Our Love Story: I'm The Girl Next Door! Now It's Our 26th Wedding Anniversary!

Stacey and Kathi ~ this is our love story. We were married September 10, 1983
Our story begins way before this wedding photo. Let me begin by telling you God told ME who I was going to marry one whole year before I actually started dating him. Let me tell you the circumstances if you have a few minutes to listen to my story. When I was this age I began to panic that I may never meet Mr. Right. There was no prince charming in my life and both of my sisters had wonderful boyfriends. I stewed and worried over this for awhile. I got the sense that I might be an old maid. I decided to pray about this.
The problem I had was I was not interested in the boys who were interested in me. The ones I was attracted to were not good for me. What a dilemma. As I poured my heart out to the Lord about these things, I resolved that I wanted God to make the choice for me. I told Him that if He wanted me to be single the rest of my life I would be for His sake. I prayed that He would be glorified in my life. I decided I wanted the Lord and knowing Him intimately more than I wanted marriage. I gave this desire to Him. As I drive my car I continued pouring out my heart and rejoicing in my new decision. I drove past a little white house which my childhood friend, a boy named Stacey lived. When I looked at that house I remembered that nice boy; my best friend when I was four and he was five. I still had that little black and white photo of the two of us on the steps of that white house. Instantly as I thought these things I saw:
S-T-A-C-E-Y (L-A-S-T-- N-A-M-E) written on my windshield. I knew immediately that God told me I was going to marry this childhood friend, whom I had not seen in years, because he had moved away. I began to laugh. I wrote in my diary that I was going to be the wife of Stacey. I knew it in my heart and nothing could change that. I believed this so much that I told the Lord this, "Since this is true, then I will not need to call him, write him, or go see him. You will make this happen." I waited ONE WHOLE YEAR, and prayed a lot. Then one fine evening the phone rang. It was of course S-T-A-C-E-Y!!! He asked me if I remembered him. Are you kidding? Y-E-S, I do! You are written all over my diary, I was thinking joyously. He asked me for a date the following Friday. Keep in mind I have not seen him in years. I have no idea what he looks like or how he behaves or anything. I knew he came from a good family. That was a long week. My heart did flip flops all week long.
You can imagine how I felt when I saw this tall blonde gorgeous guy drive up to take me out to dinner. No, he wasn't on his motorcycle for our first date. I knew that God had brought us together. As time went by he asked me to marry him and I said , "YES." I asked him if God told him he was going to marry me, and he said, "No, He didn't tell me a thing about you ahead of time. My mom just thought I ought to call you up, and I thought that sounded great." He still had his copy of that little black and white photo too. We both kept it all these years!!
We went back to the same little white house and had our wedding invitation made from the pictures. The front said, "We liked each other then..."
Then the inside said, "We love each other now."
Now we have been married for 26 wonderful years. I'm so blessed to have my sweetie. We went away for a few days to one of our favorite little towns.
We stayed at our favorite bed and breakfast. Stacey let me take him to see "Julie & Julia." I had already seen it with our daughters, but he said he'd go with me. What a great guy.
He loved it just as much as I did. We went to many fine restaurants, wineries, antique shops and decorating stores for me and the Porsche dealership for him (just looking)."Therefore what God has joined together, let no man separate." Mark 10:9 I'm so thankful that God brought us together. I love my husband. Have a blessed day ~Kathi ...and I am so glad Stacey finally noticed me, the girl next door!