15 FABULOUS YEARS!!

My main man and cutest husband Mark reminded me yesterday (August 13) that we had been "officially dating" for 15 years. OK, that is crazy.

See this is how the story goes. I met Mark via Mac in about June of 1993. Mac and I worked together and he wanted me to go see his "band". So I said sure. I loaded up 2 of my girlfriends, (Aimee and our other friend Stephanie).

So the 3 of us and like 5 other folks go to this "show". It was my first time seeing Third Day live, um.... if I wasn't friends with Mac it may have been my last. Seriously, there were like 10 people in the audience.

I do digress, so as the weeks passed, Mac, Mark, and the girls all began hanging out with some of our other friends. As the days, weeks passed I formed a very real and true friendship with this Mark character. He would always pick on me and then keep me in stitches. At this same time, I was praying for a real, true and genuine relationship with a man. I told the Lord I did NOT want to give my heart away again unless it was the man I was to marry!!! BOLD!!!

Mark and I continue to "hang out" with friends, going to Third Day shows, befriending the other guys in the band (Tai and David) and having the best summer of our lives. Then one day, Third Day was playing at the youth group at my then church. My new and very open friend Tai came up to Mark and I as we were talking and said, "So what's the deal, are y'all like a couple or something?" This was the first (but not the last) time Tai left me standing with my jaw dropped. Well, Mark and I stamper around the question with the required, um.. No, we're just friends..... inside I was falling for this dude. I was having sessions with my then youth minister trying to figure out if the feelings could be real and from the Lord. Remember that husband I was praying for. YIKES!!!!!

After a few more weeks, and HOURS on the phone (Mark worked in Auburn, AL that summer- he will have to post about his former life if you want the answer to that one!!!) a friend of ours told Aimee that Mr. Lee had himself a bit of a crush- on this brown haired, blue eyed, firecracker of a gal. Being the super friend she is Aimee then relays the info. to me (how high school). Well, if you know me, you know that I am not one to avoid the truth. The next night as Mark and I have our late night talk I just come out with it. "Hey, I hear you kinda have a crush on me- what's the deal!!!" If you know my husband, you know that he is not one to lie!!! He says, well, yeah, so maybe we should like go out or something.

Fast forward to August 15, 1993. We are sitting at YMCA Camp High Harbour (Third Day was the house band that summer). We are in the amphitheater by the lake. Mac is down front singing his High Harbour closing night song and Mr. Lee leans over to me and says.... "Will you be my girlfriend?" This took me a little by surprise. We had been on a couple of dates (alone), still hung out with our friends, and this whole time had the best of times together. I took a leap, jumped in, said yes and the Lord answered my prayers that night. He knew that 4 years later we would be married.

I have to say, I am with my best friend in life. I love him, he totally gets me and my many quirks and still loves me as much today as he did on 8/13/93. So to that I say, thank you Mr. Mark Lee for asking me to be your girlfriend and 15 years later I still say YES!!!!