How We Met

I am sorry I have been away for so long.  Something was wrong with our connection, so I was not able to get online.  All is well again!  Anyway, here is our "How we met story".  I love reflection on how I met the love of my life!

In July of 2005, I went with a group from Jacksonville Baptist Temple (Jacksonville, Arkansas) to the

annual COEBA conference. I was so excited about everything I had heard about what was going at
Crossroads that I decided that I would attend the conference that year, no matter what. The Devil put many obstacles in the way ( someone broke into my car, I ran into a pole and made a big dent in the front of my bumper, didn't recieve my paycheck from my paper route, etc, etc.); but with a little encouragement from Mrs. Patterson, I went. Contrary to popular opinion I was not on a man hunt. I even considered wearing a fake engagemnet ring to cause everyone to think I was taken; but I didn't. (aside from the fact that would have been lying, Bro. Avant strongly encouraged me not to:) Anyway...we went to Raleigh, NC for the conference and had a blast!



On Tuesday ( or Wednesday) there was a singles luncheon planned at the Mayflower. I had decided that I was not going to attend; but being that my car was the other girls' mode of transportation, I had no choice. Just before we left, my friends and I were introduced to a group of gentlemen whom we would be following to the restaurant. Once we arrived, this tall, dark, and handsome guy in a marine uniform (from the afore mentioned group) opened my car door and escorted me into the restaurant. At this point I was reconsidering my determination to leave the conference single. We sat together at a group table and chatted. Or should I say...he chatted. Nice guy; but we didn't click. After a while I left the table to go speak with my girlfriends and use the ladies room. A few moments later it was time to go. Right before we left, this other guy (who was standing right in front of Mr. Marine uniform) ask if he could speak to me after the service that night. I said sure and walked on. (I found out later that we had been introduced earlier that day, but I didn't recognize him. He told me later that when we were introduced that I didn't even look at him.)



That evening we talked after the service. He was a friend of a guy who was engaged to my friend Heidi from Texas. He said he had heard about me from him and we sort of told our testimonies to each other. Then he asked me to lunch. I told him he would have to talk with Bro. Patterson, as he was acting as my pastor for the week I was away from home. No problem. We (Bro. and Mrs. Patterson, Raymond, myself, and about six other ladies) went out for chineese the next afternoon. We had a good time. I like to eat and he paid, or at least tried to- Bro. Patterson paid for the meal for everyone - so it was fun. As we were leaving he asked if we could have lunch again the next day - just the Pattersons and us. I said sure; but he never showed up to pick us up. I thought he must have changed his mind; so I had lunch with everyone else and didn't think a thing about it.



Come to find out, his car (Red nisaan truck of many years which he called Esperanza) died. According to him, it had never broken down before. That day it broke down on the way to the conference, and the battery in his phone was dead. So he just sat on the side of the road for hours until his pastor came by. He was able to wave him down and hitch a ride with them to the evening service. This was Thursday - the last night of the meeting and the next morning we were scheduled to leave. We were running late, so we sort of rushed into the service. About five minutes into the service I realized I should have used the restroom. about two and a half hours later - no exaggeration- the service was over and I ran to the restroom. Just as my hand touched the door to the womens restroom, I heard someone call my name ( or at least try to!) To this day I can't remember how he pronounced it. I turned around and it was him. I went over to him and he quickly explained what had happened and ask for my phone number. I very rapidly wrote it down for him while telling him that if he was not going to be a preacher that he shouldn't bother wasting his time or mine; and I went to the restroom.

Well, I didn't hear from him for about two weeks, then he called me. He also sent a picture of himself ( in his best suit) to our house. He said he wanted to give me time to get settle back in before he called. Anyway, we continued to talk. I moved to Louisiana to teach, and we continued to talk. The weekend of hurricane Katrina, he said he was going to come and visit me. It was also the weekend that Heidi, my friend from Texas, and her fiance were getting married. We said we would go to their wedding together. I didn't think he would be able to make it because the weather was so bad; but he made it (we weren't able to go to the wedding though). We had a good time - this was also the weekend of our birthdays - they are four days apart - so we celebrated them together. At Christmas I flew to NC to visit him. His mother and sisters also flew to NC from CA for the visit. We had a blast. On this trip we pretty much solidified that we loved each other and wanted to continue our relationship. In February, he came to see me again. We drove to OK to visit my family and attend the Sweetheart Banquet at OBC. Feb.9th we were engaged. July 28th, 2006 we were married. Today we are still very happily married and expecting our first. THAT'S ALL FOLKS!



Hope you enjoyed my version.



Tinyla