18 years ago on this day, Kyle proposed to me! I was an 18 year old just 4 months into my freshman year of college. He was 19 and a sophomore. He lured me to his house, somehow. I seem to remember him claiming he was sick & wanted me to come over & hang out instead of going to the varsity basketball game in Pennfield. So I get to his house (in Vermontville) and he comes downstairs all dressed up and has flowers for me. I was sitting in a chair in the living room, his dog Vinnie was sitting by my side looking for attention. I remember being shocked at the fact that he was 'supposed' to be sick but yet he was dressed up and giving me flowers!? He got down on one knee in front of me and said lots of wonderful things and asked me to marry him! (I always wished I had a recording or something to remember exactly what he said) The ring was beautiful, a heart-shaped diamond that I had admired when we had looked at engagement rings for fun one day. Kyle worked very hard at Bob Evans and Big Boy during that first year and a half of college to make enough money for that ring. This was a great indication to me of what a hard worker and provider he was. I was the happiest girl ever (still am)! The plan for the evening had been that I would pick up my brother from basketball practice and we would head to the varsity game in Pennfield where our families all were. We didn't want to walk into the game and tell everyone and have it be a big scene, but we didn't want to go to the game and pretend nothing had happened cause we were so excited. So we picked up Lee and headed to Charlotte. We ate dinner at Wendy's (remember we were starving college students) and went to see The Santa Claus at the theater in Charlotte. We were waiting at my parents' house when they returned home from the game. They weren't too happy because they were really worried about us and why we hadn't arrived at the game. This was before cell phones!! But after we told them our news they were excited and all was well.
A lot of people thought we were too young to be engaged...and we probably were. I know it wouldn't be my first choice to have Gavin engaged at 18 or 19. But we were confident in our love for each other and just knew that we wanted to be together, forever. We had a long engagement (18 months) and got married on Aug. 10th, 2006. Our vows included the traditional, "for better and for worse, in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, forsaking all others as long as you both shall live" (not sure if I have that all correct, just going from memory). We've been through a lot since saying these vows 16 years ago. But I know we've only experienced just a fraction of what God has in store for us. He is so good to us and has seen us through some wonderful times and through some rough and trying times. The thing is, we're never promised that life will be perfect (although most of the time it seems pretty close to it) but we are promised that God will walk together with us and give us what we need. I am very thankful that God has blessed me with Kyle. He is an amazing man who loves God, loves me, loves his children. He lives everyday in a way that demonstrates honesty, love, trust and integrity. As I have told his parents several times, I am thankful for the fact that they raised a man who upholds all of these characteristics. So especially during this cancer journey, I am blessed to have Kyle right there with me every step of the way. He is rooting for me and appreciating my baldness in the same way I have appreciated his for many years now:)
Thank you Kyle for asking me to be your wife 18 years ago, I love you!
