Meetings, Marriages & Memories

Well, I think this will be my final chapter of how I met and married my wonderful husband. I have so enjoyed participating in Rachels MM&M carnival!!! Who doesn't love to read about a love story? And what I love is how God brings us together in unique ways!!! No one story is the same!!

To read part 1 of our story go here, part 2 go here and part 3 go here.....

......when I left you last week, I had just told Steve that I wanted to marry him and he had basically just nodded his head......because inside his head, he was thinking "she is just infatuated"!

Well, it only took about a month for Steve to realize I was right!!! (you'd think he'd remember that more often! ha!)

Steve's grandfather came to visit Steve right after that. Steve did not grow up with a father, so his grandfather had a huge influence in his life. One night, we were watching Steve play softball. His grandfather and I were in the stands together and he turned to me with a smile and said "you kind of like that guy, don't you?!!" It took me off guard b/c Steve had said that his grandfather always told him "get an education, get a job, buy a house and get married when you are 30"!! But Pete and I really hit it off and I enjoyed getting to know him!!

Neither of our parents had met the other by this time. They both lived in different states. But over Thanksgiving, Steve took me home to meet his mom. I wouldn't say that I was too nervous (I think I was too much in love to really worry about it) on the way up, but when I walked into their house and saw pictures of Steve's HS girlfriend still on the walls......ya, then I got nervous!!! Thanksgiving was to be at Steve's grandparents house. When everyone got there, Steve's grandfather grabbed me and took me in the main room and announced "I want everyone to meet my prospective granddaughter!" I nearly choked!!! And I am pretty sure Steve's mom did! :)

However, we had a great weekend and on the way home decided that at Christmas we would talk to each of our families and kind of set up the idea of us getting married.

Steve got up for breakfast the first morning he was home and was sitting at the table with Pete, trying to decide how to bring up the subject of us getting married, when Pete looked at him and said "when are you brats getting married!?!" So much for easing into it! ha! Pete always loved me (he passed 1 year after we were married) and was our biggest supporter!!

It was a little different with my parents. I think they were happy for me, but they had only met Steve once (before we were dating). As a parent now, I can only imagine how hard that was. How do you get excited when you don't know the person? They tell me now that it was hard, but they had to trust me........wow!

In January, my best friend got married back in my home town. Steve went back with me, knowing he was going to ask my dad for his blessing to marry me. Before the wedding, we spent a few days up at my parents cabin skiing with my family. The first day up, Steve found some time alone with my dad to talk to him and told him of his desire to marry me. However, my dad did not answer him!!! He did not give him his blessing!!! I couldn't believe it.....he didn't say no, he just didn't say.........WHAT?!!! We went through the whole day on pins and needles wondering if he was going to talk to us or ignore it.

That night at dinner, with my brother and his wife joining us, my dad asked everyone to join hands while he blessed the meal. In that prayer, he gave his blessing for us to get married!!! It was beautiful! But the tears in my eyes were not only from happiness........my brother who was holding my hand (we are VERY close and I had not told him yet) squeezed my hand so hard I almost cried out! I knew he would be upset that I didn't tell him, but I wanted dad's blessing first. Unfortunately he would take it out on Steve the next day on the slopes.......

My brother is an expert skier and Steve had only skied a few times before. Steve is an athlete and so had picked up skiing quickly. However, unbeknownst to me, my brother took him on a double black diamond run....the hardest on the mountain. As Larry skied up to me at the bottom of the hill, he hugged me and said "he's ok! I approve"...............this with Steve NO WHERE in sight!!!

He did finally make it down the slope......apparently he tried valiantly to keep up with my brother and at one point hit a mogle, did a flip in the air and kept right on going, thus gaining my brother's respect and a place in our family!

We married the next July and this year celebrated our 25th anniversary. I love this man so much and each day am more thankful that God brought him into my life. I'm so amazed each year that our love grows deeper.......it seems it is as deep and wonderful as it can get and then God takes it to a new level!!!

I am truly blessed!