16 years...

Tomorrow is my anniversary. 16 years ago I married my best friend and soul mate. I was just thinking the other day, how I met and started dating Kevin in the Fall of 1989. I have spent almost half my life with this man.

When we first met we were just friends. I've written before on how I wasn't interested in marrying into the ministry life, having been raised in it. Yet, I found out that God has other plans. Not many people "know" the true story of how I changed my mind, so count yourself honored. It is comical in a way. It involves a college, a wizard and another girl. Curious? Well, here I go...

When I went to college in the Fall of '89, my parents were still living in Asia as missionaries. I went to a Baptist University and quickly settled into college life. Enjoying my new found Independence, with parents on the other side of the world and grandparents who really had no clue as to what I was up to, I found myself enjoying the social scene of college life. Now before I go too far, let me say this... I wasn't a party girl, what little experimenting I did was done during the high school years. When I said the "social scene" I meant staying out as late as curfew would allow, dating several different guys and just enjoying the fun energy that comes with being a freshman.

In fact, I loved my freshman year. Unfortunately I didn't make the best of grades my first semester, but I made a lot of great memories. The only downfall when I went to school that year was that I was assigned work study in the cafeteria. It was pretty much considered the worst job on campus. I found myself surrounded by other missionary kids and ministry students. I guess they were preparing us for servant hood in a big way.

Truth is, I look back now and see God's hand in it all. My best friends during my college years all came from that little group of student workers in "Walt's" cafeteria. One of those friends was a guy named Kevin. We called him the singing dishwasher, because he was always singing. He was a super fun guy and just really nice too. A group of us would hang out all the time and it would bother me to tell him "no" when it came to dating. After all, I just wasn't interested in a ministry student. He didn't fit the description that I had in my head as a young girl of what my "dream man" was suppose to look like. He did fit the friend mold perfectly.

We were friends for a few months when I started realizing how fun he was to be around. Finally, he asked again...or actually what he said was "Want to sit together at the movie?" The University I went to had movie night every Sunday night. It was a fun place to catch a show and hang out with friends or have a cheap date. I thought I had finally given him the "yes" he wanted to hear and that we were going to meet at the movie for our first official/unofficial date.

Hello! I walked in and there he was with another girl. A girl that worked with us in the cafeteria. A girl that dreamed of being a missionary one day. A girl who had her arm linked in his!!! The look on his face was priceless. I had walked in with a friend and she graciously stuck with me, as Kevin excitedly asked us to sit with them. Them?!!! Inside I was a muddled wreck. How dare he ask me out and ask her out too. I thought he liked me. Of course he likes her better, she is the ministry student after all...

Wait. What was going on? Didn't I just want him to be my friend? Hadn't I put him off more than once. Wasn't I the one that kept telling everyone that I was glad to have a break from ministry life? Why was I all of a sudden jealous? Why did I really even care that he might be dating Jody? She is a nice, beautiful girl. What was my problem?

I was in love.

While I was out searching for my dreams, God was painting my life's picture. He understood what I thought I wanted, while knowing what I really needed. I realized in that moment that He had sent a man my way that was more than just a cute face. He had a servant's heart, loved the Lord and was a caring human being.

Had I waited too late? As Dorothy and the scarecrow were off finding the wizard, I was sitting in my seat, wondering if my heart had discovered love only to be broken in a matter of minutes, or how ever long the movie lasted. I almost felt the need to find my own yellow brick road in search of wisdom. I would look over and they would be so cozy... or at least she looked all cozy. Kev pretty much looked uncomfortable.

Truth was, he was uncomfortable. The next day after work, he cornered me to explain. He had asked me out, but thought that I thought it was just as friends. Right after I had left from talking to him, Jody had walked up and had asked fro a ride to church. After church was over they just kind of drifted to the movie afterwards. They were just sitting there, when all of a sudden she grabbed his arm. HE looked up and there I was. He was so clueless as to what to do, for he realized I looked upset and he didn't know why.

To make a long story short, it took jealousy to make me realize how much I really did care. We started dating and have been inseparable since. We are proof that God has a plan. He just has to take some of us down the "long" path to get to our destination... His will.

Sixteen years ago I said "I DO!" With those two words I said yes to God and the life He had planned for me. I really am thankful, for HE has blessed me beyond reason.

I love you, Kev! Thank you for 16 great years of marriage! (and almost 20 years of memories)