Where do I put this one.....

Some of you that know me well, know I have several blogs.....it seemed only right, I have several passions.....but few great loves.....and as a wise man use to say to me all the time, the strongest dog is the one you feed the most.

I blog more on this blog than all my others put together! I guess because I'm learning to put God first, and all else falls into place! Yes, I love God the most! Why? Because He loved me when I wasn't lovable! He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to live a PERFECT life and to die on the cross for my sins! I've heard that since I was a baby, but it came to life for me when I saw 'The Passion of Christ'! It wasn't the dying! It was the pain, the humility and the broken heart! God did something I could NEVER do.....offer my daughter's life (and it's not sin-less!) for scoundrels, thieves, drunks, murders and the lowest of the low!

So, now you know my greatest love, (God), here are some of my others!

Terry Lee Hortter--I know he is the man God chose for me! I don't think anyone else could put up with me! He is the Ying to my Yang! He is everything I am not..he completes me.

Laura Lynn Hortter--my miracle baby after my sinful life and 21 years of being childless! She is my gift from God and a little angel! What a heart this child has! I have never seen such an amazing kindness from the heart of a child this age!

Alma Ray Story--my father--the man who gave me my love for God, family and country! He had a passion to never meet a stranger! The man could talk to anyone and had a passion to leave everyone smiling! I miss him greatly, but look forward to seeing him 'at home'!

Maxine Story--my mother. A stay at home mom that instilled high morals and the belief that women could reach for the stars! She is a dear woman and 87 years young!

*********************

Now, my reason for this post!

On the way home from the football game Friday night (Bob Jones 46-Florence 22!), and we had gone to Steak n Shake--I saw the sign at Asbury church that said, Sept 13, 2008--and I realized it was an anniversary. I asked Terry, do you know what today is? He said, '12 Sept', to which I replied, 'it's after midnight!' He said, 'okay--the 13th".

Then I informed him and Laura and Adam (her boyfriend of 17 months) it was our 40th anniversary of our first date! I was a senior in high school and he was a freshman at the University of Missouri, St. Louis! Life was great! I had more fun and turmoil that year than should legally be allowed! But I had found the man I would marry!

It was a Friday the 13th! Who in their right mind would start a new relationship on that day?!?

Terry was a friend of my older sisters. She was a senior in college and they met at the campus Baptist Student Union and became good friends. Terry had just broken up with a girlfriend and Fran, my sis, didn't like the guy I was dating--no body did--that's probably why I was dating him!

Well, we went to a movie (For Love of Ivy with Sidney Poitier)

at the splendid

Fox Theater

(one of those extreme theaters of the late 40's--rehabbed and beautiful!) but as usual (I found out later) Terry got turned around and we ended up going through an alley in the city of St. Louis--and out jumped a black cat

--did I tell you it was
So as the drama queen I was, I 'demanded' he back up and un-cross the path we had just crossed--which he refused to do! So I knew the night was doomed! (but not in God's eyes!)

We then went to Ponticello's Restaurant, one of the great Italian restaurants in St. Louis county. There are greats in the city of St. Louis know as "The Hill", a quaint area of little Italians that live in their own little world! And we had Pizza

my favorite food in the whole world--I do believe I could eat it 3 times a day, 7 days a week, and never get tired of it!

Then it was time to end the evening, but to my surprise--out came running my sister (and Terry's friend) and demanded that he take us to the airport! I thought this was kind of rude! Then Fran explained that one of my cousins (I had 96!--Mama and daddy came from BIG families!), was at the airport on a long lay-over and was on his way to Vietnam! So I shyly look at Terry and asked if it was okay. I asked what time he had to be home, and he said he had to get the girl home before her curfew, and that was his only curfew! Mom and dad only had one car at the time and they and my baby sister, had already left for the airport. I think this is when the magic happened. My parents, yes even daddy, fell in love with Terry. He was respectful, kind, smart and not hard on the eyes at all, and he was my missing piece! We sat there until about 4 am and spent an amazing time with Joe Story, who would be serving the US and the Army for the next year in Vietnam. 1968 was not a good year to be going to Vietnam. I think the fact that we came to spend time with him, gave him some peace. We joined hands and prayed for him and his safety before he got on the plane. With having 96 cousins, there were only a few (girl cousins my age) that I was close with, so it was nice getting to really spend time with Joe.

Then Terry insisted on taking ME home, so the rest of the family loaded up in their car and I got in Terry's daddy Buick--a very nice--big car. I later found out Terry owned a Comet (known as the Vomit!) that sometimes ran and when it did it looked like a mosquito sprayer!

Well, that's a summary of our first date--just over 40 years ago--and I do it all over again to get to where we are now--a life with the love of my life--one of the best men and father's to ever walk this earth....how do I know? I was raised by one!

Thank you Father, my God above, for the man you gave me as my partner!