Part 1 - Our 10th Anniversary & GIVEAWAY!!!

(You can now read part 2, part 3 & part 4)

Me and hubby,

 I was 15! :)

I am so blessed to be able to say that as you are reading this... my husband and I are preparing to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary! We were married on February 1, 2002! We have been through so much together in the last 13 years (when we started dating I was only 15 years of age.) Who would have guessed back then that we would stay together, in love with each other, this many years down the road?  Who would have guessed that we would still look at each other with that spark in our eyes, even with four kids running circles around us?

I have decided to write about our lives together, in segments... I don't want it to be such a lengthy post.

Also... at the conclusion of my segments... I will be giving to one blessed lady who comments on any of the posts this wonderful book:

The Power of Prayer to Change Your Marriage!

To start...

When I was 15 years of age, my Aunt and her newly wed husband came to my mothers home for a visit. While they were there chatting about this and that, my new Uncle-in-law asked me if I had a "boyfriend" I stated that I did NOT have a boyfriend, and in fact, was not interested in having one. (Might I add that most of my family were not in church at the time, only myself and my grandmother were...) I was having too much fun hanging out with my friends to worry about a boyfriend.. pfth.. :-)  He informed me that he had two younger brothers and would love for me to meet them. I shrugged it off... I had no time for boys and they lived so far away from me... a good 30 minute drive! That is a long distance relationship for someone who only has a drivers permit! I didn't really give the conversation a second thought after that day... until a few weeks later.

My Aunt and new Uncle came once again for a visit, and asked if I would like to accompany them to meet my Aunts new in-laws. (They had a VERY short engagement and no one had really met his side of the family before they eloped.. yes, that kind of marriage.)  I hesitantly agreed, under the condition that my younger brother join us as well. I was very bashful when I was younger and the thought of being in a home with numerous people I did not know somewhat scared me!  You see, even though my new Uncle had only two younger brothers, he also had a younger sister, three older sisters and an older brother. There were eight of them in total, not to mention the nieces, nephews and parents who were always around. A house FULL of people I did not know. Anyway, my brother had a moped and was anxious to be able to drive it. I had heard that my new Uncle lived in the country and thought that this would give him the opportunity to be able to ride at his hearts content.

The drive there seemed to take forever! 30 minutes with four people crammed in the little red dented pickup... it was a stick shift at that, a very jumpy, bumpy ride. When we started to get near their home it began to rain, not hard.. just a drizzle, enough to have to use the squeaky wipers. As we rounded a bend and began to head down a gravel driveway, the truck came to a slowing stop, apparently for no reason. When I looked up, I noticed my Aunt and new Uncle looking outside of my passenger window. I followed their glance and spotted through the rain splattered window, the shape of two boys walking in the distance. The two figures, one taller and one shorter, were walking in our direction. No one said anything, but I put two and two together and guessed that these were the brothers I was told about.

Before I could even see their faces, I was instantly drawn to the "taller" one. The way he moved with each step... I guess you could say his strut?, it mesmerized me in a sense. Around that time the rain started to really pour down and the two figures began to run towards us. They both jumped in the back of the truck with the moped and we drove the rest of the way down the drive to their home.

We didn't stay at their home for long... I remember seeing lots of fabric and pattern pieces laying on the kitchen table along with a sewing machine. There were also dresses in bags hanging from hooks around the kitchen area. Apparently our visit was unexpected and they had just steam cleaned their area rugs and carpets. The mother kept apologizing about the house and the wet carpets. She also informed us that she had been making bridesmaid dresses for an upcoming wedding, hence the patterns and dresses. :)

Sometime during our visit, it stopped raining. My brother was eager to ride his bike and I'm guessing the two brothers were as well because we all loaded back into the truck and drove a short distance (down the road) to a levee that had wooded area on both sides of it. The levee was next to a water lock. The woods had a trail cut through it by neighborhood boys to drive their 4-wheelers in... it was perfect for driving the moped! All of the boys had their turn on it. I remember when the older brother, the taller one, had his turn. He looked odd on this little moped, he was too tall for it and his knees seemed to be up to his neck as he drove it into the woods.

There was still something about him... something that gently demanded my attention. I often wonder now, if this attraction wasn't God whispering to my soul "He is the one I have chosen for you." It wasn't that he was the most gorgeous boy I had ever seen... he was a little rough looking, with dirty blond shaggy/curly hair and big smokey blue eyes. He had a deep tan that was covered with a sun burn and it was not attractive at all. He had broad shoulders and a slim waste that resembled a mighty mouse physique. Now, I'm not trying to make fun of him... just showing that I really had no reason to be attracted to him, but I was! 

I don't think I heard his voice that entire day. I guessed he was a man of few words. I did learn, through hearing others talk to him, that his name was Daniel......

My mother loved to take pictures... I didn't. I can't remember 

why his shirt was wet like that! ha ha & My glasses were HUGE for my face!

To be continued...