Today is my birthday.
One year older. But wiser? Not so sure.
Last night we went out to celebrate.
Just me and my man. No kids. No diaper bags. No strollers.
No waiting for the hostess’ mouth to fall open at “table for 10 please.”
It was just the two of us.
We had a lot to celebrate.
Last week was his birthday.
Today is my birthday.
And tomorrow marks 13 years since the day we met.
In a bar dance hall.
Evidently he spotted me across the room. In my cowboy hat and ridiculously tight Rockies.
It was a country western bar, folks. In the middle of Texas. And I was working a 13 stall barn in my back yard during the day, so I was sort of a cowgirl.
And it was 1997. Need I say more?
Anyways, he asked me to dance.
And I said yes, as I did most offers to dance at that dance hall. I love two-stepping. And it was the kind of place where dancing was just that. Dancing.
This particular song turned out to be a waltz. Which wasn’t my favorite step, honestly. But the song was a great one, I love me some George Straight.
You Look So Good In Love, to be exact.
So we danced.
He was out to impress and worked hard to show off his waltzing skills. I, however, wasn’t interested in his skills. I just wanted to dance. And so when I asked him to take smaller steps, and he, er, didn’t comply, I politely declined his offer to dance a second song.
And I walked off the dance floor.
Because, I wasn’t looking for a husband.
I wasn’t looking for a boyfriend.
I wasn’t even looking for a date.
Chris was in town for a week, visiting a college buddy. This friend had watched from the sidelines at the ‘swing and miss’ and thought it was probably time to leave.
Chris didn’t think so.
He walked up to our big group of ladies and asked me again. This time much more humbly.
I accepted.
And I’ve been saying yes to him ever since.
We went on a few more dates together. When I could manage a babysitter.
Then he went home, far away. 22 hours by car.
He wrote me letters.
He called me every day.
My girlfriends thought it was crazy. That he was ‘too good to be true’. That I was nuts for even believing that our relationship might actually become something.
Two weeks after he left, he told me that whenever I was ready, he wanted to marry me.
As only God could fashion, Chris was called up for a 45 day-stay at a training base. Three hours from me.
He drove in every weekend. And he’d take me dancing.
He got out of the truck into the cold December night and got down on one knee.
And asked me to marry him.
And that’s where our love story really begins.
This is going to stand in for my usual Sunday Snapshot this week. Because it’s my birthday, and I can do that if I want to, right?
So, link up when you’re ready…. the inlinkz will be open now through Monday night to account for the holiday weekend. Hope you all have some wonderful plans to celebrate the 4th of July, I know we’ll be watching lots of fireworks and eating lots of bbq and potato salad, if things go my way 😉
My favorite Snapshot from last week was Nancy’s from Ordinary Miracles and the Crazy 8. About her oldest daughter, her post was lovely, and beautifully transparent. And there is some seriously cool sun-flare goin’ on in her pictures.
Oh, I loved that! It's like Pioneer Woman, without the cattle ranch.
Happy Birthday, and Congratulations on finding happiness when you weren't even looking:) Great story.
Happy Birthday, gorgeous! Thanks for sharing the story, it was so fun to read. Hope your family has a great fourth!
Oh my gracious, that took my breath away! What a riveting story of romance at its very best…you had me hooked on every single syllable.
Happy Birthday!!
Happy Birthday!!! I loved your story!!! It is too good to be true!!! That was soooo sweet. Now I have a few questions… Were you married before? What made you start adopting from China after you already had 4 children? Whose idea was it? Would you go back again? Can you tell your story about your wedding and show pictures??? Sorry for so many questions.
Sharyn
Stephanie,
So cute! My daughter's Ninth Birthday is today too! And we are celebrating too! Also my husband proposed to me at an airport. We were sitting on his hood of his car watching the planes land and take-off (we were parked near the strip) and he got down on his knee. I guess we have some things alike. 🙂
First, Happy birthday Stefanie! Second, aaawwwww…that is soooo sweet. I love guys who just KNOW…I love them so much I married one also. He proposed after 4 weeks, bought the ring after 2! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Happy Birthday! Hope you had a wonderful day!
Awwwwwwwww! Happy Birthday! I think yours is, hands down, the BEST love story (short of the Bible, you know).
Happy Birthday! And what a great love story. I also wanted to thank you for posting the link to the Tea collection with the promo code. I was able to snag a dress for my girl for 13 BUCKS! I love me a good bargain.
Gin =)
Happy Birthday!! Haven't heard anyone mention *Rockies* in years!! lol
Glad y'all got a date night!!
What a sweet story. Happy birthday you two!
Janet and gang
Ahhhhhh…..I love a happy ending! 🙂 Happy Birthday to you both.
Happy Birthday to the both of you!! What a lovely dancin love story!
Wow, pretty girl. I actually teared up. Cause I know how tough life can be. How tough LOVE can be. How sometimes things CAN seem to good to be true, and then God, in all His God-ness, shows up just in time to prove that HE is God and WE are not 😉 And he makes the perfect love story……..
Happy Birthday and I hate to ask, but what are Rockies?
xoxoxox,
Sara
What a beautiful, sweet, romantic story!! Gave me a few goosebumps too!
Happy Birthday to both of you!
(yeah, city girl here, what ARE Rockies??)
Hugs!!
Patricia
what a wonderful love story:) a wonderful beginning….
blessings and more birthday wishes my friend! Ashley
Happy Birthday!
Ok..want to see old pics of your cowgirl days. 🙂
Doesn't God write the world's best love stories? (And you do a great job telling yours.)
Happy birthday, Stefanie! Thanks for the blessing you are to so many.
Much Love,
Kathie
Happy birthday Stefanie, how do you always manage to look so beautiful with all those kiddos??
Beautiful love story, what a great guy you have and of course he's equally as lucky to have you!
Thank you so much for sharing this intimate story. True love is such a heavenly gift. Happy birthday to both of you and savor the love.
Nancy
PS- Thx so much for picking my Sunday Snapshot! I'm flattered! It's been fun reading through all of them!
Happy Birthday Stefanie!! That was a great story…no matter what else is posted on Sun Snapshot, in my books, you win this week!!! My parents have a very similar love story & they will celebrate 50 yrs together in 2011.
Happy Birthday! I just have to know WHICH dance hall. Being a Texas girl, I believe I've visited them all…and our meeting and falling for our guys are so parallel it's crazy!
What a beautiful story – and happy birthday!
Happy Birthday! What a great story.
and they lived happily ever after….
SWEET!
Happy Birthday!! What a fun love story!! I met my hubs in Texas too!! When I was just 18 and he was 19!! We did a lot of 2 steppin'!!
Happy, happy birthday!
Happy Birthday Stefanie!
What a wonderful beginning to your romance with your hubby!
Blessings –
Cathy
Happy Birthday and what a beautiful love story!! May you have many more years of dancing together!!
Sue
Happy Birthday Stefanie!!! It sounds like ya'll had a beautiful night. You sure do have a beautiful love story!!!!
What a great beginning, looks like it was totally meant to be! You two make a stunning couple.
Happy Birthday Stefanie, thanks for sharing!
Dianne
so sweet! Happy Birthday.
Ashley
Beautiful love story. Happy Birthday and Anniversary….and everything!
I love this story!! And Happy Birthday..to both of you!
Happy Birthday Stefanie and to Chris too! I love your little story. I love how he knew right away. I love how Chris did not give up even though you refused his second request to dance. I love that he pursued you even though you had a child (some men would have been afraid, right?). God DID send him to you:)
You seem very blessed with a lovely God-centered marriage and family and really what moe could a girl want?
Opps meant more. No coffee yet and I ma a terrible typist.
Sweet story! I bet it's funny to think about "back then" and "now"! Have a truly happy birthday!
All the best,
Nicole A. in OH
Happy birthday to a very special person! Blessings to you and your precious family!!!
Loved reading your story!
Shay
Happy birthday! Hope you had a wonderful day!
Oh and where and when can we donate what we pledged to AOW?
What an absolutely precious story…I love the way you told it too. And Happy Birthday!!
Happy birthday, Stephanie!!! Thanks for sharing your love story. God's stories are truly always the most beautiful, yeah? =0)
Wow, what a wonderfully God woven story! I too met my man when he lived out of state ~ thankfully just eight hours away…
And despite how unlikely it seemed, God kept the door open!
Happy Birthday, and Happy "meeting your man" day!
Happy Birthday, Stefanie! Thanks for sharing such a great story and photos.
Blessings,
Monica
Happy Birthday!! What a great story! I thoroughly enjoyed it. 🙂 My husband and I had a long distance romance, too, after meeting at a Christian camp.
Love the story! So sweet!
The 3rd was my Momma's birthday too!!
That was such a great story. Thanks for sharing.
What a beautiful love story! Brought tears to my eyes! And how could Chris NOT know once he met you? You are absolutely beautiful – inside and out!
Happy birthday Stefanie!
Such a truly sweet story! Wishing you a wonderful birthday Stephanie.
Happy Birthday (belated though it may be as I was on vacation and missed it….sorry 🙁 ).
Thanks for sharing your incredibly sweet love story of how you and your husband met. I love it!