15 flowers, 10 months, 5 cows and a diamond ring

It was the first week of Jan. 2007 when I first saw my husband. I had been looking for a church and had finally decided to check one out in LeClaire. Being the shy person that I am, I really didn't want to walk into a new church all alone, but somehow I mustered up the gumption to go.

That first Sunday, as I sat in the sanctuary, it came to that part of the service where they pass around the offering plate, and as the ushers began to pass the plates, suddenly I noticed a guy, one of the ushers that I had not noticed before. He had been back in the fellowship hall preparing for a meeting, so I didn't see him until he handed me the plate.

I didn't actually get to meet him until the next week. This time I noticed him sitting over to the side, and that he was actually one of the sound guys and was sitting in the sound booth. When the time came for "shaking hands," he came over and introduced himself. If I really remember correctly, I was all in a fret that day because it was snowing outside and I was worried about driving home. My car handled terribly in the snow. I don't really remember much other than that. If you ask him, however, he claims that he took my distraction as being "blown off," and that he was mildly heartbroken. Apparently I was not quite as friendly as he had hoped I would be.

By the 3rd Sunday I went to lunch with a family that took several of us "college/career" age kids out to lunch, including this guy. Of course, I sat by him. After some awkwardness, we started talking. I found out that he owned cows, he had a farm, he had tractors, and to top it all off he worked for John Deere! Being raised an International girl, this raised some potential concerns, however, I decided for now I would let this go. I thought it was kind of coincidental that I had just started thinking to myself how I might like to marry a farmer. I claim to have actually known after talking with him this day at lunch that he was the man I was supposed to marry. I wasn't completely convinced of course, but I had a hunch.

It wasn't long before we started emailing back and forth. Somehow he got my email. Later I found out that he got my email by going and finding the visitor card that I had filled out the 1st Sunday I was there. I guess being a deacon had its advantages. He invited me to come to church on Wednesday nights and said he would save a seat for me, which of course he did. He also asked if I wanted to pray with him (this is what they do on Wed nights), and was the first person I ever really prayed with one on one like that.

Shortly after we started emailing, he invited me to a get together that he was having for the college/career age class. I went of course. I found out that not only could he cook, but he had a nice house and even a John Deere tractor in his garage. This event was on a Sunday, so most of us hung out there that afternoon until it was time for evening church. Back at church that night, a couple of our friends that Kev usually sat with decided to invite me to sit with them so that he could sit by me. But do you know what he did? He sat somewhere else that night! I couldn't believe it! I guess he wasn't interested after all. (Later on I found out that our friends informed him that they were trying to "help a brother out," so the next time I sat with them, he was sure to join us).

But then, there was the Super Bowl party. This was at the house of the same people who took us all out to lunch. As we were sitting eating, he mentioned that he would be up in my area for a wedding and asked if I would like to grab some lunch. I of course agreed. We went to an Italian restaurant up in Clinton called Rastrelli's. I sometimes joke with him that this was actually our first date, but really it was meant to be more of a casual lunch. Again, conveniently, he was a deacon so he could always say he was just taking me out to lunch as a courtesy rather than to see if there might be something more there if it didn't go well.

Now here's my favorite part. We had went out to Rastrelli's on a Saturday, February 10th, 2007 to be exact. The coming Wednesday was of course Valentine's Day. As I was sitting at work that day, I suddenly heard someone come in the front door that had a delivery. Several people in the office were getting deliveries that day, I just didn't think I would be one of them. As the receptionist called me up, I went, picked up my 3 pink roses, and brought them back to my desk. I was pretty sure I knew who they were from, but had to make sure. It wasn't long before the receptionist came wandering back to my office, wondering who the roses were from. My parents? No...(Seriously, my parents?) A friend?....Uh....A guy? Uh.....well....

That evening it was back to church. As I walked in the door, the were several people in the foyer bustling about how they had heard Kev on the radio. I didn't really catch why he was on the radio, nor did I happen to see the dozen roses sitting on a table with my name on it that he had won on the radio. After we got done praying, somehow or other the radio came up. As we were talking about it, he finally brought it to my attention that there were another dozen roses sitting for me on the table in the foyer. They were beautiful orange/red/yellow roses. Come to find out he had been listening to the radio on his way to work that morning and heard that they were giving away a dozen roses to the next person that got to the place on time. So what does he do? He floors it, flies into the parking lot, takes out an old lady, and gets the dozen roses.

That night after church, he walked me to my car and asked if I would go out on a date with him. Apparently, my "sure" response was not exactly what he was hoping for, but it was close enough. By that time he was so cold you couldn't tell whether he was shaking from nervousness or freezing, and I was so cold I just wanted him to hurry up and ask already!

Our first date is a whole different story that I will have to share later. Let's just say it involved a very interesting restaurant and a very pointed discussion where I told him he better lock the doors before I tried to jump out.

In March I was going back to meet his parents. By then he had already met mine.

In June we were engaged. My first response was "give me a minute" as I was hyperventilating. Finally I caught my breath enough to say "you know I will." He responded with, "Is that a yes?"

And December 29th, 2007 we were married.

And that's our story.