Eight years ago today I became Mrs. Courtney Head! It was the culmination of all my dreams and many prayers. It took place at Fellowship Bible Church and the reception followed at Chenal Country Club. We had a large turn out of family and friends, it really was so much fun to see and feel such support!
We've been so blessed to have always had such a great support group which has really been huge as we have walked through many challenging days in our 8 years together. Here's a fact: We've been married 8 years but only lived together 6 and a half and we have had 3 kids in a little over 4 years!
In our first year of marriage we were only together for 7 months before he had to go to his Office Basic Course in San Antonio. I was finishing my Senior year at the UofA in Fayetteville so I moved in with my discipleship leader so I wouldn't have to live alone. Three months later we moved to Ft. Benning, GA where he immediately left for a month of training in Ft. Polk, Louisianna. He came home and we had 3 more wonderful months together, traveling several weekends out of the month to Atlanta to do "big city" things (staying in 5 star hotels, shopping, going to the theatre, watching Hawks games, etc) then in January, specififcally, on Jan. 11th, he left for a year in Iraq. That was a hard, hard day!
We got through the deployment and God was so faithful. On Jan. 19th, after a year of short conversations and computer Instant Message dates, we were back together again! God was so gracious to have held us together, to have even drawn us closer to one another and Himself during that time, despite the thousands of miles between us. That year we each had the priviledge of leading several people (Adam with the Soldiers and me with the Officers Wives) to the Lord so neither of us would change that year for anything, but neither of us would choose to do it again, we enjoy being together, rather then apart.
Shortly after his return home we found out we were expecting our first little one! What a blessing, what excitement! We prayed for a healthy baby and on Nov. 16th, Peyton Thomas Head joined our family! With the unit we were in, we knew we'd only have a year together before the whole deployment cycle would begin again. We began praying for a different job in the Army and God opened a door at Martin Army Community Hospital on Post. Adam worked there for two years when an opportunity opened up in Little Rock, which is home for us.
In July of 2008, when Peyton was 18 months old, we made the glorious move home, and enjoyed being near family and close friends! Adam settled in at the Heart Hospital and life seemed to slow down a little. Oh, but just for 30 days or so, shortly after all the boxes were unpacked and pictures were hung we found out that we were expecting again. On March 2, 2009 Lawson James entered our world. He was such a sweet and welcomed addition to our family.
We enjoyed those two and half years at home, getting the chance to make awesome couple friends who really challenged us spiritually and being able to enjoy regular family events was so refreshing after all the years away in Georgia.
In May of 2010 we found out that God had once again blessed our nest. We were honestly a little shocked but pleasantly surprised! I have really been blessed in that all of my pregnancies have been fairly easy, which was a good thing especially with this one. In November, God provided the next job for Adam, but this time, unfortunately, it would be a move away! So on Thanksgiving weekend, at almost 8 months pregnant, we left to come and scout out the Birmingham area for homes. After 5 days of searching non-stop, we didn't find anything. We prayed about it and really had a peace that God would provide in His time. We made the 6 hour drive home feeling a little apprehensive but confident that God would provide! The very next day, Adam got an email for an available home for rent, thank you Lord, for answered prayers! We immediately put our home on the market and within two days it was SOLD for top price, what an amazing blessing! We enjoyed the holiday season and spending Christmas morning in our home with the kids! What fun memories we made! On Jan. 9th 2011 our precious Emerson Clark was born on a blizzardy Arkansas night! The next day the moving company came to pack up our home, my parents took Emerson and I home to their house from the hospital, while Adam stayed with the moving company. We enjoyed a week together as a family unit then Adam took off for Birmingham to meet the moving truck and get things "settled" a bit. The following week, with a two week old baby, a 1 year old and a 4 year old I set out for my new reality! Thankfully my wonderful Mom and Sister came to help us unpack and get settled!
In these 8 years we've moved 5 times, had to start over with friends, find and dig into several churches and really depend on one another! We're greatful for these years because its FORCED us to truly leave and cleave, which was hard no doubt, but such a strengthening agent for our marriage! Though our locations have changed numerous times and our family has significantly grown, our love for one another continues to blossom. I love Adam Head more today then I did when I said "I do", he truly is my best friend and closest confidant. I can honestly say that I can't wait to see what the next years hold for us, I look forward with eager anticipation!
