Our Love Story (Her Story)

I feel like I am so out of touch with all of you. I haven't had time to sit down and catch up on all your blogs. I will have to sit up really late a couple of nights this week to visit. Please don't give up on me...I'm thinking of you...there's just not enough time in a day and my blog list is growing!

Thank you all so much for the comments on Jason's story. Today, I will share with you my side of the story. :) (All of these pictures were taken after we were married at different points...we didn't have a camera while we were dating..I guess).
The only one we could find was the picture from my prom (on Jason's post).




Our Love Story (Her Story) - By Tammy

I had also dated some guys within our church, but never felt any of those were the one for me. I have to say that I do have a quality that can serve me well or not-so-well and that is a streak of stubborness. In this case, I guess you could say it served me well. After dating these others, I had set my standards of dating and finding "the one" high. My mom was praying with me and I wasn't settling for any less! I was looking for a sweet, genuine, treat-me-like-a-queen, Godly kind of guy (and if the Lord was willing...it would be really nice if he was really cute too). He had to click with my family too!

I didn't have any idea that anyone was playing matchmaker with us. Nobody clued me in, so I never even knew (at the time) about Jason's first visit to our church. I don't remember seeing him then. And at this point, let me explain about the guy he saw beside me at church on that first visit. We used to date, but didn't anymore. I had been trying to make it clear that we were only friends. Since I was the church pianist, I would lay my Bible and purse in a pew...then go to the piano. Everytime, he would proceed to go sit beside my stuff. That left me with two options...either pick up my stuff and move it and myself to another pew (which I felt was rude and non-Christian-like) or just sit down and hope for the best. I never wanted to hurt his feelings, so I would sit down and move a "safe distance" over (you know to give him the message) and he would inevitably do the whole-stretch-his-arm-across-the-pew-thing. To anyone behind, I'm sure it appeared we were together with his arm on the pew behind me. That is what Jason saw and these ladies knew the whole truth! :)


The second time he visited I remember well. Yes, I was in a blue terrycloth dress and I was very red! lol! My best friend and I had laid out in the sun for 3 hours and we both looked like lobsters! I even had water blisters on my face! Jason and I were introduced and I thought immediately that he was such a sweet, gentleman-like, confident guy (and he was handsome too). I loved that he was taller than me too! (I'm 5'7" and I always wanted a guy to be a good bit taller than me...he's 5'11"). We talked awhile there at church, then he came over to our house after church. It was very common for us to have folks over after a service for fellowship and food. We would all sit around playing music, singing, and talking...adults, youth and kids alike. He fit right in immediately! He sat beside me on the piano bench and sang right along. I remember playing "Love Me Tender" at some point and he and I singing it (that was a little awkward) but I really felt so comfortable with him. I learned later he felt the same way and pretty much knew that was "it" for him and that he thought I had the longest toes! Yes it's true! lol! He said they wrapped around the piano pedal! (He's always teased me about that).


Later that week, he invited me to go skating with his youth group from church. He had a wreck on the way and was late getting there (everyone was ok). He had to go back and get his dad's truck. Now the thing about that was that it was just the one seat and it was Jason, me, his sister (Holly) and her boyfriend....four of us in that truck. So I was sitting pretty close and I wasn't sure how comfortable I was with that. Then I remember on the way home, we dropped off Holly and her boyfriend and my mind was racing as what to do...Do I move over (Then he'll think I don't like him) OR Do I stay here which was really close because we were packed like sardines in there (It seemed way "too forward" for me). So I decided to scoot over just a bit and not all the way. I think in the end it was the wise choice as he really respected that decision. :)

I knew I really liked this guy. We could talk, and talk, and talk...and our values were exactly alike. We were both looking for the same qualities in a mate. He opened the door for me and was so sweet (and still does the same to this day..ALWAYS). I can't honestly say that I knew at that moment he was "the one" because I had to see if he was as genuine as he seemed.

After two weeks, I knew Jason was the guy I'd marry. I never doubted that he was "it" for me, from that point. God had sent me the one he created for me! We dated for almost 2 years. Jason told you about the engagement, so I won't go through that again. My family loved him! My brother loved him. He said he was a nice change to some of the other guys because he treated him so well. It was very important to me that my family loved him too!



I dreamed of a December wedding, but in the end, it just seemed too far away! So, we moved it up to July. We were married at 8:00 in the evening on July 31, 1982, in the church that we met. It was a simple wedding and I do remember my daddy asking me right before he walked me down the aisle, "Are you sure? It doesn't matter how much money we've spent...we can stop this right now." I couldn't have been more sure about anything.



We will be married 27 years in July and I can honestly say that I love this man more today than on our wedding day. I never thought that was possible, but it's true. He's always treated me so well and loved me unconditionally. I look forward to writing the rest of the chapters of Our Love Story. And....I will always be grateful for two ladies that knew we were right for each other and helping it along.... :)



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In a post later this week, I plan to answer some homeschooling questions asked on the comments of Homeschool Open House. I was going to answer them privately, but I thought there might be others out there wondering about some of these same things. So stay tuned! And thank you for all your visits and comments! I enjoy them all so much!