It may not be how others start a relationship… but I’m so glad we did it this way. That God made it happen this way.
I slide his ring onto his finger, and he begins his vows.
“I promise you from this day forward, to love you,” he says, holding my gaze. “And to choose to love you. To stand by your side. To protect you. To think the world of you, always. That no matter what comes our way, I will always choose you. And to choose to follow God for the rest of our days together.”
My eyes have started to tear up while my grin explodes. I squeeze his fingers.
He slides my ring onto my finger, and John continues the ceremony.
“I now pronounce you,” John pauses, stretching the anticipation, “man and wife! You may kiss the bride!”
Nate kisses me then, a kiss that savors me in that moment. I melt into him, laughing softly into the kiss. We break apart and he wraps his arms around me, hugging me close and tight.
Cheers erupt again, and confetti is thrown in the air.
We walk back down the aisle, hand in hand, with joy on our faces. I feel full, and completely alive.
Life won’t always be easy. There will be hardships, challenges. But with God — and with Nate — it’ll be wonderful. He doesn’t promise an easy life, only one full of purpose, love, and surprises.
And somehow, I have a feeling He’s only just getting started.
EPILOGUE
Twenty-six years later
2016
Lizzie
It’s my daughter’s wedding day.
Herwedding day.
And I’m about to help her put the dress on.
“It’s just the zip at the back, Mom,” Nataly says, turning around.
I take a slow breath as I step closer, reaching for the zipper. I take a slow breath as I stand in her bedroom and reach for the zipper. The same bedroom she’s had for years—pink comforter, pink striped walls, and what she has always called herprincess bed, the iron frame curling into delicate swirls at the top.
I can’t quite believe this day is here.
Our little girl is twenty-one. And she’s gettingmarried.
I haven’t had much time to stop and think about it today. The whole morning has been a blur—hair appointments, makeup, phone calls, people coming and going. Everything has beengo, go, go.
But now, as I zip her dress up, the moment finally catches up to me.
She’s all grown up.
And suddenly this white dress reminds me of another white dress she wore almost eleven years ago now, at our vow renewal. The celebration Nate and I finally had on our fifteen-year anniversary—the big one I had always dreamed about. I wore white that day, too, and Nataly was the flower girl, scattering petals down the aisle with the biggest little smile on her face.
We stood in church surrounded by friends and family, celebrating fifteen years of marriage.
And now here she is… putting on her own white dress.
“There you go,” I say softly, finishing the zipper.
She turns around and looks up at me.
