Happy Birthday To My Amazing Husband

I was working as a youth director at my church when we were invited to attend a Josh McDowell conference.   A group of local churches were joining together to host the conference together for a series of Friday night.   

On that first Friday night I showed up with my group of teens.   We all crammed into a pew together and listened to Mr. McDowell.       My teenage girls, giggly and eyes wide at all the boys around us, were pointing and scoping out the "prospects".    I was getting pretty annoyed at them for not paying attention.     I couldn't have told you who anyone else was in that sanctuary.    I didn't care.    Earlier in the year, I had been engaged to a seminary student and through a mutual agreement we decided to call off our engagement.     Despite the fact the split was mutual, I had no desire to date.   

Following the speaker my girls went into the gym to roller skate, play ping pong and (let's be honest) scope out more boys.    Pretty soon a group of them came running out saying, "You HAVE to come see this cute guy in the gym."     I told them I trusted that he was cute and asked which one of them was trying to get up the courage to go talk to him.      They said, "Not for us.   For you!"     I laughed and said, "No way!"      If you have ever been around middle school school girls.   They don't give up.     "Please, Miss Deanna.   Just come look!      He is sooooo cute!"     

Finally I told them I would come look if they would quit bugging me.    I walked into the gym and there stood the cutest guy I had ever seen playing ping pong with a group of middle school boys.      I tried not to react, but obviously my face showed what my mind thought because my girls started laughing and saying, "We told you!"

I told them it didn't matter that he was cute because I wasn't interested.      What I didn't know was that my little matchmakers were being very sneaky.    

See, each Friday night, two of the youth workers would be responsible for going out and getting the food that the teens would eat following the speaker.       Who do you think were paired together that night to go get the food?      Yes.     Me and my (potential) hubs.      Thankfully, his pastor volunteered to go with us and he did most of the talking during that drive.      

That night after the conference was over hubs walked me to my car.     It was starting to sleet because that was right before the ice storm of 1987.    He was very cute as he asked if he could call me sometime.      Thankfully I said yes which is why I get the privilege of saying...

Happy Birthday, My Sweet Amazing Hubs!
I love you with all my heart!
Thank you for calling me for a 

date that first Valentine's night!
You still take my breath away.