I wanna grow old with you...

Now for all of you that enjoy hearing/reading "love" stories, this one is for you. This is my personal "love" story....probably won't be the best you've ever read, but it still gives me the "giddy" feeling just thinking back to how it all began......

Back in the 8th grade a group of my friends and I went to watch Saving Private Ryan...why we picked that movie, I have no idea. I couldn't tell you anything about it to this day, and I obviously don't recall it being very interesting, at least not enough to watch it again; however, I will never forget that was the movie we chose to see at that particular time on that particular night. Why you might ask? Well, that was the night, that I first saw the "boy" that I would later fall in love with and marry. I remember telling my best friend Jill that night, "He's sooooooo cute! I want to marry him someday!" I found out all that I could about him besides the obvious--his gorgeous green eyes and dark brown hair--he played baseball and attended Ada High School, and was a year older than me. I (probably) bugged my friend that night at the slumber party, constantly bringing him up, wondering if I would ever run into him again, wondering if there was a way to find his number, and if we did, if either of us would have enough guts to call it. The next night, I went home and even wrote about it in my diary....yes, I was one of those girls (and yes, I still have it!). Eventually, I stopped obsessing about it so much; if it was "meant to be" it would be....I secretly kept wondering if I would see him again and if I did, would I even recognize him? Once again, I had only seen him one night at the movies for approximately 5-10 minutes--and we didn't even talk...he had no idea that I even existed!

A few months (maybe?) later, I was at a Junior High cheerleader sleepover at my friend April's house...it just so happened that one of the girls knew Chad and had his number...I'm not sure how much persuading I had to do, but I got Jill to make the phone call. Unfortunately, his dad answered, and said he was at the movies. I was thinking, "Man, this boy likes the movies!" and "Bummer" that I made the attempt and it didn't work. Once again, I thought, "Well, if it was meant to be, then it would happen."

Well, about 2 years later, who walks into our church with a mutual guy friend? Yep. Chad. After that, it wasn't long before he started attending regularly with his girlfriend at the time. I kept thinking, "Okay, this was the guy that I "knew" I wanted to marry in 8th grade....so God why are you bringing him back into my life when he's with someone else?" WELL, as you all should know, God has his plan and his timing for everything. I'm not sure exactly when Chad finally realized I existed, but I'm sure glad he did....even if it took him a lot longer to realize than it did me. :)

We started dating when I was 16, got engaged when I was 17, and we married when I was 19. Yes, I know, I know. I was so young; I've heard that more times than I can count. But when you know, you know, and that's all I can tell you. After graduating college, getting big boy/girl jobs, and being married for almost 5 years, we were blessed with a sweet handsome little boy, Chalin Cale. Today, June 14, we are celebrating our 7th Wedding Anniversary. Where has the time gone? I love you Chad, more today than when I first saw you at the movies in the 8th grade. More today than when you asked me to marry you after Cheerleading State when I was seventeen. More today than our wedding day. More today than EVER, and I can't wait to grow old with you. "Grow old with me. The best is yet to be."

And now for a few verses from one of "our" songs....

Let's Stay Together--Al Green

I'm, I'm so in love with you
Whatever you want to do
Is alright with me
'Cause you make me feel, so brand new
And I want to spend my life with you

Let's, let's stay together
Loving you whether, whether
Times are good or bad, happy or sad

A few of my favorite love songs:

1. Let's Stay Together--Al Green
2. Grow Old With You--Adam Sandler
3. You are the Best Thing--Ray Lamontagne
4. A Page is Turned--Bebo Norman
5. When You Say Nothing At All--Keith Whitley

p.s. I'm in search for old pictures to scan from when we first started dating and our wedding day. As soon as I can scan them, I'll post them!