Joyeux Anniversaire! pt 1

In May of 2003, a whirlwind of events sparked the earthly relationship I now cherish most.

I had been eyeballing Hunter at some of our area-wide youth group events, but shy little me would never ever make a move!  But I had been chatting about him with my friends, Katy and Ana.  Our Math teacher at the time taught a class at Sulphur High School in the morning and then trekked back to Sam Houston to teach her classes in the afternoon. Well we were chatting one day about a friend of ours (Andrew) who we called Drewbie.  This sparked her memory and she said, "How funny!  I taught a student last year named Hunter Newby!"  Immediately I looked over at Katy and Ana and we all started giggling...so then we had to explain how I also knew Hunter and there might be a little crush developing.

Well, as luck would have it, guess who called Defe (our teacher) that night.  Yep, Hunter.  She always encouraged us to call for any questions about homework we ever had--but the really funny thing was that he didn't even have her as a teacher anymore!  What are the odds that he would call his former teacher on the same night that we talked about him in our class?!  She of course went on to explain to him the conversations we had had earlier that day...oh man.

That was a Tuesday.  Wednesday night, my now brother-in-law, Aaron, thought it necessary to call Hunter and make sure he would be at church--because his girlfriend's little sister Angie would be there and he thought we needed to spend some time together.  These people were killing me with embarrassment!  But Hunter was never phased (he claims he didn't know who I was and doesn't remember seeing me at any of the area-wides.  Now that I know how bad his memory is, I may believe it.  But we talked at every single one!  He always came and stood by me, sat by me to eat--you know, all those little signals that makes a teenage girl's heart go all aflutter!).  That night after church, we went to Wendy's with Mel and Aaron and another friend of ours, Joel.  Before we left, Hunter asked me to his senior Prom--which was a week and a half away!  Now, mind you, my parents had never met this boy; he would be my first official boyfriend/date that wasn't just a friend; and I only had a week and a half to find a dress, make a hair appt, and get daddy's approval!  Well, by the grace of the good Lord, I was able to accomplish all of it.  He came to our SPARK campout that weekend and we got to visit some; he came to the house and met my parents; we talked on the phone every night...and I was able to borrow a dress from my friend, Devon, and miraculously my dad said I could wear it (remember, I had just turned 16, this boy was about to graduate, my parents didn't know him that well, and this dress showed a little more skin than I thought my dad would ever be ok with...).

Anywho, my 16th birthday party was that Friday night before Prom, and it's the night that I got my first kiss :)  The next day, he came to pick me up for Prom, and as we left, my dad told my mom, "Your future son-in-law just left with your daughter."  Daddy's intuition, right?!

So that's how this saga began...  So many pieces just fell right in to place--we could have never orchestrated this on our own, which is how I know with absolute confirmation that the Lord desired for us to be a team.

And that's exactly what we are.  We work together; we make each other better; we trust each other completely; we spoil each other; we have so much fun together; and we love each other unconditionally.

On August 25, 2007, we finally got married--I'll have to share the proposal some other time.  That's a good one too ;)  Here are some of the highlights of that beautiful day:

Our rings in my bouquet

One of my favorite "getting ready" pictures

This one and the next are my two favorite of this little stinker that day.  She loved my slip!  When I put it on she got all giggly and started running into me and hiding under it.  I can't believe she's in Kindergarten now...

She's just telling herself how pretty she looks :)  By the way, this is my oldest niece, Aby.  She was one of my maids of honor.

A dear friend's mom made the handkerchief for me; my in-laws bought me the pearls; and the keepsake garter.

I had always wanted to get married barefoot--so I didn't expect my girls to have to wear shoes either :)

This was one of the sweetest moments in the ceremony.  Hunter's only request was to have "Best Day" played as a tribute to his dad, also his Best Man.  

Another sweet moment that I had planned from the time I was old enough to know I would get married one day.  "Butterfly Kisses" has always been a very special song to me and my dad.  I have always wanted him to walk me down the aisle to the wedding verse of it--so he did.

We finally did it!  We walked back out to the song "This Will Be (an Everlasting Love)"