A Love Story

It has been requested (and I love requests, because then I don't have to come up with something new and clever) by my sweet friend 'Carlston' (I'm all about the anonymity since my blog is not private) to share my love story. So here it goes...

I graduated from highschool in 1996. My husband and I are not highschool sweethearts. We did not really know each other at all, which was probably better off since I was sort of snotty and he was sort of country. Anyway, I ended up moving around a lot in an effort to figure things out. (This is all another story, definately for another day) It should be said that I did have some very kind people come into my life and I will always appreciate what they did for me, even if I was not able to necessarily show it then. I think I was looking for love, maybe looking for 'home', I don't know what but definately in search of something that I thought I might find out in the world somewhere. I lived out and about for about two years. I met a lot of people and had a lot of fun but soon began to realize that what I was missing was not going to be found outside. I met some really nice guys and dated around a little, but no one seemed to be headed in the same direction as me. Not that I was headed in some great direction, I was not in college and I was a hostess at Chili's, but I guess I was just looking for more. Who knows? I didn't know what I wanted I just knew I wasn't finding it.
I ended up back home in Georgia. (meanwhile, Josh graduated highschool in 1997) I was doing the whole Singles thing in church and still just dating around. I remember after one date (that was a perfectly nice date) my friend asked me if I would consider going out with the guy again. I said, "He seems like a really nice guy, but I just don't think he will love me the way I want to be loved." I didn't know exactly how that was supposed to be, I just knew that guy wouldn't do it.
Then my best friend, Leah, said, "You know who I see you with? Josh." I said, "Really?" It got me thinking...hmm...maybe...
So, the next Sunday, I sat next to him at church. (In a seat that apparently he had been making sure was kept open for me.) The teacher had brought apple slices for a little treat for us. I'm not a big fan of apples but I took a bite off of one and then decided I didn't want it. I offered the rest of the tainted apple to Josh. He took it and ate the rest of it no questions asked. This was it. I was in love. I had found the man that would be able to love me just how I wanted. How could I have known that just because he ate an apple slice after I had already bitten off of it? I don't know, I shudder to think of what my life would be like had he not eaten it.
We got engaged after 4 weeks of dating. He never did the whole one knee thing. Remember, he was only 19. We just decided we were in love and we should get married. We were married 6 months later. That never should have worked out. I tell ya, that first year was very tough. (again, a whole nother story that will never be shared)

But it did, and 9 years and 4 beautiful kids later we are still very much in love.