I am kind of surprised at how much attention people are paying to me and Stephen and our relationship. Our 2nd anniversary was Monday (we did it pretty low-key--spent the day together and had a nice dinner out), and of course I posted about it on Facebook. And I got, like, 8 comments on that status, plus 4 others from people wishing us happy anniversary. And it wasn't just "Happy Anniversay"--a friend of Stephen's that I know, but don't know all that well, wrote on my page, "It's been so exciting to see you two grow together from the beginning. Seeing the two of you so in love is always encouraging to me." (He's dating a girl he's pretty serious about right now.)

That hasn't been the only example of unexpected people paying attention to us. I haven't told the story of how Stephen and I got asked to be part of the Marriage Ministry Team at church. We know Rick and Tina pretty well (at least Rick), and Brian and Jo came to visit our young marrieds small group once or twice, so the fact that they thought of us to ask isn't too surprising. But I learned that a woman named Julie, who I have only met a few times and never had a long discussion with, mentioned us as a suggestion to add to the team. When Rick said that at the dinner get-together we had, I just made my eyes go big and shook my head with outstretched arms, like, "Julie?!" I said, "I saw her in Starbucks once, is that why--?" I wasn't really asking, just expressing my astonishment that she had even remembered us, LOL.

Apparently we are making a bigger impact than I realized. I mean, the Marriage Ministry has only had, like, 3 or 4 events that we've been to, but people remember us from the first one we were at, which was a Mystery Theatre Dinner. It's just crazy. And now Stephen's friend Ryan... So interesting.

I can't remember if I mentioned it, but we did say yes to being on the team. It's not a horribly strenuous time commitment at all, and the four others are so relaxed and laid-back that I didn't feel pressured to say yes, which makes me more inclined to say "yes" to things, LOL. And I knew in my heart that it'd be good for us. That was hard to deny. We've needed local, older role models ever since Stephen's parents moved. I don't know why God decided to have us wait 2 years, but He's giving them to us now, which makes my heart glad. Maybe 2 years ago we would have clung too much to role models and not learned enough to stand on our own two feet.

I know Rhonda's watching, too. Some people I know are watching. Now that Georgene has met Stephen, she might watch, too. I'm okay with a person here and a person there watching... If I begin to think about who'll be watching us when they realize we're part of the Marriage Ministry Team, though, I'll totally freak out, LOL. :)

Are we really making that big of an impact? That's cool. If people I care about are watching me closely to see how my relationship with Stephen works, then the prayers I've been praying since I was a young teen have been answered. I want nothing more than to live a life worthy of being an example to follow. I know I have my downfalls (you, Dland readers, know that more than almost anyone! :) ), but I hope that the grace of God shines through in my life in spite of them.

-Stephanie

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