It was early Monday morning, the third week in August 1996. We’d been married 3 weeks. All of a sudden the honeymoon was over and we were getting ready to part ways. How could this have happened so quickly.
We’d been so close that last year at college, now he was on his way to Ft. Worth and I was on my way back to Chickasha and my partner in crime was missing. I was flying solo.
“I bet we remember this day years from now” he replied over soggy, cheap cereal.
“Why”
“It’s a beginning.”
“Yeah” Too tired to get philosophical or historical.
“And we are dirt poor. I bet when we look back on these days they’ll be some of the best days of our lives.”
He was right. Little in our pockets, a lifetime ahead of us, and each other at night- FINALLY!
We quickly realized the poor part.
I finally had found peace in marrying Cody about a week before the wedding. I enjoyed every minute of the wedding. I loved having my best friends there and family surrounding me. I loved the blending of two families. I loved that our father’s blessed us during the ceremony. I even loved Cody’s 10 crazy ushers leaping down the isle to hold candles before my entrance. I loved that my “kids” were there that I’d babysat for in NC. They were my flower girls. It was a wonderful week leading up to the biggest day of my life so far. No bother that August 3rd was hot and the a/c went out and my cake was melting, there’s a point you don’t care anymore- let someone else worry about that.
The day after the wedding, however, I was introduced to real life. Where you realize Cinderella couldn’t have possibly lived “happily ever after”.
It was obvious we were young and didn’t have money. And while money isn’t everything- it sure helps.
We woke up in an small family trailer with an add-on, stocked full of food and spiders. We found fiddlebacks in the beds. And speaking of beds, there no less than 5 to choose from, including a water bed. I cooked breakfast that Sunday morning and we set off looking for something to do. We were overlooking the Arkansas River not too far from Webber Falls and Lake Tenkiller in NE Oklahoma. This trailer honeymoon villa was a suggestion from my dad. Who had a knack for saving money on hotels and had never seen the place. It was great for a family reunion. But not really every bride’s dream honeymoon spot.
By Monday we’d done everything we’d wanted to do there and headed to Oklahoma City. We stayed one night in a Holiday Inn on the north part of town. We shopped and went to the zoo and were home by Tuesday.
My relatives that had come for the wedding were still there. The honeymoon was too short and it was too soon to come home.
We came home to car trouble, which lead to a frustrated Cody.
Who was this strange and mad person I just married. He was Mr. Right on Saturday and by Wed. he’s mad as a hornet.
The car trouble let to a cut hand which led to doctor trouble because we didn’t have insurance. Suddenly on our own and poor wasn’t so glamorous. It was real and it was tough.
Not only did we get a glimpse at real life that first week, we also got a taste of what being married and in the ministry was like. First, God provided medical care- mom and dad’s neighbor was a ENT doctor who stitched up Cody’s hand for free. And 14 years later God still provides each and every need we have.
Then there was a young adult lake trip.
We had been married less than a week and we were scheduled to go with 50 other young adults (including Cody’s parents) on three house boats to Lake Texoma for fun times. Hum, should be interesting. Just so happened there was one room with a door on one of the boats. They were nice and gave it to us. But how embarrassing! I also got severally water logged on that trip after being drug through the water attached to a parasail.
The next few weeks were less eventful thank goodness.
We realized pre-marital counseling would’ve been a good idea. Nontheless, with divorce not an option we had to search for answers, bend a lot, and forgive a lot. And that has made the difference.
Each chapter of our story has had highs and lows. It’s a beautiful tapestry of God’s grace and human love.
Leaving a legacy of faithfulness and love,
Lorina Elizabeth Robbins DEEVERS
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