I just returned from an extended weekend trip where my husband and I celebrated not one but TWO major events: his doctoral graduation and our 18th anniversary.
Those of you who follow me on Facebook (Krista Abney McGee), Instagram, or Twitter (KristaMcGeeYA for both) already know all this because I blew up my sites posting pics of these celebrations. But those sites don’t allow me to go into detail. And while I know a picture is worth a thousand words, a thousand words are still sometimes necessary (actually, more like 500, but whatever…).
So here’s the scoop:
Graduation
Since the summer of 2011, my husband, Dave, has been working on his Doctorate of Education. He traveled to Wake Forest, NC sixteen times over the last three years to attend seminars toward this degree, then he came home to read thousands of pages and write hundreds of pages about topics related to those seminars. Oh, yes. And it gets better: once he finished all those courses and all those books and all those papers, he spent several months compiling data/research into a 250-page dissertation whose title is longer than some of my AP students’ in-class essays. Why did do all this, you ask?? Because my husband is a teacher – a gifted teacher. He has an advanced Masters degree in Theology, but he wanted to add to that so he could teach the Bible better. All those seminars and books and papers? They helped make him a better teacher and they allowed him to create lessons to put all that he was learning into practice. (If you’re reading this and happen to know of a Christian college looking for a phenomenal, godly, amazing professor who will not only teach God’s word but live it out…message me. Free books for life if the job works out ;)). Dave graduated on Friday from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. I was so blessed to be able to meet the professors and colleagues he had been telling me about for so long. It was a beautiful time.
Anniversary
Since we were already taking the time off to go up to North Carolina for graduation, and since our kids were already being well taken care of by fabulous family and friends, we stopped off in Savannah on our way home to celebrate our anniversary. On May 18, 1996, Dave and I were married at Grace Baptist Church in Winter Haven, FL. It was a simple wedding and simple reception. We neither wanted nor could afford a big expensive wedding, so we had friends help arrange flowers, family prepare the food, and loved ones join us as we pledged our lives to God and each other. We certainly never expected the roller coaster that has been these 18 years. We have gone through some amazing times and some rotten times. We have been through a lot of just plain old boring times, too. But we both agree that our marriage is stronger now than it has ever been; and though neither of us are perfect, our God is, and we can trust Him with whatever crazy plans He has in store for the next 18 years!
Our weekend in Savannah was fantastic. We ate bangers and mash at Churchill’s Pub, and southern soul food at The Pirate House. We marveled at the architecture of the city’s glorious old houses and basked in the cool breezes blowing in off the river. It was a wonderful end to a wonderful weekend.
