7 Years of Love, Lessons and Living

Seven Years ago, I was just given a new last name!
Time has flown by! In some ways, I can't believe it has been 7 years and in other ways, it seems like so much longer than that!
So much about me has changed, so much of Joe has changed...we've both grown a TON! I guess parenting does that to you!
Seven years ago, I had NO idea of the all the plans God had for us. We did have plans, of course! I jokingly told my husband when we were engaged that if he really wanted to marry me, he should get ready to face some trials because they have always been a part of my life! He laughed then but now is a believer! LOL! However, now, I can look back at all I have faced in my life and understand why God allowed me to experience some of the pain and heartbreak that I had to walk through earlier in life........He knew, one day, what I would need to relate to and understand a lot of what my boys are facing today. I needed those experiences to be a good mommy to my sweet boys and a good wife to my husband. So I am grateful and thankful to God for allowing me to feel that pain so that I can feel their pain!
When I think about the girl that I was on that day, I realize in a lot of ways, I am a completely different person than I was then. I have become stronger, more outspoken, less shy, less selfish (although I think that is something that we all battle every.single.day), a little wiser, less of a people-pleaser and more of a fighter- of-what I-believe in (that come from being a mom of a special needs kiddo), braver, more confident, more in love with my husband, less judgemental of others (particularly their parenting style), more in love with my Jesus and SO much happier!
I think as I have gotten older I have learned what is important in life, I have learned to say "no" sometimes, I have learned who real friends are and that those friendships are worth fighting for. I have less tolerance for people who are self-absorbed (not sure if that's a positive change or a negative one...probably a little of both), I have learned that not everyone is trustworthy.......but with God's strength and in His love....we can love them anyway! I have learned to live not as someone who is "scarred", but as someone who is free to do/go/be whatever He asks of me and my family.I have learned that everyone has a story, everyone has something to teach and we can learn TONS from talking less and listening more.
7 years ago, if you had asked me that day if I felt I would learn so much in 7 years, I would have said no. Joe and I have walked through some GREAT times....(an awesome marriage, 2 babies, new jobs, new house, fulfilled dreams, great memories, lots of love). We have also walked through some really tough times.....infertility, adoptions, failed adoptions, people stealing from us in our first adoption, hospital stay when he was 2 weeks old after being told he might not make it - which turned out to be a lab mistake (or a complete healing from God), fearing we would lose him for his first 8 months while we had some bio father issues to work out, having a special needs child with many health problems in his first 2 years and a daily struggle with trying to understand his world until he was diagnosed at 3, waiting 2 years for our 2nd child, NICU hospital stay with a preemie in another state while our 3 year old was falling apart due to his special needs. But I can say, God never, ever left our side!
Now just as I was so happy to share my life with Joe 7 years ago, I am so happy to know that I can share the next 7 with him and also with 2 beautiful boys! God has been so good to me!