Journal, Diary, & Blogging / Inspiration (Analysis)

Sit back and think for a minute. Literally, a minute.

One minute later... Have you ever done something that you could see, hear and touch but had no control over? I hope you are saying yes because if you're not then this part won't mean anything to you.

Before we were married, I used to go to Publix with my wife and get subs. Oh I love the italian! I'm getting hungry. We'd top it off with some cheesy pretzels and Publix Rhaspberry Iced Tea. Then she would drive us (I didn't have a car) to Seminole Lake which is this park that has nice lakes and a hill that is fun to play on. I think it's a burial mound for the Seminole Indian Tribe, not a grave one but the scrap pile where they threw empty shells and bones from animals they ate.

Anyway, we would park with our favorite lunch and have a picnic while watching kids run up the hill and then roll back down. That would give me a headache now if I tried.

I was halfway finished with my beautiful itlian sandwich when I find myself staring at her great smile. She knows how much I love food and is happy to be spending the afternoon with me. We kissed a few times before but it wasn't anything special I can honetly tell you. Once you get over the excitement in highschool, a kiss is a kiss.

When her soft lips touched mine I felt two locks of hair that always seem to escape the confines of her hair tie. (I coined them as 'tentacles') I just knew something was different, not just about her or our relationship. Life was heading to a very hard spot, I could see the storm coming and was severly stressed over it. But she made it all disappear with one intimate contact.

It wasn't until we finished with our lunch and started driving to our next afternoon destination (I forget where but that's not important) what happened next still brings me to my knees. Before I knew what I was doing, her hand was in mine and I blurted out "we should move in together and get married." Mind you I only knew her for 3 months! I just ended a relationship with someone who was cheating on me and I didn't want anything to do with commitment. But here I was with a girl I barely knew, I asked her to be chained to me for the rest of her life.

I knew that I didn't say it, although once it was said it was a great idea. I was so scared I had her pick out a ring. I didn't want to pick out something ugly.

About a month later I was sitting on a couch next to her dad. Talk about a great guy. A member of the 82nd Airborne, youngest runner ever to run in the Boston Marathon and friends with some of the smartest people in all of Boston's universities. Intimidating? You would think but he has an easy personality and will make constant jokes to amuse people.

He cares nothing about his personal comfort or safety but I was still shaking in me boots! I didn't want the engagement to linger any longer but I wasn't about to tell this man that I intended to Wed his youngest daughter. (We were both 18, pretty darn young) I was hoping I would never have to ask for his daughters hand. A rerun of Seinfeld played in the background, I vaguely remember Elaine: "Putting on new laces, huh?" Jerry: "Yep, these ones touched the mensroom floor."

Again before I knew what was happening my lips moved for me, my brain relaxed and a voice took over. I could hear myself speaking but I don't remember forming the words but I asked him and later that evening I formally proposed to Steph. it was cold, that all I remember and my knee hurt.

We married the following May, after only eight monthsof knowing each other.

Now, what I am saying is pretty clear, God spoke through me intentionally. He redirected my life away from dissaster and saved my soul. At the same time he gave me someone who I wish I could spend every waking moment holding hands with. I could spend every hour of every day with her. We have more in common than I have in any of my other friends or relatives.

The question on the readers' lips is, how long have you been married now? Before I answer that I have to tell you I got asked the same question hundreds of times by different people. "Is the honeymoon over yet?" I don't know what that means but I assume most people are happy for the first year and then reality steps in and they divorce.

We've been married for two years three months and five days, I don't believe a real couple goes through a "honeymoon" stage. My point is, I was smoking cigarettes and drinking every night. I was a complete atheist! I argued night after night with my Jehova Witness friends (which is a form of Christianity, by the way) about the nonexistence and all that.

It wasn't until Stephanie Marie fell into my life during CHRISTmas did I realize how small I really am and how wonderful God is. There is a God and he does answer prayers. I could keep rambling but I'm sure you've had enough now and are not even sure why you read my blog but, there it is.

-Stephen (Yes, Stephen and Stephanie, I know it's cute)

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