02/22/10

Nineteen years ago today I had my first date with Steve. Those nineteen years have gone by quite fast.

When I posted my questionnaire about Steve and me last week I had some people "beg and plead" for the "story." Well, there are actually many stories in our life that I'll share in the coming days, but I'll start with how we officially met. It is priceless..... lol

Steve had been going to our church for a few months and had been newly saved. He would have been in my "College and Career" Sunday School class but was in a discipleship class since he was a new Christian. Their class came to our Christmas Sunday School party in Dec. 1990 and since I wasn't dating anyone I went with Kevin! ha!! I noticed Steve that night but didn't say anything to him. (You all may not realize this, but I am actually a bit shy around new people. I have to be animated when I meet new people in my job, but it takes me some time to warm up to strangers normally....) Anyway, later he told me that he thought Kevin and I were dating. I can understand how he would think that because Kevin and I look nothing alike.

Well, fast forward a few weeks. I was sitting in Sunday School, which was then in a side wing of the church. Steve passed by me sitting in my normal seat on the left side because I am such the creature of habit and when he did I noticed his eyes... they were blue... and he was cute. :) (He later told me he noticed how brown my eyes were... aren't we just sappy????)

Fast forward a couple more weeks.

It was Sunday, February 10, 1991. We had just finished church and were greeting someone new at the front of the church. I turned around and there he was standing in the pew behind where I was standing. He said these famous words, "Hey, I'm Steve. You're Kellie, right? Well, how old are you?!" ha!!!!! I immediately respond, while fluttering my eyelids at him, "I'm 19, but I'll be 20 soon!" He then asked if I would like to go out, etc... (During this conversation I had to let him know he'd have to ask my Daddy if he could take me out... this was to a 23 year old.)

Oh, we have had some good laughs over those lines through the years!

Well, at that moment, I just knew he had asked me to marry him. Oh, yes. We were gonna get hitched in the next week.

Daddy said I floated out of the church that day and to the car. I believe him. The thing that makes me laugh is the memory of Kevin saying to me "Wouldn't that be funny if you married Steve Fowler?????" He said this because our first cousin on my Dad's side is named "Steve Fowler!"

That week I waited for him to call. It was near Valentine's Day. I had envisioned a dozen red roses delivered with a message of "All My Love, Steve...."

Well, he called one night and we talked for a bit of time, but there were no flowers and no mushy gushy. In my mind I figured he could not resist such a wonderful, caring, lovely person.

Yeah, right.

Fast forward a few days to the next Sunday, February 17. I had told my best friend at the time ALLLLLL about him. Basically, I decided we should begin planning that wedding! Well, as I had turned in the pew and was talking to her, in walks my "husband to be".... ON THE ARM OF ANOTHER CHICK.

Yeah, you heard right. My "man" was "two-timin'" me.

Now, let's remember here... was he "officially" my "man" yet? I think not. Did my mind think so. Oh, yes.

My face fell as low as the deepest crevice in the ocean. I could not believe he had asked me out and then brought another chick to church.

I was being reallllly spiritual that day, wasn't I????

I was so mad and steaming over this fact that I don't recall ANYTHING from the message. (Let's just say at that point in my life and even years later I had lots and lots........ and lots of growing up to do!)

I found out later that the day Steve asked me out was the day after his uncle had passed away and he met "CHICK" at the funeral later that day. Her name was Martina. I still am not fond of that name. lol

Boy, wasn't HE blessed to have two women pining over him at once?

He did call me that week. We set a date for February 22, 1991... he would come over to our house and meet Mom, Daddy and Kevin before we actually went out for our first date.

He came over to Mom and Dad's, in mid-winter, in short sleeves and no coat. The man was nervous. lol We enjoyed hanging out and getting to know each other and at the end of the evening he had to officially ask Daddy to take me OUT somewhere. Poor Steve... he had to go "under fire" with Daddy causing him to do some squirmin'. Daddy gave his blessing and the next week we went to Mazzio's Italian Restaurant. I was so nervous I could barely eat my lasagna. Steve must have felt majorly comfortable after what he went through asking me out and he said, "Are you going to eat all of that lasagna!?" I, of course, said he could have it and he proceeded to take the plate and enjoy the rest. We have laughed about that a lot, too.

Our first date began the "ending" of the relationship with the "chick" and three weeks later he decided I was the only woman he could handle. (I'm sure he has felt like that many times through the years. lol)

I am blessed that the Lord brought us together.

I am blessed because he's what I prayed for....

I am blessed because he's mine.