July 25, 1998, was the happiest day in my life, or so I thought at that moment in time. Looking forward ten years later. . . I see I’m truly experiencing the happiest days of my life at this moment. I think back ten years ago at where life has taken us, and realize I only thought I was totally in love with my new hubby on that blessed day. I soon learned that I fall more and more in love with him everyday, for better, for worse. As old chapters have closed and new chapters have opened, life has taken us on quite a journey, with its straight roads and winding paths. But, together, with our Lord, Jeff and I have managed to travel through the valleys and over the mountains to become one. This is how our story began.
It was in 1994, our sophomore year, at Minden High School, when Jeff and I first met. I was the new kid, but had spent the summer with the Louisi-Annes, our school’s dance team. Each dancer on the team had a few football players, who we made goody bags for each Friday before the game. Wouldn’t ya know, Jeff was one of mine! I did my job, supplying him with candy and Gatorade every week. And then one day out of the blue, he called me up and asked me out on a date. We went to El Chico’s, where I ordered my regular child’s taco dinner. We then went to see “The Santa Clause.” We were both a little nervous, and Jeff didn’t even try to make a move. He dropped me off at 10:30, because I had asked my mom to make my curfew 30 minutes early. I was shy and this was my first real date! This was also Jeff’s first date.
After that, we were only friends for the next two years. Our senior year rolled around and it was time for the senior football players to pick their homecoming maids. I guess all those goody bags and a little flirting in our junior English class paid off, because Jeff chose me as his maid and his date for homecoming. We had fun at the dance, and we were both way more laid back than we were on our first date. Jeff came over to “study” the next week, and spent the whole time talking to my mom! It was that night that we officially became an item.
We dated for almost 2 years before he finally popped the question at the end of our freshman year of college. He proposed in May, and we were married in July. I was 18 and he was 19 years old. Everyone thought we were crazy! And looking back, we now realize things probably would have been simpler had we waited, but we’re thankful for the lives we have now and the ten years we’ve already gotten to spend together.
Those ten years have been spent living in 5 different states, finishing college, starting our careers, and growing in our relationship with each other, God, and with our friends. The accomplishment we are most proud of is our precious family of 4 boys. I don’t hesitate to say that we are very blessed and fortunate to have ample time to spend together as a family, and we value that time more than anything else on this earth. And these times are what make up the happiest days of my life, where I’m loving my boys and still falling in love with my husband, waiting to see where the next ten years are going to lead us.
BTW. we celebrated 10 years in Memphis. Jeff took me out for a romantic Italian dinner, and then we went down to Beale Street to listen to live music. Jeff had also arranged an overnight babysitter and a downtown hotel room for us. Not only did he plan this getaway, but he also spent lots of time custom-making this family ring for me. He really does know how to pamper and spoil the love of his life! How lucky can a girl get? The ring includes the following stones set in white gold: a diamond, a blue topaz for Jeff, an emerald for Jonathan, an alexandrite for Aaron and Caleb, and an aquamarine for Levi.
