It was on a Wednesday night in February of 1987 and I was at youth group. Sky Scrapers at Bethel Assembly of God in Lafayette, LA… Then this guy that I knew walked in with another guy…and I was smitten.. We always went out to eat after church and that was when Rod introduced me to James… He warned James about me saying “she listens to weird music”
I was on the “welcoming committee” for the youth group. I would go to the church and call the visitors that lived outside of our visiting area. We had a group that would go and visit the students that were new to youth the following week. But J lived too far out to visit, so I had to call him. I introduced myself…having no idea if he remembered me. He said he enjoyed service but attended church elsewhere…snot…so I pushed him to the back of my mind… but I did make a mental note that he lived just a few miles from my house. Fast forward a few months and he shows up at church again…be still my heart… off and on I saw him…and learned that he worked at the video store in the small town just a few miles from my house. I never went there because it was a small hick town… There was no way this guy was from there. I mean he had a bleach blonde spike and didn’t look like the typical Cajun boy…It was Christmas break and our mutual friend was back in town from college. I was at the local hang out when J popped his head and said Rod was in town. So, my best friend and I got up a we went to her house.. J was wearing a pink turtleneck..
Did I tell you how cute he was….sigh……..
.JPG)
It was around that time that he was a little more consistent in coming to church.. In March of 88 it was then that I found out that he was interested in me….ME!! He told a friend that he didn’t want to date me, just marry me…sigh…. But through a set of unfortunant turn of events…that didn’t happen until June…I was stupid…. I remember taking a video back to the store for my dad.. He knew something was up… he knew it was a boy.. He knew I was serious… I remember giving him the movies…him saying thanks and turning away… REALLY?!?!?!?!
Did I tell you that his very words made me melt?
June 13, 1988... Our first date.. He arrived in his canary yellow bug. I loved that car and it fit his personality perfectly. We went to a movie that a friend suggested. We both hated it. Then skipped dinner and went down to Barry’s pond… Yeah, I was a little weirded out by that. We talked. About ourselves and each other.
Did I tell you that he was like no other boy I dated?
We had a rocky start. I was stupid. Scared. I knew in my heart and spirit that he was the one. And I was scared out of my mind. We began dating. After a few weeks, he asked me to marry him. It was nothing special just a.. “Marry me” while we were talking. He did this several times and I always said yes. Finally at my parents house, while they were out of the country, he asked me again. I said yes, and then he said “Well then set a date” so we did.
Did I tell you he had my heart??
And I told my parents over the phone. They knew it was going to happen. They also knew he was the one.
Janurary 7, 1989... I married the most perfect man for me.
Did I tell you he had my life??
Our first year was filled with the same things most married couples go through. Learning to live with someone else, learning to put them first. But it was filled with joy. We were kids, 19 and 20. But we had love… and Love is All You Need. Right?? And Jesus.... oh how I am glad we had Jesus.
In October of 1989 we decided that we wanted to add to our family. We had no idea the road that this decision would bring us down. We had no idea how close we would grow and how much God would stretch us and teach us to lean on Him first and each other second. It is a road that I don’t wish on anyone, but I am thankful that we walked this road and that I had God and J with me.
