8 Reasons I'm Glad I Said Yes...

The year was 1997. Oh. My.

"You're going to marry him."  my college roommate declared to me about my guy friend, PJ.
"No way!  He's like a brother to me!" were my famous last words. 


PJ and I met through a mutual friend, Adam, at Camp Cowen, in West Virginia. It was love at first sight... <clears throat> ...well there were a few details in between the first sight and the love part.

I knew PJ long before he knew me. I stood in the back row of the 7th/8th grade chorus concert, singing and swaying (and pushing up my hot pink glasses)  to the tune of "Staying Alive" while PJ stood in the spotlight as the lead role of "Dick Clark".  Everyone knew PJ. 

Then Adam introduced us. We said "Hi" and that was the extent of our conversation all week and any hopes of a summer romance.

But then in 10th grade, I gathered up enough courage to declare my love for PJ and ask him to be my boyfriend! I boldly sent my BFF, Karen, to ask PJ if he would "go with me." He said "no".

After the pressure of dating was off the table, we actually began to form a friendship. We'd hang out at lunch sometimes, we would see each other at church youth events, and gradually he came to call me his buddy.

We both attended college in the Chicago area. I went to Wheaton. He went to that other school, Moody. I'll never forget my first weekend in college. I actually spent it not at Wheaton, but at Moody.  I stayed in the girls dorm with some of PJ's (or as they called him "Ronnie") friends and he showed me around Chicago. It was that weekend that he proposed to me...in the back of a taxi.  I said "no" (and reminded him of my 10th grade attempt at a relationship).  We finally declared that if we weren't married by the age of 26 (or somewhere around there) then we would marry each other.

Our friendship grew over the next few years. He invited me over to his first Christmas party. I secretly pretended to be his wife as we entertained all his guests. We talked on the phone for hours. Christmas breaks were spent having deep late night conversations together with friends at the Pancake House. He began visiting me at Wheaton more frequently.

Then one rainy evening in May, it hit me. I loved him. I didn't want to be with anyone else, and I certainly didn't want him to be with anyone other than me.  Knowing it to be the real thing, I fearfully and excitedly said "yes" when he asked me to be his girlfriend.

Six months later, standing in the freezing cold February temperatures of Chicago, next to the Wrigley building overlooking the Chicago River, I fearfully and excitedly said "yes" as he bent down on one knee and asked me to marry him.

I'm so glad I did! My life is sweeter and richer because of my husband and dear friend. My only regret is that I didn't marry him sooner.

I saw this on a blog once, and wanted to do it for our anniversary. So in honor of 8 wonderful years of marriage, here are 8 Reasons I'm Glad I Said Yes...

1. He can cook. In fact, he taught me how to cook. The only thing I could cook when we got married was chicken casserole. It's good...but not every night of the week! We have shared many wonderful conversations over omelets, bacon, and coffee. Late nights at The Pancake House are amongst my favorite memories, but also evenings in our first apartment discussing the spices in the chili as well as dreams of our future together!

2. He can sing and play guitar. The best moment at our wedding (besides the "may I introduce Mr. & Mrs. Ronnie Campbell part) was the moment that the pastor asked PJ to say "I do", he dropped my hands and walked away. You can literally hear the audience gasp on the video.  He walked over and picked up his guitar and sang Steven Curtis Chapman's song "I Will Be Here."

3. Um coffee...need I say more?  He loves it as much as I do!

4. He helped me build my first snowman. Yes, by age 30 I still had never built a real snowman...technically, I still haven't as he did most of the work on this one while I tried to keep the kids from crying about being so cold in the snow.

5. He repeatedly humors me and appreciates the small details that I think are so vital, like silly annual Christmas pictures (emphasis on repeatedly, and silly).

 6. He does his own stunts and home repairs.  Seriously, he works SO hard to provide for his family, and he never complains about it.  He's amazing!

 

7. Abigayle Grace and Caedmon Alexzander...a dream come true for me. Couldn't have done this without my dear husband.  He's an excellent daddy and I love traveling the parenthood journey alongside him. He makes pretty cute kids, doesn't, he?

8. He's my very best friend! Most days, I feel like he knows me better than I know myself. He values me and treats me with respect as a whole person. He believes in me. He has always believed in me. He makes me laugh even on the most cloudy days. He leads me towards Christ, and thus helps me find my security in Jesus.  Regardless of the simplicity of my questions about faith, he is patient and always encouraging.


Paul Jr. I love you! Happy 8th Anniversary. I hope I get to share 100 more years with you!