John David Pate-3years old

James Daniel Pate-3years old

Sunday, October 25, 2009

17 years ago...


It was 17 years ago today that I met this handsome, wonderful young boy by the name of Rob Pate. It was a junior high homecoming date with a group of friends when we noticed each other. I had never seen him, nor had he seen me. I guess you could call it love at first sight, but a young love sparked in the halls of Erwin Junior High and grew into what we now share as a lifelong love for each other. I remember the day he knelt down in my downstairs playroom and asked me to be his wife and love him forever...we were 14 years old. We were the best of friends, inseparable and completely infatuated with each other...and still are today, October 25, 2009. We have been through many life experiences together. High school and college, marriage, kids, careers...I couldn't imagine any other human in this world that could satisfy my every earthly need as my precious loving husband does. I am so proud to be his wife, to serve him and love him and share our days together raising our family. I pray each day that God would continue to bless our marriage and strengthen our relationship as we continue to live life honoring HIM. Do I believe in fate, most definitely. I truly believe God had a plan for us to meet, form a friendship, fall in love and commit to each other in Holy Matrimony. I have to end this post with a story that confirms how much we are meant for each other. You know how old people who have been together their whole lives can finish each others thoughts and sentences? We'll of course we do that, but today as we were grocery shopping with our five beautiful children (and three grocery carts), we stopped in the freezer section. I am trailing behind Rob and Claire and Ellie (they are pushing two carts) and I have the third cart toward the back. I picked up some Great Value brand frozen veggie medley with red peppers, asparagus and potatoes. It looked like something new we've not tried before so I grabbed it to ask him what he thought, As I approached Rob in the front of our assembly line of children, he held up a bag of frozen veggie mix (GREEN GIANT ROASTED RED PEPPERS, ASPARAGUS AND NEW POTATO MEDLEY)....He had picked up the same exact thing (just the name brand version) and held it up at the same exact time...Seriously?!?! That is crazy how we do that and it happens almost daily. He takes words straight from my thoughts and I do the same. Call it a connection if you will, but we are so meant for each other. I am his FIRE and he is my ICE... what a perfect combo!

I love you Rob and cherish our days together. I will never forget the memories we share from all those October 25ths we shared together as our "anniversary" until we wed. You are an amazing man and truly my best friend in the whole world.

Dana

4 comments:

Shelly Powers said...

what a sweet sweet story... but i have to know more... at what age did ya'll get married and what did your parents think when yall were getting engaged at 14... thanks for sharing...

Mika said...

Very very sweet. I know you know that your love is one of a kind. Not very many people can say that they met their husband\wife\soulmate in junior high, and are still in love. Obviously God's planned was fulfilled with the 2 of you together, and continues to be played out....daily! Very happy for the 2 of you and know that you'll have 17x eternity more together! Love you and your sweet, precious family! You are so dear to my heart!

Trina said...

What a beautiful story! Everything about your life, from you & Rob, your children, and especially your faith, is absolutely beautiful. God has truly blessed you!

Isn't it wonderful to have that connection with the person you love? John will say something that just crossed my mind, or I'll say something he was about to say-odd stuff that we weren't even talking about.

I have to say that I feel OLD! 17 years ago, John and I were planning our wedding, and y'all were just babes. :)

Tricia said...

Happy "late" anniversary! Thanks for sharing your story... I hope you had a wonderful anniversary celebration!

Blessings!