I don’t remember the first time I saw the young woman who would become my wife. I don’t even remember officially meeting her. 

But if I had known the deep ocean of love, joy, loss, gain, growth, learning, and side-by-side battle fighting that awaited me on the other side of those hazel eyes, I’m sure I would have gotten down on one knee and begged Emily Davis to marry me on the spot. 

There’s a reason God doesn’t show us our future. 

I’m glad that God spared her the folly of marrying an insecure eighteen year old dipstick. Instead she got a twenty-year-old dipstick. Next month she’ll have a thirty-year-old one. 

If you don’t know the story of how we fell in love, I’ll spare you the mushy details and explain it in one paragraph. We met at what was then New Tribes Bible Institute in Jackson, MI in August 2009. I was an 18 year-old freshman and she was a 21-year-old sophomore. I was acutely aware of the fact that she was way out of my league, so I stayed safely in the friend zone for two years. Long story short, I finally realized that if I didn’t snatch her up soon, some other guy would. One summer of “intentional friendship”, two awkward dad talks, and six months of dating later, we were married. 

But our wedding was just the beginning of our love story, not the end. Seven months and twenty-two days later, we were in the car accident that would redirect our lives for good. A disability had been the last thing on our minds when we said “I do”…   

There’s a reason God doesn’t show us our future. 

Nine years, something like eight brain surgeries, countless hospitalizations, an endless parade of caregivers and therapists, and two and a half kids later, Emily Bargeron is still standing with me. Still fighting beside me. Still loving and respecting me for who I am, not who she wishes I was. She’s still way out of my league. Even when I’m standing at 5′ 8″ gazing down at her delicate and strong 5′ 1 (& 1/2) ‘, I look up to her with no reservations. I don’t remember the day that I met her, but I will never forget the years God has given us in marriage so far. 

With such an uncertain future in store this July, and a third blossom on the way, there’s no telling what we’ll face next. 

There’s a reason God doesn’t show us our future, 

But I don’t care how mine looks as long as I can spend it with Emily. Happy ninth anniversary, my love.