My Love Story {part two}

 

Yesterday, I shared with you a little about me before I met my  husband-to-be.

I was 25 and single, and wondering if I would ever find the “one”.  If you missed the first post, click HERE to catch up and then come right back.

Before I continue our love story, I wanted to take time to encourage every young lady who may be reading this post and wondering if she will ever find her true love too.  I know how deep the pain is.  I know had hard it is to see all your friends getting married and starting families.

But hang in there!

God is preparing you for something that is better than you could ever imagine.  And it will be worth the wait…believe me!

A couple years before I met my husband, I started writing a journal to him.  I didn’t know who HE was, but I knew he was out there.

So every so often, I would write in a special journal to my future husband.  I would write to him about things that were going on in my life, things I liked or disliked, and how much I was praying for him.  Also that I was waiting and saving myself for him.

Writing in that journal gave me hope.  I prayed that God would allow me to someday give that journal to the man He had chosen for me to marry.  And I did!  I presented the journal to Cy on our honeymoon night, and he loved it.  It made him feel even more loved to see in writing that I had been praying for him even before we ever met.

Maybe if you are still single, you could start a journal to your future husband too.  Just a thought.  :)

Now back to the story…

Where where we?

Oh yeah, I had just had a pity party for myself on the treadmill and was leaving workout to go hang out with my parents on a Friday night.

As I was leaving the gym, I heard someone call my name, “Traci.”

Huh?

I turned around and saw a young man walking toward me.  I felt uneasy because I didn’t know who he was.  But maybe I should…he knew my name.

The next thing I knew, I was shaking hands with him as he said, “You don’t know me, but I want to introduce myself to you.  My name is Cy.”

I wasn’t sure why he was introducing himself to me, but we talked for a few minutes and realized we had some mutual friends.  Then he asked if he could maybe call me sometime, and I said, “yes.”  He said he would get my phone number the next day at my brother’s baseball game. (He played for the college.)

Walking from the gym, I thought, “What kind of girl does he think I am?  I don’t even know him.  I hope he doesn’t think I am THAT kind of girl.”

The next day at my brother’s baseball game, there was a friend of mine there who still attended college with Cy.  I asked her about him and she assured me that he was a great guy, and I should definitely go out with him.  (Thanks, Joanne!)

So I gave Cy my phone number after the game, he called me that night, and we went out two nights later.

I was living with my parents at the time, and he picked me up at their house.  My mom met Cy and gave me a big “thumbs up” behind his back as we left the house.

We ate dinner at O’Charleys and realized over dinner that we were very much alike.  We liked the same things, had similar upbringings, and both had a deep love for our families.

After dinner, he took me straight home.  It was barely 8:00 p.m.  I kind of wondered if he didn’t really feel a connection with me.

But he did say he had a good time and that he would call me later in the week.

My precious mother was sitting at the kitchen table working on the bills.  She asked me why I was back so early.  I told her I was thinking the same thing.  :)

She also asked me, “Do you think he is the one?”

What!

Mom, you crack me up!!!

I guess since I was 25 (almost 26), she wasn’t going to pull any punches!  :)

I didn’t really know if he was the one, but he was cute, and we did have a good time…

(I asked Cy later why he dropped me off so early after dinner?  His adorable reason was because he thought the date went so great, that if it lasted any longer, he would mess it up.  He wanted it to end on a good note.  Precious.)

That was in October of 1996.

We continued to go out through November and by December, we knew that things were pretty serious.

 

IMG_9136

(picture from my photo album – Christmas 1996)

Cy was already talking marriage.   I was thinking it, but a little scared to admit it.  Marriage was a big deal!  And we had only known each other 3 months!

As a funny side note, both Cy’s parents and my parents both met and were married in 4 months!

Whoa.

Cy kept hinting around to me about the possibility of marriage.

One night he brought the topic up in a very creative way.

One I will never forget.

To be continued….

CLICK HERE TO READ “MY LOVE STORY- PART THREE”

32 Comments

  1. You are such an amazing lady! I have a sister-in-law going through the same thing. She is almost 28. But she won’t lower her standards either. What a great story :)

  2. I had to wait until I was THIRTY to find my darling husband – after kissing many (mostly not so ugly) frogs though! My mother’s wise advice truly did pan out in this instance “good things come to those who wait” – said to someone who does not do “waiting” well!!! But, one specific day, according to God’s mighty plan, our two lives came together – 18 years later we continue to be blessed and I LOVE this man more than all the M&M’s in the world :)

  3. I have loved reading your Love Story so far and look forward to hearing the rest!
    I so admire the way you were willing to WAIT and TRUST Him completely in this part of your life. It seems like that is such a hard thing for young people to do. You may not have time to address this. But I am curious…were there specific things your parents taught you feel like helped you cultivate this attitude?

  4. Oh my goodness, I am having such a blast reading your story and waiting on the rest of the story…
    You certainly are a good writer. I love the fact that you Love the Lord and want to share that with everyone and in such a creative way,
    Blessings, Lori

  5. I love reading love stories! I just posted ours too on Vday. I was a single teacher too, though we actually started dating in Aug of my first year… That was 11+ years ago!

  6. Just so sweet… AND then you leave us hanging… : )
    I did youth ministry for a long time & stories like these need to be shared with young girls… so many take thier identity from who they are dating & if they are dating….. instead of seeing themselves as a child of the King 1st, & waiting on his timing….
    Can’t wait to read the next chapter…
    Blessings…… K.

  7. Oh the suspense….you’re killing me Smalls. (hope you’ve seen The Sandlot, if not that will mean nothing ot you!)
    I’m going to direct my niece to read this. I know it will encourage her.

  8. It always amazes me that God has such plans for all of us. My hubs and I – we are a match made in Heaven- no doubt. And when you know, well, you just know. We said I love you by date 3 and both knew we were meant to be.

  9. Traci,
    Enjoying reading your love story here. You are cracking me up though because just when you have us really into it, you type…..”to be continuted.” : )

    I love the idea of the journal. How very romantic to present it to him on your honeymoon night.

  10. My Shaun & I knew things were serious before we were ready to admit it…..after a couple of months he first started talking marriage!!! With us each coming from a failed marriage we were WORRIED – BUT God had an awesome plan for us!!!! We got married after only knowing each other for 10 months but its been an adding unto in our lives!! I thank my God every day for finding me a lovely man, long after I had given up hope of it ever turning out alright!!!!

  11. I am hookedand dying to now what happens in part 3. Will you post on Weds, or another day,
    Thanks for sharing.
    Traci

  12. You need to be in Hollywood – you can write a cliff-hanger like no other!
    But we all know the happy ending….and we’re so glad you found your ‘one’.

    Looking forward to reading Wanda’s take on Cy (soon, perhaps???)

    Blessings,
    Karin

  13. Great story ~ where’s the rest? :-) I like the idea you had of writing to “him” in a journal. I’m going to share that with a friend of mine. I’m old enough to be your mom but perhaps God has a plan for me too??? Seriously, I’ve told Him that He would be choosing the next guy for me…if there was to be a next one. It took me wayyy too long to understand that God has His plan and it is perfect. Mine? Not so much ~

  14. Traci, I so enjoyed reading your story. God does some amazing matchmaking, doesn’t He. My husband and I only dated TWO WEEKS before he asked me to marry him. Actually, he proposed before he had even kissed me! This spring we will celebrate 31 years….there was never a doubt in either of our minds, or hearts.
    Thanks for sharing your wonderful story.
    Blessings,
    Becky

  15. If it weren’t for that wallpaper and border, I would think that this is a recent picture. Neither of you have changed. You look exactly the same as fifteen years ago and how great is that???

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