My Love Story: Fifteen Years and Counting!

Fifteen years ago this month, I first held hands with the man I was going to marry. I was seventeen and decided my senior year was not a good year to start dating anyone. Because after all, I would be going off to college, and I of course would meet my future husband there.

Oh, yes, let me remind you I was an odd teenager. I had prayed for the longest time that I would only date one person, because, well, I did not want my heart to ever be broken!

Me and that poor guy who waited patiently for that first kiss.

So when I was set up on a blind date in early October or late September with this same man, I had decided well, it was not really a date, because after all I was going to make this prayer happen, not God... and there was no way I was going to marry a guy I met in High School, so in order for me to be able to marry the first guy I dated, I would have to not count that one as a date. We were just acquaintances. An acquaintance that I soon admired and adored.

Two months past, we talked on the phone, went out on dates friendship meetings, because after all my first date was going to be with my future husband, and no one meets their future husband in high school.

After many friendship meetings went by, many late night talks, sometime in November fifteen years ago, he leaned over during Waterboy (romantic movie huh?) and asked, "May I hold your hand?" I thought it was the cheesiest sweetest thing in the world, and I said yes.

That night, I decided holding hands had made it a date, but if I didn't kiss him, I would never really be heartbroken; therefore, I could still have my prayer... for I had my faith in my own ability to control my future, than any ability God had in my life.

Four long months past after I held his hand, before I was willing to kiss that man.

Somehow, despite all my ideas of controlling my future, things worked out just as I prayed. It was not in my power, but by God's. I look back at how innocent and sweet we were. I'm really glad how slowly things progressed, I am glad how innocent we were, I am glad for so much about our friendship and marriage.

The funniest thought of it all is in 2 more years,  I will have been with my husband half my life.