Finally!!!

After 7 long years, Steven and I will be making the trip to Memphis this Saturday for his graduation!! I am so proud of him!! 7 long years of driving back and forth to Memphis at least once a week. For all of those who have driven the stretch from LR to Memphis, you know that that in itself is quite the feat. YUCK! On Saturday he will be receiving his Masters of Divinity. I am just so impressed with him. Besides the fact the I married him I just think that it is a big deal for anyone to have accomplished this goal WHILE having a full time job in YOUTH MINISTRY!! It just amazes me every time I think about it. It wasn't like he was just taking a class here and a class there. Most semesters it was 9 hours!!! That's full-time folks! Alright, enough bragging on Steven. I just wanted you guys to share in this joy with us!!

Who Knew???

So when we first got married, well I guess it started when we were engaged. I had all these questions about what it would be like and what was I getting myself into by contractionally obligating myself to love somebody for the rest of my life . I felt like through out the whole process both Steven and I were ruthlessly honest and genuine with each other but there was still a small part, well let's just be honest here, a HUGE part that wondered what the world of marriage would be like for us. Would I find out some deep, dark secret about Steven that, had I know on the front end, would have been a deal breaker? Would I wake up the next morning in a frantic panic wondering if I made the WRONG decision? Would he continue to be my night in shining armor even after that ring was on his finger? Does that wedding really have magical powers that turn wonderful men into abusive, raging alcoholics? I DID NOT want to be the girl that sat on Oprah in my own puddle of tears saying, "He was so wonderful before we got married and then something happened, something changed. I never saw it coming" (yea, right) You guys have heard all the stories, so naturally I was a little nervous.
Today, I am pleasantly proclaiming to the world that Kelly Scheppegrell married a HANDY MAN!!!! Since we have lived in our house, almost 3 years, Steven has continually impressed me. I will admit, that that my previous expectations of a what a nerdy minister could do physically were a little, umm snobby, but I have changed my ways!!! It all started with changing light fixtures. We changed out all light fixtures in our house but 2 and Steven did them all by himself. I remember being apprehensive at first because of the whole "working with electricity and not being an electrician" thing. I kept picturing my sweet husband dead, by electrocution, leaving me alone to not only look at these hideous light fixtures but pay off this huge loan that we just acquired. Little anxious.
You have to know one thing about Steven before you go judging me, thinking that I am a beast of a wife that doesn't believe in my husband. Steven is RUTHLESSLY confident, almost to a fault. It makes him think "Well of course I can rewire our whole house with my hands while simultaneously building a brand new engine with my toes and grilling a mean steak with my teeth all the while avoiding a house fire, an inevitably broken car and e-coli! Can't everybody?" It's aggravating at times, to say the least.
Before we even got married he was asking for tools. "For what?" I said, assuming that he would be the kind of home owner who pays people to do things. Little did I know what I was getting myself into. Now, it almost feels like the more that Steven does the more that I want to buy him tools. Like he has proved his worthiness and this, this nail gun will help him rise to handy man excellence!! He has proved to me that he can tile, plumb, install wood floors and build a new deck! That's a lot, folks and I am so proud!! I am seeing a miter saw and new piece of furniture in my future. She says as she laughs sinisterly, "Whah, Ah, Ah".