Without Further Adieu....

Growing up and entering what we call "the real world" can be such a transition. When it is happening to you, however, it seems right on schedule and just as it should be - maybe scary and new and stressful at times - but just as it should be. Falling in love, going to college or starting a career, graduating, moving to a new city (or back to your "home" city), getting engaged, planning a wedding, getting married, becoming a wife, interviewing for jobs...the list of new life experiences continues, everything seemingly flowing as it should.

As the oldest out of three sisters, however, it does NOT seem right when these big life events start happening to my younger sisters, even if they are right on time. I mean, right? When I started high school, for example, that was a big deal. I was nervous and excited but I was confident and ready. Sure, I had questions and apprehensions, but I was excited and ready to jump in head first. When my sister, Amy, joined me 2 years later I just knew she was NOT ready! I mean, she needed me to hold her hand and guide her the entire way, right? I worried about her getting lost or not making friends or being uncomfortable. BUT, as it turns out, she was ready too. Maybe nervous and apprehensive but, just like me, she was excited and ready.

Well, as it turns out, Amy once again is “ready” for another major stage in her life and I am sitting here wondering how that is even possible. & I am sure you know where I am going with this so I might as well just blurt it out…it’s true – she is ENGAGED! To be MARRIED! To be a WIFE!

Amy & Ryan have been together for over a year now. Despite any hardships that have come their way, they have stuck together and continue to make each other happy. A few weeks ago, Ryan took Amy horseback riding on the beach in Fernandina. They stopped to give their horses a break & Ryan took that opportunity to share his heart with Amy, drop down on one knee & ask her to be his wife – oh, and right, give her a gorgeous ROCK!

 Amy said yes (obviously!) & so the planning begins. I guess that, even though I feel like I have to hold her hand and guide her the entire way, she is ready too. She has time to prepare her heart over the next year or so as they plan their wedding. It is such a huge responsibility and commitment to be someone’s wife. A commitment to remain loyal and faithful and to be his biggest cheerleader no matter what life throws your way. The big sister in me says she will never be ready to grow up and enter the "real world", get married, and start a family – but as it turns out, she is just a few months shy of the age I got engaged! When they say their “I do’s”, she will be around the age that I was when Matt & I said those same sweet words. I guess you could say everything seems right on schedule and just as it should be - maybe scary and new and stressful at times - but just as it should be.

So, as I hide my "deer in headlights" stare & fight the urge to hold her hand in that big sister way, I say congratulations to my sister, the bride-to-be, and her fiancé!