So How Did You Know-Quincy

Wedding Anniversary Date: March 18, 2000

How he knew his wife was the one for him:

“My wife and I had known each other for three years. We had mutual friends, had classes together, even did our student teaching at the same school. Our paths crossed off and on during that period. We both had significant others during this time, and never looked at each other as anything but friends.

When I broke up with my girlfriend at the time, a mutual friend told her that I was going through a rough time. She called to cheer me up and we ended up hanging out that night for hours representing, as it turned out, our first of many dates. She indicated early on that I was the one for her and I immediately responded that I was not and that I had many issues. For the first time, I was honest with someone I was dating about my flaws.

On New Year's Eve 1998, I was sitting in her apartment while she and her brother were at church and I began to reflect on the year and the prospects for the new year. In all areas of my life, I surmised that I was almost where I needed to be, but there was something keeping me from reaching it...an unexplainable void which was a stumbling block to fulfilling God's purpose for me. It was right there I knew it. I needed a helpmeet, and not just any helpmeet but her specifically. It was right then I knew I wanted to spend the rest of life with this woman and unite with her as we presented this union and eventually this family to God for His glory not ours.

This was revealed with a degree of clarity I never thought possible when it comes to relationships. She is strong in the areas I am weak, she did not match me up with a checklist of requirements she had for a man, but looked at the whole me as opposed to some stat sheet. We both wanted nothing from each other, but wanted an opportunity to give to each other.

Our souls established a connection which can never be broken which enables us to weather the storms we have and our personal moments of weakness. And that's how I knew and still know she is the one.”