Joey and I met through friends at the church he grew up in. I was the new girl in town and let me tell you... I DID NOT want to date this boy. He tried and tried and tried to get me to go out with him and I ignored him, dodged him at church, and I'm ashamed to say that I even stood him up!!!
Now don't get me wrong, I thought he was incredibly good looking, very polite, chivalrous, and well, he obviously liked me... and I was just mean. That's all I got... no excuses.
I was working at a Lexus dealership and Joey came in one day and asked for a 'tour'... yeah right. I gave him a tour and in return he gave me a ticket to the Rascal Flatts concert that was the next weekend. I took the ticket... and didn't show up.
Again... no excuse.
A few weeks later my mom was in town and came with me to a friends' house for dinner and that was the first time she met Joey. Mom loved him right away! She and I were shopping the next day when he called me... and I pushed 'ignore'.
Still... no excuse.... and this time Mom wasn't too happy with me.
SO... one night Joey dropped by Lexus 5 minutes before I left for the night and asked me out to dinner. I was caught off guard and had run out of excuses so said "why not" (nope, he couldn't even get a 'yes' out of me!). We walked out to his truck, he opened the door for me, and as I hopped up to get in ... I SLAMMED my head into the door.
Nice, huh? That's what I get.
He was polite enough to walk VERY slowly around the car to give me a minute to recover. So much for a great first impression... oh wait! I had already ruined any chance for that :-)
Joey didn't give up. We went to an amazing Italian place for dinner and had a PERFECT first date... and we've been together since :-)
Joey proposed to me 1.5 years after our first date. We were helping my parents move into a new house and he was sharing a room with my brother. He came in my room early in the morning (umm... like 8:30) and sat on the edge of my bed with a moving box and said that my mom wanted me to open it so she knew where it belonged in the new house.
I threw the box across the bed (WHY IN THE WORLD did he keep putting up with me?!). Nope, I'm not a morning person. In my defense, Joey knew this and this was all part of his master plan... thanks, babe.
Anyway, he recovered the box and I realized that a big family Bible had fallen out of the box... and it was open to 1 Corinthians 2:1
"... each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband."
I looked up and Joey was holding the most beautiful ring (that was originally tied to the place-marker in the Bible but ended up lost in a sea of packing peanuts when 'someone' woke up grumpy... Joey was frantically digging it out when I was reading the verse and trying to wake up and put it all together).
To be honest, I can't remember all that Joey said but I did hear the words "marry me"... and that was the most important part :-) When we came out to the kitchen we were greeted by my teary mom and dad and my excited brothers.... and an hour later in came my aunts, uncles, cousins, and some friends for the most wonderful (and VERY well planned) engagement party!
Joey and I were engaged for 14 months and were married on the most beautiful Southern June day!
(Us and our first baby, Biscuit. She passed away when she was 1.5... 30 days before we brought our second baby home... Hannah)
He is my Prince Charming. He is my rock. He's a dreamer, full of integrity, attentive, and he is the most amazing Daddy! Joey sacrifices so much for me to be able to fulfill my dream of staying home with our kids. He works hard... but he plays harder :-)
Joey and I became parents over-night... we brought Hannah home with 13 hours notice, after 2 years of 'trying' and 3 months of 'waiting' (with our agency). We didn't have time to plan, prepare, discuss... but he fell into his role like he was made for it! And he is. Watching Joey and Hannah together makes my heart melt... she's a daddy's girl and I wouldn't have it any other way.
(Our first family picture)
Our family isn't complete yet.... and Joey has much more "Daddy" to give. I simply cannot wait to see our family fully together and complete, at last.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BABY! Hannah and I love you more than Reece's Peanut Butter Cups... and that's a whole lot!
I love love love your story! What a good man. ;o)
ReplyDeleteI am bran new to your blog, and I must say, I love your story and all that you are doing!! You have a wonderful looking family, such a blessing! I look forward to stopping by more!
ReplyDeleteTake Care,
Jaclyn
He IS a good man :-)
ReplyDeleteJaclyn~ Thanks for your sweet words... I'm so glad you're here :-)