My Valentine

More pictures at the end :)

  I am such a blessed girl! I have a husband who is my protector, provider and my best friend. We have been through a lot since we started out two young puppeteers in our youth group. 
   Dave and I met when he was 9 and I was 7. Our families went to the same church growing up. When I turned 13, I got to enter the church's teen group. We had an active group that traveled doing puppets and music ministry. During a fun game night, Dave & I were voted most shy boy and girl of the group. For some reason, I think it was part of a game or something, I had to hold his hand that night. He was a tall strong farm boy with thick strong hands. I NEVER forgot that feeling! I had never held a boy's hand before! Or felt the way I did while holding it! We all had such a fun time in that group. 
   Unfortunately, our church had a split and our family stayed and Dave's family left. We didn't see each other until I got a call  almost 3 years later from one of the youth leaders that had left, but continued the puppet and music ministry. They were calling to see if I was interested in joining the team. I went to one of the Bible studies and saw a lot of familiar faces from the old group. Including Dave! His parents were also leaders of the group.
   We became fast friends. I had many scars from when my dad had left our family and from other life circumstances, but we worked together so naturally through everything and before we knew it, we were committed to staying together. 
   We were committed to God and doing things His way, so we relied on him throughout our 3 1/2 yrs of dating. We got married when I was only 19. We started on a family right away. We will be married 20 years this year! We have been through 3 babies, a child who needed heart surgery, a cancer scare for both of us, back surgeries, unemployment, 4 moves, health issues...and yet, here we are still standing (not always perfectly) but still best friends and in love with each other.


   What is the key? I believe the key is nurturing our FIRST LOVE and by that I mean that each of us had a love in place before we loved each other. Each of us had a committed relationship with God. We relied on Him to make the match, and we rely on Him to keep us matched. That doesn't mean there aren't hard days...there are. It doesn't mean we don't argue...we do. But what it does mean, is we take the fact that we took a vow before God to "Love in ALL things"
   When it gets hard, we lean on our First Love to maintain and work out our love. Giving up is not an option, besides, Dave has seen me at my best and worse...he was the face I saw loving me through the birth of our 3 babies.....his was the hand I held waiting to see if I would hear the words "it's cancer"....he is the man I have set up house with 4 times....he's the one that still sends me silly little messages on Valentine's Day. Why would I want to give up on all this beautiful history?

   I am so thankful for my First Love that makes it possible to extend love to my husband and children.

Do you know him?

Everyone has at least heard John 3:16, but it's more than a sign at a sporting event...let it pierce your heart.

For God so loved the world (that's you) that He gave is only son (Jesus Christ), that whoever (that can be you) believes in Him shall have everlasting life!

Watch this:

   God loved you enough to pay the price of all your sin (and mine) with the life of His only son. Jesus was willing to be beaten and crucified, to have His blood spilled to pay the price of your sin (and mine). The power of God raised Jesus from the dead, and is offered to you through the Holy Spirit. All you have to do is ask.....Have you asked? The Holy Spirit is close by just waiting for you to ask Jesus to come into your heart.

It's the best Valentine ever!

One of our Halloweens while dating: Scarecrow & Dorothy

Our Wedding Day 10-10-92

Our 1st son Cody's 1st Family Reunion

Going to a friends wedding

Christmas'11