OUR STORY....

 Today Justin and I celebrate our ten year wedding anniversary! In celebration of that I thought I would share with you "OUR STORY", we all have a story to share and I love hearing how others met, fell in love, and of course the proposal story! So sit back and take a walk with me down memory lane....

In May of 1998, I was a senior in High School and I had recently claimed a "single status". I had went to a good ole' country party because a friend had invited me to go along. I went  and had so much fun catching up with old friends, meeting new ones, and enjoying cool spring night. This guy, who I knew of because he had a locker next to my BFF , but really didn't know well, struck up a conversation with me on and off throughout the night. Well the night ended and my girlfriend and I decided to call it a night and head home. As we were leaving this same guy came up to our car, which I did not see, and knocked on our window. He scared the living daylights out of us! I rolled down my window to see what in the world he wanted.....he asked if he could call me sometime.....I reluctantly said "Okay, I guess." Now remember I was a newly single women...the last thing I wanted on this night was male interest of any kind, but he was a nice guy, he was pretty funny, so what would a phone call hurt, right? It certainly did not mean I had to go on a date with him.
So after 3 days and no phone call from the guy...I figured maybe I was off the hook. Then after five days he called and asked if I wanted to  go out that weekend. I said okay, even though, I was still not sure about this whole dating again thing, but what could one date hurt, right? He took me out to a great steak house and a movie. We had such fun that night! He was very easy to talk to, no weird silent moments, and oh how we laughed. We laughed more I could even remember ever laughing in one sitting...and then at the end of the night he asked if I wanted stop by and ride in the tractor with him sometime. (He worked on the farm for his uncle and it was planting season.)  This was also pre-cell phone consumed society days.
A couple days later he called to take me up on riding around in the tractor with him. I think we rode around for eight hours that first night....my butt gets numb just thinking about it now....but 11 years ago that wasn't even on my mind. I had a good time chatting with him...not much else to do when your sitting in a tractor all afternoon and evening plowing the fields. I think I came back several times during that week and rode with him some more. In a very short time, I can to the conlcusion that you can get to know a person quickly when all you do is talk about everything from A to Z. I always knew our conversation were geiuine and that made it so fun to get to know each other. So in a two week period, the guy went from someone I knew of to someone I knew very well!
As one month turned into two, then three, then four....we had grown to know each others' family very well. We spent much of our time with them. When my birthday rolled around in September we planed to go out for supper that night. Before heading out Justin asked if we could go out to the barn a minute before leaving. So we headed to the barn he grabbed a bucket and asked me to have a seat...I looked at him a little funny, and thought to myself, "I don't want to get my jeans dirty if we are going out". Then I sat anyway a little confused at this point, but then I saw him go around the corner and come back with his guitar. It was then that I totally realized what was going on. HE WAS PROPOSING to me!! He had written a song for me and at the end of song it asked if "I would be his wife for the rest of my life?"  He then set his guitar down and pulled out the ring box, got down on his knee, and asked me to marry him. He slipped a totally gorgeous 1 ct princess cut diamond solitaire on my finger. I was so THRILLED!!! So there you have it after only five months of dating, we were now engaged!
Even though our dating time was short, by most people's standards, our engagement would last what seemed like FOREVER!!! Engaged in 09-1998 married in 11-1999...too long!!! I was in college and we thought it was best to wait until I graduated to get married, but I am not sure I would do it the same if I had it to do all over again.
November 6th arrived and I wore a handmade wedding gown. Sown together by my mother-in-law, and beaded by my mother and myself. It was a perfect sunny, and warm November day! We chose to be married at a near by church because our church would seat very few people. We both have large extended families and wanted to be able to invite whoever we wanted. Well the church seated around 400 and then we also had people standing in the back...It was such a huge blessing to have so many people that loved us be in attendance! After the wedding we were off to the reception, and celebrated for many hours until we headed to "our home" to get some sleep...maybe...before having his parents pick us up and drive us to the airport.
We honeymooned on a Carnival Cruise to the Bahamas! Very nice, very beautiful, and so much FUN!!
Our story only began there! We then went on to start our family, a baby in 01', 03', 05', lost a baby in 06', then another on 07'. We have grown in size that is for sure!! We have learned so much along the way and grown to love each other and the LORD more with each passing year. I never imagined that the abundant love I felt for this man on my wedding day was only a mere starting point. I am so thankful for the Lord putting Justin in my life when he did, even if I didn't agree totally with the timing at first. The Lord knew just what I needed, and continues to be faithful to me in this way. I can't imagine raising my familiy without him...he is our ROCK. I am thankful for the past ten years I have been married to this incredible man...which only makes me more excited to spend many more years by his side.

Happy Anniversary Honey! I LOVE YOU! ~ Danielle