8 Years...

Eight years ago today, Jared came over to my house to ask my dad if we could date. During the school day, a couple of the guys from our senior class were telling Jared to bring a shovel with him, because he'd need to bury his own grave in the back yard. My parents didn't really know who Jared was, even though we only had less than 30 people in our entire class. Jared transferred to Grandview his senior year and wasn't involved in sports, so we rarely interacted. As a matter of fact, until senior trip we didn't speak at all. Being a naive and believing senior, I was told that he was a "bad" kid so I kept my distance. On the bus ride from Six Flags back to the hotel, Jared and I were forced to ride on the bus next to each other because there were no open seats. When asked, my dad obviously said yes and what he expected of Jared. My mom and I acted surprised to hear the news, when we actually heard the whole conversation sitting on the landing of the stairs to the basement.

March 31, 2003, Jared asked me to marry him. I honestly thought that he was going to ask me our on one year anniversary a couple days earlier, March 26, 2003. He bought me 12 dozen roses, a dozen for each month we had been together. I guess that was too predictable so he waited a couple days...the way it happened was very intimate and special...I'll never forget the words he said to me when he handed me a paper heart..."I'm giving you my heart and asking for your hand, will you marry me?"


14 months later, May 22, 2004, we were married. The date didn't mean anything special, but rather it was in between my busy college schedule, as I was completing my degree from Iowa State University in 3 years. I love EVERYTHING about my wedding, the flowers, tuxedos, dresses, wedding party, music, etc. It was like a dream! Everything "fell" into place...literally a layer of my cake fell over and Amy (Pausley) Konzelman caught it...without my knowing...

After being married only about 9 months, I broke my foot. To most people, this wouldn't be that big of a hurdle, but for me it was a long and daunting process. I had to wait about 2 1/2 months for surgery. The surgery was suppose to be an easy, in and out procedure...but it wasn't. The surgery lasted about an hour and a half. The bone that I broke in my foot is the os trigonum bone. Only about 10% of the population have this bone, let alone break it. Because it had been so long before surgery, the bone fused itself back in the wrong place. The recovery in a cast was much longer too. I developed a blood clot in my leg...but worse...I found out that I had a bleeding disorder...Leiden Factor V. Two months later, I had to have gallbladder surgery. So needless to say, the first year of our marriage was no "cupcake".

Fast forward about 18 months. Jared and I had gone to Northern Tool to look for parts for his go-cart. We were excited to get it geared up and ready to ride. The entire time we were walking around, I had strange tastes and smells that I just couldn't explain, not to mention I had felt odd for about the last month...August 7, 2009, I decided to take a pregnancy test...



At first I was shocked, confused, and just didn't know what to think. This was not a part of my 5 year plans for us...but it was in God's plan...and the most amazing experience for Jared and I...

On April 13, 2007, Ryleigh Jo Metheny was born, after 14 hours of labor and an emergency C-section...7 pounds, 5.1 ounces, 22 inches long...



Ryleigh had significant trouble gaining weight and severe jaundice and was consequently hospitalized twice within the first six weeks of her life. Jared and I were terrified. We felt completely helpless for our precious baby girl...but finally began to gain weight and was back up to her birth weight at about two months old.



After Ryleigh's birth, Jared and I were very close and we loved our little family...but sadly, in July we lost part of our family, Pnut and Finch due to an accident...




Fast forward another 18 months to October 13, 2008. My mom and I had just returned from two consecutive business trips to San Antonio, TX along with two round trips drives to Corpus Christi, TX and Kansas City, MO. I was having significant chest pain, fatigue, and difficulty breathing...all due to pulmonary emboli on both sides of my lower lungs and the right upper lung. I was hospitalized for a week and monitored closely for the next year.

In April 2009, Ryleigh turned 2 years old...a little unbelief that our little baby was going up so fast. This month also presented other challenges and changes in our lives, a family crisis in which things will never be the same. God has remained faithful and continues to work out this situation in our lives.

Present day, 8 glorious years...despite ourselves, God has blessed us SO MUCH. We have had our fair share of challenges, heartaches, and victories. Jared has been my strength, encouragement, and best friend through it all.

I love you Jared...I love that we are best friends...I'm so thankful that God picked us for one another...to think that God took two people who wanted nothing to do with each other and built an amazing love and union together shows how His plans are the best for our lives...I can't wait to spend the rest of our lives together...