That's an odd beginning if ever there was. And what about those Old Testament Jews, what's happened to their part in the tale? What do they have to do with an insignificant date like April 19th, 2010? Hopefully, for some of you out there, April 18th does clang away at a few ol' memory bells. Last year a little get-together occurred on that day that was to change the lives of Mister Ridiculous-Do and a pre-preg-Romanian-lass. The get-together included much walking-down-of-aisles, a ridiculous amount of front-row blubbering on the part of parent types, and the exchanging of a few snazzy trinkets onto fingers-next-to-the-rude-ones. Plenty of reason to celebrate and perhaps even more so a year later realizing all that has happened between first smooch and one-year anniversary time. At the time of union and bliss, Ruth and I had made a rather odd request of our Eternal Guide. Ruth had read of a long forgotten tradition, one passed directly from Guide to the Jews of Moses's time. All newlyweds were given a year together of freedom. No work, no calling to army-service, freedom. Freedom to know one another that thereafter their union would be stronger for it. When she told me about this, we decided together that we should ask for the same. Marriage wasn't meant for two weeks of bliss followed by lifelong Monday-Friday three-quarters-of-everyday separation. Under that strain, how is the initial foundation capable of being strong.

Interesting thing it is when you make such a request. Might be granted. One might be completely unable to get a job interview of any real sort for a year straight. Granted, the second half of last year consisted of non-stop travel but this year there was much time for work both in Phoenix and here. I tried many times to get different jobs in Phoenix and not only did they not come but every financial need that Ruth and I had was met by some "coincidental" means or another. So now also in Slovenia, we could not understand why no places of consistent employment would even invite us in for a "You're definitely not what we're looking for chat around the proverbial table." Nada por nada. I had gotten the proof-reading jobs but they are not of the consistent type and could not provide any benefits in this time to Ruth, social service wise. Until April 19th. A job interview to open doors previously considered impossible to even budge. A job interview coming a day after the end of one year of freedom in marriage. Tears were cried and moments of excessive joy were shared over that anniversary dinner. The God who loves us so very much had not only granted our request but had provided for all of our needs through that entire year of marriage.

In case that last part is not quite understood, I should give a rundown of what exactly our first year entailed. A two week honeymoon driving down the west coast of the United States. Two weeks later a cross-continental car journey from Phoenix to Chicago and back. Journeying then from Phoenix to Chicago to Poland by plane. A month later from Poland to Moldova by train for a two week missionary camp. Then by car and train to Romania. A month and a half later by planes back to Poland via Venice, Italy (yours truly's favorite city on earth, stop unplanned). Two months later by plane from Poland to Paris via Ireland and a few days later back to Ireland. Then we went back to the US to Denver for Christmas with my youngest sister. Then to Phoenix from there by plane. Then two and a half months later back to Poland by plane. Then to south Poland by train and by plane to Treviso, Italy. From Treviso we traveled by train and then bus here to Ljubljana, Slovenia. I have never considered to count the actual miles we have traveled in one year but I fear it would be quite an overwhelming amount (And just in case of ponderances about us being filthy or otherwise rich, it must be understand that all this was accomplished with an impossibly minute budget). And those places only speak of details. Mentioning them alone does not account for all of the people that we met and all of the myriad of opportunities that we had to learn about one another and experience one another for "better and worse." To think of all that we have done, it would be insane to imagine us doubting God's direction and provision in this time now but that is exactly what we did. Crazily enough, at times we were at the point of wishing that we had never asked for that year of freedom. We were so caught up in thinking that we wouldn't have enough money to continue that we lost sight of the wonder of realizing that what seemed such an unbelievable request came to pass for us.

Today is May 3rd, 2010. Because of an interview on April 19th and proceeding necessary arrangements, Ruth has obtained medical insurance as of today through that job (who hires women at seven months pregnant?) and will in a little over a month be able to go on maternity leave for a year's period. We have an absolutely incredible God watching over us and if we look hard enough we can see His fingerprints over all that our marriage has been. Cheers to all those Old Testament Jews who experienced the same and to choosing to chase impossible ideals thousands of years later.