T E X A R K A N A M A G A Z I N E
It took us a lot longer to get pregnant with our daughter than we initially hoped, and it is no secret at least one of The Brothers was not planned, but all three of them have been our best surprises yet. I cannot imagine how boring my days would be without those three. My home would be free of clutter and perfectly decorated. There wouldn’t be fingerprints on windows or ballet shoes and tee- ball caps on the floor or even forgotten milk cups turned moldy, hidden in my great-grandmother’s antique buffet cabinet. Are we tired? Absolutely. Does my gratitude for my plan being thrown into the trash outweigh the contentment I would have had if it had not? Heck. Yes. Anxiety is a tricky little fella. The feelings can be overwhelming if I forget Who is in charge, because it’s certainly not me. God and His grace have led me all along and I know sometimes He wants to say, “Just sit down, Liz. Let me do my thing. I’ve got this.” Because He does. Let me also extend an invitation, y’all. I have come to terms with my struggle with anxiety and my responsibility to take care of myself, but it was not always easy. At one time, there WAS shame in my game. It was hard in the beginning. Let me be a friend if you need one. In fact, if you need a friend while your mother is going through breast cancer, your family is in the throes of addiction and recovery, you are pregnant with twins and scared,or your husband has a health scare, I will be your friend. None of those experiences were in my plan, but we made it through. It was not by any of my own doing. Hard times will happen, but God’s got this, y’all.
I was home for the weekend before my senior year of college began, and I felt in my gut a nagging feeling to finish a semester early. It made little sense, as I had planned for my spring semester to be easy and full of fun with my friends and sisters in the Chi Omega house before we graduated. But this feeling would. not. go. away. The drive from Texarkana to Fayetteville was about four hours, so I started making some phone calls on my way back to school to see if it was even possible. By the time I arrived at the sorority house, I had made all the arrangements to graduate in December instead of May. It was bittersweet and a bit confusing at the time, although a few months later I knew I made the right choice by following the urge to get home. By finishing early, I was able to be home during my family’s toughest season that has now turned out to be our biggest blessing and ministry. I was exactly where I should have been. One of my least favorite stories, but a fan favorite for many, is how I fainted during my wedding vows. It was not a falling faint good enough for a viral video, but my then un-medicated anxiety turned into a full-on panic attack. I was excited to marry my best friend and sitting in a chair for a portion of our beautiful ceremony was not what I had imagined. Twelve years later, we are still just as married, and I live my vows every day even though I technically didn’t say them all. Momma’s breast cancer resulted in a double mastectomy, but she has been cancer free for almost eight years.
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L I F E & S T Y L E
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