25 Years Ago Today...

because life isn't all about cancer...
It is late January 19, 1992. I am the happiest woman in the entire world tonight. I am getting married to the most wonderful man. He knows exactly what I need and possesses the power to blind me. It was noon today when he dropped me off - he told me that he didn't want to stay on campus for dinner. I was excited because I NEVER want to! I went back to my dorm, he told me that he would call me. I cleaned my dorm for a couple of hours and got tired so I took a nap. Setting my alarm for 5:00 p.m., I figured that he would probably call before then. Well, my alarm went off at 5:00 p.m. waking me up from my nap. No phone call.

I was starving so I thought I would go and call him to see if he was ready to come get me. The guy in his dorm who answered the phone said that he wasn't there. HOW DARE HE! I thought - I am hungry...where is he? I was a little upset so I got my fingernail polish remover to pass the time. Kelli, Sheleen, Loretta, and Edna were all in the study listening to me carry on about how I was hungry and David wasn't even home! "He'll probably call right in the middle of painting my nails and I'll have to stick my coat on and mess them all up!" I told all the ladies in the study. Lo and behold, as I was taking the polish off the second hand, the phone rang. Kelli answered it and informed me that it was David. "What did I tell you?" I replied as I walked out the door. He told me that he would swing by and pick me up in ten minutes. So I went back and informed everyone that I would not be finishing the nail polishing.

Ten minutes passed. I grabbed my coat and purse and headed out the door. There was my man - standing in the doorway with roses!! I swallowed a couple of times...the note said "Thanks for putting up with my inconsiderate nature." What was I supposed to say to that? He brought roses! The worst part was going back into the study to find a vase to put them in - in front of the girls I was just complaining to about him! I felt really stupid! See, I'd been sick for a week, and he had forgotten to bring me breakfast once. We got into an argument about it. But today...he brought roses - SWEET! At that time, my roommates knew what was going to happen before I returned that night, but love is blind, as blind as I was that night.

After taking care of the flowers, we were on our way. He told me we were going to go to Tyler for dinner since we always go to Longview he thought we could do something different. (It didn't hit me that THAT was strange?) We talked all the way there about some silly things I had told my dad on the phone Friday night. I had warned him that David may be calling to ask for my hand in marriage any day now and he should tell him some wise things. We decided that David should call Dad tonight so that I won't have to keep guessing, then he would be ready to ask me anytime! 

We stopped at Bennigans. I didn't even question in my head that this is a little more than we normally spend for dinner on a regular Sunday evening. He mentioned at the meal that he will be kind of nervous to talk to my dad and I smiled, it was kinda funny (I bet David thought so too since he had already called Dad on the phone Friday night coincidentally minutes after I had talked to my dad!)


David had smothered steak and I ate Teriyaki chicken. Then, I had Death by Chocolate, and it was HUGE! I slowly finished and David asked me as if I thought it would be a good night for us to go to the park. There are swings there and I love to swing. (ding ding ding! I am the one who always wants to go and swing at the park and he is never too big on it...I can't believe I didn't see it! Of course I thought that would be a good idea! It was a rather cool evening but not cold so it would probably be nice.

We stopped by campus on the way since I had had six glasses of iced tea with dinner! He told me on the way to Gladewater Lake that I didn't know what I was getting myself into. I told him he could try to talk me out of it but I was pretty sure I could handle being married to him. When we got to the swings there were puddles of water under them and it really wasn't that much fun. I told David that it was already a big night for me after just being sick. He asked me if I wanted to go for a walk. Okay, a small one. We ended up down by the lake and the moon was shining almost full so it was pretty bright.


He asked me a few times if I thought I really knew what I was getting into. Then, being me, and being a little sick still and being tired, I told him to stop it, I didn't want to talk about it...it was actually getting a little annoying! I the middle of me getting riled up...there he was before I could think, on his knee, in the sand "Jody, will you marry me?" For some reason it was a huge surprise and my brain just stopped processing...I stood there in shock long enough for David to say "Well, are you going to answer?" It was then that I reminded myself that I have to try to form a word and I did four times...YES! YES! YES! YES!

We walked back to the car, and made our way back to campus. We called my parents and laughed about our Friday conversation. We called David's parents too. It was then that David dropped me off at my dorm for the night. My brother Jeremy was at my dorm playing cards with Loretta and Sheleen. They informed Jeremy of what was happening and so he knew before I could tell him. 

Love is a wonderful thing. As blind as it is, it is wonderful. It can take a woman's mind off of the number one concern of the entire last year (getting engaged) and on the night when it matters most, pull the wool over her eyes. You know you have found Mr. Right when he has the ability to completely shock you! Love needs to be blind...sometimes!