Sunday Snapshot: Marriage did us part

We met three and a half years ago.  A teammate of mine and I were traveling to Vietnam during the winter break.  He happened to have a good friend who was just returning to Vietnam with our organization.  I still remember being introduced to her for the first time at our conference in Thailand.  I just had a brief moment with her.  She seemed artsy and way cooler than me.  In that moment, I didn’t yet realize  the treasure the Father had placed in my path.

A week or so later we met up with Kirsten again in Hanoi.  We started to get to know each other a bit, and started finding some common threads.  And then we had one long night sharing a four foot narrow bunk in the steward’s cabin of a train.  Now that’s a story I will retell here sometime soon.  It’s one of my best Asia travel stories.  But this isn’t about Asia travel.  It’s about a girl who after a night in very close proximity became incredibly close to my heart.

“Way” back in 2007 ( random side note: do you ever go back to old pictures you once thought were good and think, whoa, I guess I have learned a thing or two?)

Up in the mountains of Vietnam, in late night chats, we discovered similar hearts for the Father, similar tastes in books and music, and a love for photography.  We were bonded.  I knew that in just a few days time I had found one of those rare long-lasting friendships.  We were both planning on starting the graduate program in the coming year, and we made a pact then and there that at all grad classes and conferences (about 2 months of the year) we would be roommates until death, furlough, or marriage did us part.

Marriage has done us part.  And while I will certainly grieve the companionship of such a dear friend, her story is such a testimony to answered requests and desires that I can’t help but rejoice and give thanks.  This is a man that I have come before the Father pleading for to work alongside this beautiful woman.  He answered in a major way in His perfect timing.  It was a blessing and honor to be with them this past Friday as they exchanged their vows.  Quite thankfully I was not the “official” photographer for the day–too much pressure!–but was rather given the duty of photojournalist for the day.  And I wouldn’t have it any other way.  I’d much rather be free to capture moments, rather than making sure we got a picture of grandma and grandpa.

Whew, that was mighty verbose for a photography post.  My apologies; onto the pretty pictures!  I’ve only begun to sort and edit, but here are a few shots from the day.  There will likely be more showing up!

All big days begin with make-up…

…and hair.

The first sighting.  Love the smile creases.