Families Built Backwards...

I'm married. Finally. After 8 busy years, 3 cities, 3 houses, 2 babies and 3 dogs. Yep, we did it backwards. Jamie and I had been together for two years when we bought our house and only a few months later we found out we were expecting our first baby. At first we both cried. I was only starting in my career and was so excited about climbing the ladder (I only had my foot on the first rung!) I felt like that phone call from the doctor ruined every plan and aspiration I had going for me. (I know, I know a little dramatic but what can I say, I was 21.) My parents were a little bit upset and most people that I told were more shocked than happy for us. I was grateful that I was in a loving stable relationship and so glad that we had decided to take the plunge and buy a home only a few months earlier. We got over the loss of youth and freedom and began to get excited for our new arrival.

When our daughter was born we were elated. This was no mistake, this baby was a gift. I corrected anyone who used the word 'accident' and replaced it with 'surprise'. We talked about getting married, but life got in the way and soon we both felt that adding another baby to our family was more of a priority than a wedding. In the two years after my first daughter was born, we moved 10 hours from home, my 'boyfriend' went to school and when he finished we moved again 5 hours closer to home. We had just settled into our new home when we found out we were expecting again. Only happy tears this time. We had gone from a couple to a family in those years and were closer and more connected than ever. I still had my career and he had his, we were doing just fine.

I wondered if we had missed the boat on having the wedding I'd always imagined. What was the point now of making a big production? We decided to finally plan this wedding, we wouldn't make a big deal of it, just a small destination wedding in Mexico. Little did we know we would have 70 family members and friends who travelled thousands of miles to support us - our little family. I didn't realize until I was walking down the aisle towards the father of my children that this wedding is as significant, if not more, than it would have been 8 years ago. I held my daughters hand while I said vows that I truly meant. We had come so far, been so blessed and as I promised to love and cherish this man who had been my biggest support all of these years, I thought - maybe this wasn't the 'wrong' way to do it after all; families assemble in so many different ways and this was just our family's story.