The Love of my Life...

Feburary 4, 1994...a night that would change my life forever and for the better!

My last post was pretty negative and down. I hated to have that as my most current post and so I have been thinking about what to blog about and it occured to me that tomorrow will mark the 17th Anniversary of Joel and I being together as a couple. I know - sort of weird that I would remember the exact day that we started dating but it was definitely a non-conventional story and so I wanted to share!

Joel and I truly were best friends before we ever started dating. I would talk to him about everything and ask his advice about everything as well! I even asked his advice about guys!! Ha ha!

Prior to our dating, Joel realized that he cared a lot about me but wasn't ready to admit it. So, in order to deny it - he would attempt to avoid me! One time, I called the Student Center at Wayland and asked Joel's roomate Will (who worked there) who all was at the Student Center. I was just trying to decide if I was going to go down there or not. However, Will told Joel I was on my way and what did Joel do? He hid behind the Big TV down there!!! I arrived with some of my friends and we began playing pool, cards, and just hanging out. We were there well over an hour! Guess where Joel stayed THE WHOLE HOUR? Yep - behind the stinking TV!!! Ha ha ha - to this day I think that is hilarious!!!

Anyway, on February 4 1994 there was an all night Lock-In at one of the local churches for the college students. I had gone with several friends and Joel was there also. Like I said, we really were close friends and so I knew the things that irritated him or perhaps I should say PEOPLE that irritated him. Yes, it's true there are very few, but Joel does have people that rub him the wrong way! Well, there was one girl in particular who had a MAJOR crush on Joel. She literally would stalk him and call him and pretty much bother him insestantly. She even paid over $200 at a date auction fund raiser to go on a date with him - Joel being the kind tenderhearted guy he is endured it and was so kind to her!

If you know me - you know that I have a habit of stating what I think and then thinking it through later and often I have to appologize - this was no exception! At the lock-in this particular girl was literally following Joel EVERYWHERE! Finally, at one point I caught her away from her and decided to help my "friend" Joel out. I walked up to her, with my friend Sharon by my side, and asked her why she was following Joel all the time. Her response was something to the effect that it wasn't my business. So, what did I do? I matter of factly stated "Joel and I are dating so you had better get used to it!" Ha ha ha!!! As we walked away, my friend Sharon quietly asked me how I was going to tell Joel this. Um??? Hadn't thought about that!

So, I found Joel and I told him that I had told this girl that he and I were dating. Joel smiled and just said - "Ok. We're dating." I know - REALLY romantic right? Ha ha ha!! Thus began our official dating relationship! Our first official date was to see the "Lion King" - wow!!!

We had many ups and downs in our relationship - breaking up not once but twice (note: both times he broke up with me but that's another story), death of my sister, loss of our neice Brianna, etc. Yet, one thing I can honestly say - Joel truly was and remains both my accountability partner and my prayer partner. He has always been my steady helm when the storms of life rage.

Working with teens, we are often asked how we knew that we were "the one" for each other. Joel will say that he knew from before we started dating - which is what scared him I think! For me, it was the death of my sister. When I got the call about Sherri's death on November 3, 1994 - Joel was right there with me. Not only that - he dropped everything at college, despite being advised to not come, and drove me the 8 hours to Pagosa to be with my family. He was there during the funeral planning, the tears, the emotions - all of it! I knew that if he could walk through all of that with me - then I couldn't live without him!

Our engagement is another unconventional story that I will share on that special day (yep - remember that one too!). For now - let me just say that the past 17 years have been AMAZING and I am so incredibly blessed. Joel keeps me laughing, he holds me when I am crying, and he is the calm in the chaos! He is an incredible Dad and puts his family first above all else!!!

I love you babe and look forward to 17 more wonderful years as a couple!!!