The Story of Us

Warning: This is a sappy love story. Oh, and this is the majorly shortened version. Enjoy!

Brad and I met online. It was January 12, 2006 on a website called hotornot.com (NOT a good website anymore). He requested to be a match and I didn't think he was cute by his picture (it was a terrible picture of him!); he was 28 (almost 10 years older than me -- I've always liked older guys but that was quite a stretch for me) and he was holding his niece, which I thought was his daughter at the time.

I matched him, though, because we had so many keywords in common about God and being a Christian, etc. He wrote me right away and there was just something that was drawing me to him. I wrote him back and found out that the little girl he was holding was his niece and that he and I had so much in common.

After a few emails back and forth, we started chatting on AIM (he sent me some better pictures and I thought he was very handsome, btw). Shortly after that, he wanted my number so he could call me and eventually I gave it to him. Shortly after that, I asked him to get a webcam so I could see him and we could chat that way.

By this point, I was already falling in love with him but when I saw his face, I just knew. We chatted on cam (and phone) all the time and totally fell in love with each other. I eventually got the nerve up to drive to Pensacola, where he was living at the time. We met in the Walmart parking lot (gotta be safe, just in case!) and it was amazing! I knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with this man.

When we were apart I missed him so much and felt like a piece of me was missing. He felt the same way, too. So, I went to see him again and then I told both of my parents about him (my mom already knew); I just couldn't keep my happiness from her.

My stepdad (very much a dad to me) was upset with me but happy for me at the same time. He didn't like the fact that we met online and that I drove from Gulfport, MS to Penscola at the age of 18 to meet a 28-year-old man off of the computer BUT he knew that I was truly in love and that he was a Christian and sounded like an amazing, mature and well-rounded man.

So, Brad drove over the next day to meet my parents in person and my mom ADORED him and my stepdad REALLY liked him ... A LOT. It went SO well! I was so very happy. Brad and I already knew by this point that we were definitely going to get married and after everything going so well with my parents we decided that we didn't want to be without each other again. It was hard living 2.5 hours away.

So, we annouced to my parents THE SAME DAY THAT THEY MET HIM (the day after my stepdad found out about him) that I was going to move out and that we were getting married. You should have seen my parents' face; it was priceless. Haha!

They cried but they were so happy for us at the same time. They knew that he was THE ONE. So, a couple of days later, I packed-up my room and headed out to spend the rest of my life with the love of my life. We got married on March 24, 2006 (less than three months after we met) in Penscola and shortly after we moved to Ashland, Ohio where Brad's family lives.

We lived there for two years and then The Lord led us to move to Maryville, TN where we have been living since October of 2008 and we absolutely love it here. This past March we celebrated our five-year wedding anniversary.

I love Brad more than words could ever express and I am so thankful to God for blessing me with such an amazing husband. I am so blessed to be able to spend the rest of my life with him.

The end. :)

Us then

Us now

Our rings ...

What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate. Mark 10:7