I Met Him on D-Day and We Had Our First Date On December 7, 1996:  The Date that will Go Down in Infamy!

Having survived an abusive childhood and a really abusive first marriage, this single mom was not seeking out a love connection – that much was true! I finally decided that going out with friends for a night of country dancing and grown-up socializing was OK. Little did I know on that warm night, June 6, 1996 I would meet my soul mate!

Call it what you will, but it was a moment that was meant to be. I typically did not ask men to dance, but something tugged my heart and I went over and asked my future husband for a dance. I must say, I was quite a site; emerald green Justin boots, matching jeans and a striped western shirt and let’s not forget the boot earrings! Yup, I was decked for the occasion. We danced more than once and at the end of the night, he asked for my name and he would call me. 

Well, that took me by surprise!

In a hurry, I gave him my maiden name, because that was not the entry in the phone book (keep in mind, it is 1996 way before everyone having a cell phone). Whew, I dodged that bullet, because seriously, I was not looking for a man that night! I still recall crying all the way home. Something deep in my soul knew that I had met my happily ever after. 

I remember thinking about the tall blonde blue eyed guy I danced with. Would I see him again? Then, with a jerk and some attitude of “I don’t need no man,”  I would shake off the silly notion and go back to reality. A few months passed, and I never ran into him. I decided it was truly just a silly coincidence.

Then it happened! I was working and there he was! Tall, handsome, blonde and blue eyes leaning up against my desk asking to use my desk phone. Well, yes of course by all means, use my phone! He was doing a remodeling project and my desk seemed to be his choice for using the phone over the next couple of weeks. I would smile the rest of the day and think only of him.

Speed up to November and back at the same place I met my handsome future husband, we met again. He confessed that he tried to find me in the phone book. I sweetly asked, “what last name did I give you?”  He said “what do you mean?”  Well, I more than likely gave you my maiden name and it is not that way in the phone book. I reached in my purse and took out a pen and wrote my number on his hand. 

A whole month passed and we finally had our first date. I was so sick with a cold, I really should have cancelled, but I  just wanted to be done with it – after all, I certainly was not interested in a man! Why would I be? I had already been through hell with one and I had two kids, this was not going to be a forever thing just a few hours. 

With my attitude the date was not very exciting. My friend made me report in and I told her “It was perhaps the worst date ever!”  She made me promise to go out again when I was over my cold. 19 years later – I guess you could say the rest is history!

Life can be wonderful again. As a survivor of a lot of bad stuff, I am now a very happy wife and mom and I am so very glad we kept running into each other! On D-day I was bold and asked him to dance, and December 7, 1996, we had our first date. I believe in my heart God gave me strong messages that we were to be man and wife. I am so glad I listened and surrendered to what God wanted for me! The lesson for everyone is this; God has a plan and a reason for your journey, have faith and in the end it all works out!