Miss Goody Two Shoes and Party Boy-30 years later

 

I never should have been in the bar that night. It was like going into the grocery store when you haven’t eaten all day.

Everything looks way better than it really is, and you gravitate towards the stuff that isn’t very good for you.

And so it was the night I met my husband.

 

It wasn’t love at first sight.

To the contrary, Keith’s roommate Kevin had accompanied him that August evening, and I started dating him.

Well, we dated until he grew bored with me and moved on to greener pastures.

I was unaware Keith had been biding his time for just that, patiently waiting to ask me out.

Halloween, 1980, was our first date. (The picture above is from the following year.)

We may have been the only couple not in costume, but it didn’t matter—we were on a different planet anyway.

I had never felt a fit like I experienced with Keith as we chatted, laughed and danced the night away.

From that point forward we were practically inseparable, and as of today, February 26, 2013, we have been married thirty years.

Who knew I could love someone so deeply and without reservation, and who would love me back for who I was?

 

I had cried and railed for years for such a man.

Why can’t I find a guy to love me for me? Why can’t any of them see the me inside? Why do men have to be so stupid and only look at the outside, and pick a woman based on that? (Not that I was sensitive about being almost fifty pounds overweight. . .)

Nonetheless, I kissed many frogs, but the magic never happened.

Until that first date with my future hubby.

 

As I look back on our marriage, I now see how God had answered my prayers when the time was right. While I thought it was always no, it was just not yet.

As I wrote previously:

We joke about how we would have not given each other the time of day in high school if we knew each other then because he was a party boy and I was a goody-two shoes girl.

However, by the time we met a few years later we saw something more in each other, even though all my family saw was one more young man destined to quickly exit through the fast revolving door of my love life, this one just a little different from the rest, being dressed in leather covered jeans, sporting a pierced ear, driving a purple Jeep and  owning a Harley.

 

Yet, here we are, and I love that he loves me for the real work in process me, that he is willing to converse and listen, that he is a great dad and a friend to our daughters, that his sense of humor has kept me laughing for years, that he saw and sees in me what I sometimes don’t see in myself, that he encourages me to grow into my best self, and that he is my absolute best friend forever.

I know marriages are never perfect.

However, I have been blessed to be part of a large, stable and happy family with parents who have been married over fifty years, and Keith’s parents were married for forty-five prior to his dad’s passing away.

One of my God-sized dreams for Keith and I is that we, too, will continue to grow in our relationship, and be role models for our daughters and others in our lives, just as my parents and his have been role models for us.

 

Happy Anniversary, Keith, my best friend and confidant, my partner, encourager and supporter, the calm to my storms, the love of my life!

 

What are your God-sized dreams for your relationships?

 

Sharing at NOBH, Finding Heaven, Holley Gerth, Happy Wives Club

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Comments

  1. Happy anniversary!! I, for one, am quite happy that things worked out for the two of you :)
    Alexis recently posted…Baking up a storm: an introduction to sourdough starterMy Profile

    • Me, too, honey buns! I still have a copy of a scrapbook page you made in honor of one of our previous anniversaries hanging on my bulletin board. Makes me tear up every time I read it. :-)

  2. I LOVE it, Kim — please add a recent pic!
    And congrats on 30 years. That’s quite a milestone and one that doesn’t come without a lot of work (says she who’s coming up on 26 yrs)
    Susan recently posted…A Decision That Broke My HeartMy Profile

    • Thanks Susan, and congrats on 26. You are right-it is no small feat!

      Recent pic…. Just went rummaging and came up empty. You’d think that just returning from a vacation in TN that we’d have pics of ourselves, but it’s not the case. :-) I’ll see if I can find something more recent than 30+ years old! :-)

  3. Cute Halloween picture, I loved hearing your story.
    Sis recently posted…God Seems To Cut The Legs Off Of Husbands When It Comes To Headship In MarriageMy Profile

  4. Congrats, Kim! And what a sweet and inspiring story you’ve shared with us. I love how you model the kind of “perseverance in love” that we all need to strive for in our marriages. And by the way, I love the old pic! He kind of looks like Johnny Depp–so you did good, my friend! haha! Great thoughts here as always, Kim!

  5. Johnny Dep-heh! I’ll let Keith know. :-)
    He is a keeper, for sure.
    Thanks for stopping by, Beth, and taking the time to share your thoughts!

  6. Aww, Congrats, Kim…how simply marvelous! I’ve been thinking how our marriage of 21 years is God’s gift to me and to our girl…love that picture of the two of you…have you given your talk yet?
    Dolly recently posted…New life and loss at Carmel BeachMy Profile

    • Congrats back to you for 21 years, Dolly! I haven’t done my speech yet-it is scheduled for March 19th. Thanks for keeping me in your prayers!

  7. Hi Kim,

    So happy for the love and the life that you and Keith share together. Truly an inspired story.
    Joel Boggess recently posted…FYV 190 How do I Publish a Kindle eBook?My Profile

  8. Happy Anniversary! Congratulations on 30 years, here’s to 30 more!

  9. Your love story sounds so much like my own. My hubby and I did not find love at first sight either. I had the biggest crush on his best friend so I just started hanging around the group until I realize the better man was not the one I originally had my eye on. I was a goody to shoes and he was a party boy but I wasn’t as good as mom thought and he wasn’t as bad as she thought. Now 25 years later we are both just us together being the best we can be showing the good, the bad and even the ugly. Happy Anniversary !!!!!!

    • What a sweet story, Amy! I just love how you tell it. Isn’t it funny where we end up? Thanks for sharing, and congratulations on your 25 years!

  10. Dan Thompson says:

    Ohhhhhh you two! Congrats, and keep up the good work!

  11. Happy Anniversary, Kim! What a lovely story!
    Auntie Em/Melinda Stanton recently posted…Why Unity?My Profile

  12. Long live the 80’s! Love that picture -so fun to remember isn’t it?

    Happy Anniversary and May God Bless you with 30 more better than the first!
    Stacey recently posted…Becoming God’s Writer Mom with Tricia Goyer {A God Sized Dreamer}My Profile

    • The big hair, bad clothing choices of 80’s. They are fun to remember, Stacey-I know my daughters get a real charge out of our photos from that period! Thanks for coming by and your blessings!

  13. Great love story:) Happy Anniversary! Love the picture…it really is true, “opposites attract.” My hubby and I are complete opposites. He’s the adventurer, dare-devil type and I am the one who keeps my feet on solid ground. We are going on 15 years. It’s been a difficult ride, but God is helping us grow in ways we never thought were possible.

    God brought us together and is still leading the way:)

    • Congratulations on your 15 years, and continuing to grow in your marriage! I think it’s really neat how we can learn from our spouses. Are you more adventuresome than before you were married? Has your husband changed? My husband was and is a great organizer who tends to stay calmer than I. Over the years, I have learned to be much more organized, and work at being calmer. Good growth, though not always easy!
      Thanks for commenting, Hope!

  14. Oh my gosh. This will go down as one of my favorite posts of all times! I love this love letter to your husband and I love how you describe your courting and your wonderful 30 year marriage! My God sized dreams for a relationship? It actually looks a lot like the one you have. Hopefully in time? Thank you for the inspiration! xo
    ilene recently posted…Miles to Go Before I Sleep – Fierce Diva Anniversary EditionMy Profile

    • I always love seeing you here Ilene. You make me smile so! I am so humbled and thrilled to be part of your encouragement, and thanks for your kind words. I pray for the relationship you desire! <3

  15. Happy 30th anniversary, Kim! That is a HUGE milestone. Congratulations!
    Fawn Weaver recently posted…Awesome Bloggers Wanted! {& Link Up}My Profile

    • Thanks, Fawn! I just can’t believe how quickly it passed.

      Our oldest has been married for almost 3 years now, and wrote to us prior to her marriage: “I know that for your anniversary, I’m the one that’s supposed to be giving you something. But really, it’s what you have given me each time that you celebrate an anniversary that’s important. Every year since I was born, you both have taught me so much about love-how to make it work, the importance of compromise, and also about taking time for yourself. ….If children do indeed learn what they live, I have learned how to love and be loved from the best possible teachers.

      Makes me tear up every time I read it, and am thankful daily for my marriage and my parent’s example, and how we have impacted the next generation.

  16. aw, you two look perfect together, lol :-)
    happy anniversary! what a perfectly sweet tribute you’ve written. a recognition of the work & dedication it takes to make a marriage what it should be—and also what a beautiful blessing it can be. love it!
    have a blessed day, kim!
    steph
    HopeUnbroken recently posted…a few short words. . . from a mamaMy Profile

  17. Jumping up and down, clapping, and singing, “Happy Anniversary, Happy Anniversary….haaaaaappy anniversary!!!” Such a sweet post!!

    • Ha ha! Thanks for the delightful lift, Christine! It is much needed this morning after being up waaaaaay past my bedtime for the Allume twitter party last night.

  18. I love that you shared your own story for the God-sized dreams story week. My hubby and I had a similar story, except it was me who liked his friend and then we ended up going to a play and being the only two there of our whole group of friends. The rest is history! :) Although he does joke with me about how I told him never to kiss me again when he was a gentleman and kissed me on the cheek after a non-date! But I digress…. Suffice to say, I love the way God unfolds His dreams for us with such a knack for surprise and humor!

  19. …And they live happily ever after! That was a very nice and inspiring love story! Happy anniversary Kim and Keith! :-) Nice picture.. and oh your husband looks like Johnny Depp too!
    Mai Bateson recently posted…Awesome Bloggers Wanted! {& Link Up}My Profile

  20. Thanks, Mai, and welcome to our happy corner of the universe!

  21. First, Happy Anniversary to your knight in shining armor. I always enjoy a good love story and this was sweet. I have similar thoughts about my man. We have been married for 45 years and it does keep getting better. I really enjoyed this lovely post.
    Blessings to you both!
    Living Waters by LeAnn recently posted…A Few Life Regrets and Resolutions~My Profile

    • Wow-45 years! Congratulations, LeAnn, on your marriage! Thanks for sharing that it really does keep getting better. It’s important for us to let younger women know how rewarding marriage can be!

  22. Happy anniversary! The story of how you met made me smile and recall the day I met my hubby. We, too, met at a bar, and were in our own little world that night, and have been together ever since. I found you through NOBH, and am now following your blog. Have a great day!
    Shandy recently posted…How to Banish the “Junk” from Your Junk DrawerMy Profile

    • Ha ha-So you found your true love in an unlikely place as well! Glad to hear you are still together. Thanks for coming by and following, Shandy. Just love NOBH, don’t you? There’s lots of great blogs there.

  23. Happy Belated Anniversary! What a great pic and a wonderful story!!
    Lisa recently posted…S.M.A.R.T. Goals & Living Beyond RichMy Profile

  24. Reading this a year later, this just made me smile!! Not just your picture but the love I hear permeating the entire post!! Reminds me of Alpha Hubby & me, too – I remember telling him “I’ve never dated a nice boy before. I’m not sure I know how without messing it up.” Then after a few months of marriage and talking (we married 7 weeks after meeting), I discovered he was just a redeemed bad-boy – his “old man” was baaaaad like the bad boys I’d been drawn to in my youth! That makes him SO much better (the redeemed part) and we still laugh about my “nice boy” comment to this day. LOVE your love story!!
    nan recently posted…IntimacyMy Profile

    • A redeemed bad boy. Oh, my, Nan, thanks for the laugh out loud moment today. Apparently we have much in common! Thanks so much for sharing!

Trackbacks

  1. […] humbled, delighted, and amazed after kissing one kabillion frogs that a man as incredible as Keith would choose […]

  2. […] My roommate later took me out on the town because I was moping about being single again. Guess who I met that […]

  3. […] out he was a work in process, just like […]

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