amyp Photography: Andrew and Nicole

When I first met Nicole, I figured we'd never be friends.
(Keep in mind, I never wanted to date Ted)
She was just...so great. So beautiful. So kind. And her kids? Seriously...they belonged on a JCrew ad. And my kids? Well, hair has a tendency to look like it's running from their heads. And so I just didn't think she'd want to have anything to do with a crazy, messed up mom like me.
(And yes, I was SOOOOOO guilty of judging. And SOOOOOO wrong.)
But for some reason, they invited us to their small group at our church.
And they invited us into their lives.
And I've never been so thankful for such an invitation.

This couple...
Gracious.
Forgiving.
Kind times infinity.
Giving.
Loving.
Hilarious.
So real.

And so much more.

The past few years have been crazy for them. Life has given them circumstances I can't even begin to imagine. They had every reason to give up hope...to throw in the towel...to just quit trying.
And they didn't.
Because they have this hope.
Their lives are based in an understanding that love is bigger. Stronger. And it can defeat all. Both of them base their lives on resurrection. That even when the unthinkable happens, that Sunday is still on the way. (This is a reference to Easter...to the celebration of Jesus dying on a cross and then 3 days later, rising from the dead. If you have any questions about this or want to know more, you are always welcome to send me an email) And though it has been an incredibly painful road, they know...hope is still the story of their lives.

So, after much harassment from me, they agreed to grant me their gorgeous selves to document this love, this moment and all the beauty of their relationship - complete with imperfect circumstances. And Nicole still had her wedding dress and could fit into it. (Um, yeah. After 3 kids...) And so they decided to go back to the beginning of their life as one.

Nicole and Andrew, we love you guys. I don't think you can begin to know how grateful we are for you. For sharing life with you. For your laughter. For the fact that you like Eminem. For welcoming us like family. For taking the time to get to know our craziness and not running in the complete opposite direction. For making our struggles your own and carrying us through heartache and hard times.

(And PS: I'd be a bad friend to all of internet land if I didn't mention it - Andrew is an incredible financial advisor. Times twenty. If you'd like his information - just shoot me an email. He rocks.)

And now do you see how gorgeous they are?