Newlywed Group.

As I was searching for pictures for this post...this lovely picture of Jessica and Nick popped up, and I just couldn't resist the urge to use it for this post! Gosh don't you remember this show? I know I DO! BUT ...the catch is...they are no longer newlyweds and they are no longer married! I can't even imagine having cameras follow me around all day ...taping EVERYTHING...my best moments and my absolute worst. Gosh I can be crazy sometimes...and how terrible would it be to have my crazy moments taped so that I could replay them over and over again! But this post isn't about Jessica and Nick Lachey and their Newlywed show or my crazy moments. This post is about our newlywed group...and beautiful marriages and families that are true reflections of Christ.

So ever since Peter and I got married we have been yearning to join some type of a newlywed group through our church, but our church at the time was restructuring groups...so we waited, and waited and a whole year went by and we received an email asking us if we were still interested in joining a group. We replied enthusiastically with a yes..yes..yes...BUT we have been married over a year now. Soo..the big question is...How long do you have to be married before people stop considering you newlyweds?

Well Peter and I officially joined a newlywed group a few months ago, and it has been such a true blessing! I don't even know where to begin...the couples in the group have only been married a few months. So we definitely have been married the longest, but they gave us the go ahead and said that even after a year we are still newlyweds!! So we figured we would stay in the group!!

We have met about 6 times now and begin each session by eating together! I must say one of my absolute favorite parts about our group is the couple that leads it and their beautiful daughters!! Oh my goodness...it has been such a joy to be around such beautiful and joyful children. As some of you may know I wasn't one for babysitting growing up and even now I am not surrounded by children ...and I miss it. But then I think how can I miss something I have never really had?? Well let me tell you...when Tuesday rolls around I am excited to get to the Werner's to see the girls!...don't get me wrong I love the adults, but THESE. KIDS. ARE. PRECIOUS. And their joy is contagious...I find myself yearning for one of them to sit by me during dinner...I find myself stretching out my hand to theirs...I find myself laughing at their little jokes...and longing for them to laugh at mine...I find myself making far too many silly faces...and I even find myself getting a LITTLE jealous when they are paying attention to someone else.

But more importantly...I truly find myself admiring their parents, Tiffany and Jonathan, for their strength, for their love for their family and our God, and for their willingness to host a group at their house even amidst all the goings on in their own lives!!! So let me just take a moment to enlighten you on the goings on...They just recently moved to a different house to be closer to Children's Hospital because this past January, at the tender age of 4, their daughter Michaela was diagnosed with leukamia. My heart breaks just thinking about this to be honest...and I barely know these people!! I should also add that Tiffany, the mom, was 7 months pregnant when this news broke and gave birth to Emily March in...MARCH. And please ALSO keep in mind that they have an older daughter Madeline, whose 8th birthday is right around the corner!

I could type all day about this family...BUT i won't. I just want to say that Peter and I have been blessed so abundantly by this group, by the beautiful Werner family, and by Tiffany and Jonathan's honesty...and if you are interested in hearing more about this family...Tiffany keeps a blog and she writes beautifully even if she may not know it!