The Story of Us

I remember this tall skinny guy, with a buzz cut and glasses asking me to marry him at the pop machines in our school lunch room. I thought to myself, "You have got to be kidding me!" Ever so sarcastically I told him, "AH NO!" I think he freaked me out so I figured I needed to stay clear of this weirdo. I would go the long way to class just to avoid him.

Come on, how can anyone just walk up to someone and asked them to marry them with barley even saying a word to them before that? I knew he was a nice guy; but now I know he was a little nuts. But John was persistent, very persistent, and one day I fell for him. I can't tell you exactly what it was that changed my mind, maybe it was the peanut M&M's we were tossing in each others mouths; but in one moment my heart was his. I was 15 and he was 16.

Our first date was to our homecoming dinner. I don't remember much just a few details like how nervous I was and my teal and black dress that I loved so much. I remember Ryan's date Tammy setting her napkin on fire at the dinner table and John kissing me on the cheek good night. Our more official date, we went to Pizza Hut and saw "Beauty and the Beast" at the movie theater. He held my hand for the first time that night. Within a few months I began to fall in love with him.

It seems like it was yesterday; but yet so long ago. John new from just about the time we started dating that he was going to marry me. I needed some convincing though. We decided to break up when he went to college, but we won't talk about this sad time we were apart which lasted almost two years. During that time he still knew that I was the one for him, even though I really doubted that.

During the second semester of my freshman year at college, I was dating this other really great guy. One day all of a sudden in one moment I knew I was to be with John. It was a little weird, I really felt God spoke to me. I was with the wrong person. I broke up immediately with the other guy and began praying. I asked God if John was the man I was supposed to marry and with a series of confirmations...I knew. John and I got back together shortly after. John was God's plan for my life.

During my sophomore year John and I began talking about our future together and how we both wanted to get married. We were going to wait until after John graduated college and I would try to finish in three years. That meant waiting two years, ugh, we decided to not wait and get married the following summer.

John proposed at a school fundraiser. It was pretty much in front of the whole school; well that is what it felt like. He called me up on the stage, got on one knee and asked me to marry him. I was so excited. I remember him walking me back to my dorm and being overwhelmed with the idea that I was going to be Mrs. Johnson.

In the summer of 1996 I married the love of my life, my best friend. He is everything to me and I can't even imagine a second of my life without him. Everyday, I look forward to growing old with this man. He is my shoulder to cry on, my friend to laugh with, the father to my beautiful children and my knight in shinning armor. I married my high school sweet heart. This summer we will be married 13 years and I am looking forward to the best years to come.

I am my beloveds and He is mine Song of Solomon 2:16

Every day with him I ...

GET JOY!