This Man of Mine

When we started dating in 1991, I never imagined where that simple, "Will you go with me?" might take us.  I tease kids now, asking, "Where are you going?"  when they say they are going with someone.  It might be an age thing.  Jeff and I decided last night that we aren't as young as we used to be, having to let our food settle, turning our heads to burp up our dinner before we kiss, or hearing bones creak and crack when we move our arms to hug. 
But seriously,

On April 15, 1991, when Jeff asked me over the phone, "Will you go with me?" and I said yes and put him on hold so I could get rid of Brandy on the other line, I never imagined where we would go. 

As we dated, I knew I loved him. I knew I wanted to be with him.  I just knew.

We had our ups and downs. We were kids.  But we never let go of our love for each other.

In 1998, Jeff asked me to marry him. On October 2, 1999, we said I do. 

We opened our hearts to each other and to God.  Ours is a relationship of three: husband, wife, and Heavenly Father.  God is taking us on journeys we never imagined.  But we trust Him.  I trust Him to see us through anything.  He had a plan when Jeff and I met.

We've grown together. We've laughed together. We've cried together. 

Certainly things are different for us now, 13 years later.  We have steady jobs (I worked 3 days a week at minimum wage in a church nursery). We have a home (we lived with his parents, twice).  We have 3 children. We have commitments to church.  There are many nights Jeff falls asleep in our bed and I crash in the recliner with a kid that refuses to sleep. Then miraculously I make it to our bed in the wee hours of the morning, pulling the blankets up over me and rolling over, and somehow our feet touch under the covers. And my heart races.

With 3 growing boys, we get no privacy. We take family dates to Sonic or to the park.  We hold hands in church and as we walk through stores (if we have free hands). We take advantage of our rare grown up dates to grown up places where we eat grown up meals.  We have deep meaningful conversations.  We pray together.  We pray for each other.

God led us to each other.
He led us to a church that loved us.
He led us to the foot of the cross where he saved us.
He led us to a life of service in our church and our country.

When Jeff asked me, "Will you go with me?" and I said yes, God knew where we would go.

I am grateful, I am blessed, I am amazed at the gift of having this man in my life.