yet “distant”. Some time passed, I graduated from high school as well…then came the deployment…orders?: Iraq. A little bug was put in our ears that maybe with all the time we had already been toegther (we were at around 5.5 years!) we should just get married before he deployed! We prayed about it, and within six weeks God opened all the doors and everything fell into place for us to have a beautiful ceremony at the Paris Las Vegas hotel March 10, 2007!
I chose this picture because its one of my favorites! It pretty much sums up our relationship!
The next 8 months were some of the scariest days Ive encountered thus far in my life…
I prayed and prayed that it was God’s will for us to have a long and happy life together, and that He would bring Kason home safely to me, for us to start our new lives together! Finally, it was time to come home, to our home…together! Over the next several months, while Kason was re-entering civilian life, and re-adjusting to his “regular” job, Kason was offered his own resturant…in Port Arthur…4 hours away from ANYONE we knew! Again, we prayed about it, (we originally wanted to move to the Dallas/Ft Worth area!)…
It became evident that God wanted us in good ole Southeast Texas, hurricane city, land of the awful love bugs and insane humidity, these are a few of my personal nicknames! The first few months, were awful…I cried everyday.
Then God opened a door for me to work at a doctors office! I quickly became friends with several of the girls at work, and they began to push me into my own business, they even came up with my name! I was terrified on where to begin, a tax id number, etc! I quickly let go of my fears, and prayed about where God wanted to take my business, and I will FOREVER be grateful for the lifelong friendships I know I made in that office…
Then seriously, true story, I got out of my car at a new church where I decided to check out, and looked up and what was in the parking lot? a HUGE billboard for a wedding show THAT DAY! Let’s just say as soon as I got home from church I started trying to figure out to get in for the next show! The amazing business/friendship was born with Ashley Behn owner of www.southeasttexasweddings.com was born! I then became a vendor in he next two wedding shows at the MCM Elegante Hotel! Through a few networking socials I began to meet some insanely talented vendors in our area (Im sure youve seen me tag them in tons of stuff on facebook!), they have only inspired me to push myself harder, and teach myself how to bring the best possible product to the BRIDE!
In these first weeks of 2011, God has seriously begun to crack several doors open to some amazing and challenging possibilities, that I am excited to share with yall, in the coming weeks!
The reason I have been so long winded this morning, is I just started a new Bible study at church, (“Jonah, navigating through a life interrupted, by Priscilla Shirer”) about Jonah, and how his life was “interrupted”. God had different plans for him, and they ultimately became “divine interventions”.
Basically what I am saying is that if I had not been supportive of Kason moving us down to Southeast Texas and gone through those first few unpleasant months…I, for sure, would not have my business, would never have met the people who pushed me start my business, would never have met the incredibly talented people I get to work with now, never would have met my past, present, and future brides, would never had met or taught my girls from Debbies Dance, or been able to teach fun new routines, nor would I have ever decided to go back to school for Interior Design!
So yes, moving down here was an “interruption” it seemed in the beginning, but I have yet to look back, and God’s “divine intervention” has made my life seem so full, and exciting, and I can NOT wait to see what else He has for our path and our life together!