On the 27th of July 2002, I was married. On this morning I could not help but .
think about how fortunate I was to have found such a remarkable person. It seemed to me .
that God himself had planned for us to be together. As I made my way to the chapel to .
meet my family and future bride, I thought of all the stories and memories we have .
shared together. I most importantly remember the many times we spent together talking .
and getting to know one another. She often recalled events throughout her childhood that .
inspired her life. All of these things together made her the exceptional woman that I fell .
in love with.
My wife was born in Louisiana. Her parents were married out of .
high school and started a family right away. The values she was taught are typical of .
southern families, the most important being religion, education, and family. She was .
introduced to religion at a very young age. The church became a permanent fixture in her .
life and she enjoyed the lessons that were taught there. The best part was that her family.
was there, it was something they did together. The people she met there also helped to .
influence her life. It was at church that she made many friends. During her adolescent .
years she was awkward and shy and making new friends was never an easy process for .
her. At school the other kids made fun of her because she was smart and always had her .
nose in a book. She was the shortest kid in school and felt unattractive. She felt a natural .
desire to belong and fit in with other kids her age. It wasn't long before she realized that .
the friends she had at church were different than the kids at school. They accepted her the .
way she was and she was grateful that there was no pressure from them to try and change. .
In fact, many of her friends from church became lifetime companions. It was because of .
these friends that she developed a wonderful personality. Also, the many teachers taught .
lessons not only about the Bible, but also about life.