The story of us in 99

1. They were born 3 years 23 days apart...
2. he in Tennessee...
3. she in Arkansas...
4. they first stood in the same room in 1978...
5. but didn't know each other...
6. they instantly connected...
7. she felt love at first sight but didn't want to admit it...
8. he fell in love with her too and decided to pursue her...
9. they met off and on for the next 5 months...
10. he brought her pink roses...
11. she wasn't home to get them and felt bad about it...
12. he told her "I'm in love with your legs"...
13. and she said "unh huh"...
14. he got on her nerves...
15. but he didn't give up...
16. she agreed to a date and he smiled...
17. their first date was February 9, 1979...
18. he called her every day when he got home from work...
19. she waited impatiently by the phone for his calls...
20. her heart jumped when it rang...
21. on March 9, 1979, he proposed...
22. she said yes...
23. he gave her a ring for her 19th birthday...
24. she proudly displayed it on her finger...
25. and dreamed of their life together...
26. 4 months 11 days later, they joined in marriage...
27. her Uncle Jimmy performed the ceremony...
28. he said I DO and she said FOREVER and ALWAYS...
29. they joined their hearts and became a family...
30. and moved into their first tiny apartment...
31. they welcomed their first born son into the world...
32. and 2-1/2 years later, they were blessed by a second son...
33. they learned what it meant to be husband and wife...
34. and learned that no parent is perfect...
35. and raising children is challenging and rewarding...
36. they created traditions and adventures...
37. like going to "BR" for banana splits...
38. the Mid-South Fair and eating "potato things"...
39. creating nicknames for each other...
40. and those special looks between just the two of them...
41. they tightly knit together the threads of their family...
42. with shared respect and joyful laughter...
43. the weekends became filled with sports...
44. t-ball and baseball...
45. karate and boy scouts...
46. soccer games and hockey games...
47. they planned new journeys...
48. to Opryland in Nashville...
49. and the Smoky Mountains and Pigeon Forge...
50. the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and the Capital Building...
51. Navy Pier and the Sears Tower in Chicago...
52. the top of the Empire State Building...
53. the Statue of Liberty and a broadway play...
54. Shiloh and Chattanooga and other places...
55. each new adventure creating precious memories...
56. they like steak and macaroni-n-cheese...
57. he makes fun of her cold hard potatoes...
58. and she makes him brownies, hot from the oven...
59. they watch movies like Die Hard, Top Gun and Ferris Bueller's Day Off...
60. they lazily spend hours watching JAG re-runs...
61. and sleeping with cats all over the bed...
62. one day they realized that they had grown apart...
63. hurts were thrown at each other's hearts...
64. they almost split up...
65. neither one knowing how they got there...
66. but, then they went on a christian retreat called Faith Walk...
67. she in 2009 and he in 2010...
68. it changed their lives...
69. in time, they decided to start fresh...
70. but now there would be rules...
71. and God would be in the center of their marriage...
72. and Christ in the center of their hearts...
73. it was better than he remembered...
74. and sweeter than she could ever imagine...
75. they have each learned lessons on forgiveness...
76. and having faith and complete reliance on the Lord...
77. he still brings her roses, picked straight from their yard...
78. and she proudly puts them in water and thinks about him all day...
79. they live each day in gratitude for what God has blessed them with...
80. and they are working on building a strong solid christian marriage...
81. they are enjoying adventures and growth...
82. shared laughter and secret words...
83. things like f/a and 2 shades of a grass blade...
84. he is passionate about hockey...
85. and she likes to scrapbook and read...
86. they have moved into a new phase of their life...
87. and enjoy serving at church...
88. spending time with their family...
89. new trips and memories along the way...
90. he is planning an anniversary trip in the fall...
91. and she is wondering what he's up to...
92. they now laugh and grow and love...
93. each and every day...
94. and look forward to the next 50 years and beyond...
95. he is still in love...
96. and she is still head over heels...
97. together they ponder what tomorrow will hold...
98. they create goals and dreams and trust in the One who holds their future...
99. for they know their story is just beginning...