The Wedding Party
the Best Man helping Dad out
The Bride
With my Parents
With Jerry's Parents
Surrounded by handsome Wood men
Bird Seed Shower
Our Departure
The Bride
With my Parents
With Jerry's Parents
Surrounded by handsome Wood men
Bird Seed Shower
Our Departure
Seventeen years ago today Jerry and I were married at Stillwell Bible Baptist Church in Clarksville. We had been engaged for 5 months, had dated for 5 weeks, had known each other for about 1 year! But of that year, 6 months passed with no contact.
We met at State Special Olympics, each encouraged by an acquaintance--Jerry knew him as the basketball coach at U of O, I knew him as fellow member of the Area 4 S.O. committee. On the second day of the competition, I was returning to my team of students. There was this gray-headed man standing under the bleachers, right where I was going....no one else was around....and I couldn't turn around and go the other way. It would have been awkwardly obvious that I was avoiding him, so I just accepted the fact that I was going to have to talk to him. So, we introduced ourselves, I thought he was handsome enough, he tolerated the conversation, and we went our separate ways. Months passed and our mutual friend asked me if Jerry had called, and I told him "no". When he would talk to Jerry about basketball, he would ask if he had called me, and Jerry told him "no".
Then, in November, Jerry was asked to come to U of O to referee a high school pre-season tournament. So, he decided to call and see if I would be interested in going to dinner followed by the tournament--to watch him ref. Since my best friend's son was playing on the Clarksville team, I accepted, knowing I would have friends to sit with during the games. It was a nice dinner, nice conversation, fun games, and a nice time with my friends in the stands.
The next week, I had to return some items to the Special Olympics storage unit in Fort Smith, so I called Jerry to see if he would be willing to meet me there and help me unload the items. He accepted, and took me to the Red Barn for dinner after we unloaded my car. He came to church with me the next Sunday, stayed for lunch, stayed for dinner.....and well, 5 weeks later he asked me to marry him--and I accepted.
I accepted...with a couple of assurances....#1, he would have to go to my parents home and ask them for their blessing, and #2, he had to understand that divorce would never be an option for us.
Shocked as my parents were, they gave their blessing. And by the grace of God alone, we are celebrating 17 years of marriage today. It has not always been easy, it has been things I never expected or anticipated, but it is exactly where I want to be for the rest of my life. I love you, Jerry, with all my heart. Sometimes you frustrate me to no end, as I do you. Sometimes I wonder how we can be so happy together. Sometimes I have a hard time remembering me before you. But always, I thank God for bringing and keeping us together.
I hope you enjoy these pictures of our special day.
We met at State Special Olympics, each encouraged by an acquaintance--Jerry knew him as the basketball coach at U of O, I knew him as fellow member of the Area 4 S.O. committee. On the second day of the competition, I was returning to my team of students. There was this gray-headed man standing under the bleachers, right where I was going....no one else was around....and I couldn't turn around and go the other way. It would have been awkwardly obvious that I was avoiding him, so I just accepted the fact that I was going to have to talk to him. So, we introduced ourselves, I thought he was handsome enough, he tolerated the conversation, and we went our separate ways. Months passed and our mutual friend asked me if Jerry had called, and I told him "no". When he would talk to Jerry about basketball, he would ask if he had called me, and Jerry told him "no".
Then, in November, Jerry was asked to come to U of O to referee a high school pre-season tournament. So, he decided to call and see if I would be interested in going to dinner followed by the tournament--to watch him ref. Since my best friend's son was playing on the Clarksville team, I accepted, knowing I would have friends to sit with during the games. It was a nice dinner, nice conversation, fun games, and a nice time with my friends in the stands.
The next week, I had to return some items to the Special Olympics storage unit in Fort Smith, so I called Jerry to see if he would be willing to meet me there and help me unload the items. He accepted, and took me to the Red Barn for dinner after we unloaded my car. He came to church with me the next Sunday, stayed for lunch, stayed for dinner.....and well, 5 weeks later he asked me to marry him--and I accepted.
I accepted...with a couple of assurances....#1, he would have to go to my parents home and ask them for their blessing, and #2, he had to understand that divorce would never be an option for us.
Shocked as my parents were, they gave their blessing. And by the grace of God alone, we are celebrating 17 years of marriage today. It has not always been easy, it has been things I never expected or anticipated, but it is exactly where I want to be for the rest of my life. I love you, Jerry, with all my heart. Sometimes you frustrate me to no end, as I do you. Sometimes I wonder how we can be so happy together. Sometimes I have a hard time remembering me before you. But always, I thank God for bringing and keeping us together.
I hope you enjoy these pictures of our special day.
1 comment:
I am trying to update my blog since I've been MIA for the past year--you should do the same! :)
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