Most people don't know that Randy and I sort've grew up together. We didn't attend the same school and we didn't live in the same neighborhood. But, we did attend the same church.
In fact, we both attended the same church from the time that we were in elementary school until we both moved away from home. Both sets of our parents still attend that church.
As tweeners, we both attended the Wednesday night Bible study and small group sessions.
I would go just to see Randy. Oh sure, I would go because I loved church and loved being with my friends, but truth be told, when Randy showed up, my eyes were glued on him the entire time - well, until he looked in my direction, then I'd pretend he didn't exist.
That's the first time I realized that I had a huge crush on him. I didn't know what it was about him, but I was in-love with him when I was 11 years old. I even recall sharing with one of the youth group mentors that "I was going to marry Randy one day" and of course, they chuckled and said the usual stuff like, "You never know what the future holds," etc., etc. But, I knew what my future held and I wasn't ever going to let go of it.
Fast forward about 4 years and Randy and I are in high school. That's when Randy began taking an interest in me. Honestly, I don't know how it all came about but eventually we ended up on a date. I don't hardly remember the details - I know, I'm such a romantic - but I do know that at the end of the date, I was dying to get a kiss from him. And, we did. And you know what? There were no fireworks. Nothing. Nada. Zip. (Hi, hun... love ya long time!)
Anyway, so that was pretty much it for me. We went out again about a year later, but still, it was as friends, rather than as a potential love interests. Yet, the funny thing was, I still held onto that declaration of marrying Randy way back in junior high and here's the proof. This was written in my 12th grade graduation scrapbook:
(Notice that I wrote we'd have two children, both boys. Does God have a sense of humor or what?)
After high school Randy heads out to Texas A&M and I stay home and attend the local university. We see each other from time to time when Randy comes in for holidays, etc., and we chatted occassionally, but only briefly. As time flies by, I see less and less of Randy and the next thing I know, he's living in Central Texas after college graduation.
I remember sitting at the kitchen table at my parent's house talking to my mom about life and love and saying, "Well, I guess I'm not going to marry Randy afterall." You see, a lot of things were going on, one of which was our love lives. I was in a serious relationship and so was Randy. All that was fine and good, but a small part of me still wished that I was the one that Randy was in love with... even though I knew we were just friends.
So, a year or two went by and I only heard tid-bits about Randy from my mom, via his mom. (Our folks are friends, don't ya know...) But, it was also through his mom, that my mother told me that Randy was no longer involved with his previous love interest and that he was single again. Unfortunately, at the time I was still dating my serious love interest.
Literally, a month later that relationship ended as well. That was December. My mom mentioned Randy's name again, but I was not interested and I recall telling my mother that I didn't have "those" feelings for Randy any more.
By April, my feelings changed.
In April, my mom and dad was invited to attend Randy's father's ordination ceremony. My mom called me up and told me they were going and I that I should go with them. I remember thinking, why would I want to go with them? Unless... Randy was going to be there. So, I went and he was there.
After the ceremony, we stopped and spoke only briefly, but I knew I wanted to see him again, so I made the gutsy move of asking him out to dinner before he went back home.
Our first date was wonderful. I knew, and he did too, that this time it was finally right.
We continued our long distance dating until that following September when he proposed to me. We got married that following December. December 5th. Which also happens to be my birthday.
I can get all hokey and say that marrying Randy on my birthday is the gift that keeps on giving, but.... I'll spare you...
Okay, I won't spare you... because it is. Randy is the best thing that has ever happened to me and his love is the gift that keeps on giving. And he knows it too, because I'm the best thing that has ever happened to him.
So, Happy 8th Anniversary babe. I love you and I always have.
