I have been reading other blogs and one of the blogs I have been reading is SgtandMrsHub. She has asked her readers to write their love story for Valentine's Day and I decided that I would join in and write ours.
We met on February 11, 1977. I had just turned 18 and Keith was almost 21 and in the Air Force stationed at Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, NY. My youth group leader and his wife were also stationed at Griffiss and had invited Keith along for the night. We were having a Valentine's progressive dinner for a youth activity that night. We started out with appetizers at one house, onto salads at the next, main course at the next and finally back to our youth leaders' house for dessert and games. One of the games that night was the dating game. Keith was the bachelor and I was one of the three bachelorettes. I won and the prize was a kiss from the bachelor. Of course I was laughing so hard that he only kissed my teeth. I remember thinking that he was good looking and I loved his southern accent and he was such a gentleman. I like to tell people that Keith was Sgt. Carter at the time but had the same endearing qualities as Gomer Pyle.:) Of course, he was much brighter.
A few weeks later, Keith invited my friend and I to a Bible study. He then started dating my friend.:( He would come to pick both of us up and my friend would sit in the middle and I would ride on the other side. After awhile, I knew that my friend wasn't really interested, so I would try to have him take my friend home first and then drop me off last. That way I got to ride in the middle and she on the other side. Later he would tell me that he only dated her because she was good at basketball and he liked to play. After a few months, he finally asked me to go out with him. I was so excited. We went to a nice restaurant in the area that had a merry go round in the center of it. We then went to the beach. We started dating regularly.
On December 9, 1977 he asked me to marry him. He had planned a special dinner before another youth activity that we had been invited to. He made dinner for us and we sat on his living room floor to eat it. He had put a ring in the cloth napkin that he had neatly arranged on my plate. I went to pick it up and the diamond fell out. I asked if it was for me as the heat from the blush on my face rose up my cheeks. (Keith loves to tell that part of the story) I know, who else would it be for? Then he asked me to marry him and of course I said, "Yes". We then went to the youth activity and it was sledding party and I was wearing my mittens. The first person I saw was my sister and she grabbed my hand and felt for the ring. She could just tell by looking at me that I was engaged. Funny, huh?
We were married that next year on June 17, 1978 at noon. It was a beautiful day and a beautiful wedding. Over the next 19 years Keith became an officer and we traveled all over this beautiful country of ours and retired from the Air Force in 1997 while at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. During that time we had five great kids. Lord willing, as our nest empties we are looking forward to being just the two of us again. We will celebrate our 30th anniversay this coming June. Has it always been easy? No. Would I do it all over again? A resounding YES!
We met on February 11, 1977. I had just turned 18 and Keith was almost 21 and in the Air Force stationed at Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, NY. My youth group leader and his wife were also stationed at Griffiss and had invited Keith along for the night. We were having a Valentine's progressive dinner for a youth activity that night. We started out with appetizers at one house, onto salads at the next, main course at the next and finally back to our youth leaders' house for dessert and games. One of the games that night was the dating game. Keith was the bachelor and I was one of the three bachelorettes. I won and the prize was a kiss from the bachelor. Of course I was laughing so hard that he only kissed my teeth. I remember thinking that he was good looking and I loved his southern accent and he was such a gentleman. I like to tell people that Keith was Sgt. Carter at the time but had the same endearing qualities as Gomer Pyle.:) Of course, he was much brighter.
A few weeks later, Keith invited my friend and I to a Bible study. He then started dating my friend.:( He would come to pick both of us up and my friend would sit in the middle and I would ride on the other side. After awhile, I knew that my friend wasn't really interested, so I would try to have him take my friend home first and then drop me off last. That way I got to ride in the middle and she on the other side. Later he would tell me that he only dated her because she was good at basketball and he liked to play. After a few months, he finally asked me to go out with him. I was so excited. We went to a nice restaurant in the area that had a merry go round in the center of it. We then went to the beach. We started dating regularly.
On December 9, 1977 he asked me to marry him. He had planned a special dinner before another youth activity that we had been invited to. He made dinner for us and we sat on his living room floor to eat it. He had put a ring in the cloth napkin that he had neatly arranged on my plate. I went to pick it up and the diamond fell out. I asked if it was for me as the heat from the blush on my face rose up my cheeks. (Keith loves to tell that part of the story) I know, who else would it be for? Then he asked me to marry him and of course I said, "Yes". We then went to the youth activity and it was sledding party and I was wearing my mittens. The first person I saw was my sister and she grabbed my hand and felt for the ring. She could just tell by looking at me that I was engaged. Funny, huh?
We were married that next year on June 17, 1978 at noon. It was a beautiful day and a beautiful wedding. Over the next 19 years Keith became an officer and we traveled all over this beautiful country of ours and retired from the Air Force in 1997 while at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. During that time we had five great kids. Lord willing, as our nest empties we are looking forward to being just the two of us again. We will celebrate our 30th anniversay this coming June. Has it always been easy? No. Would I do it all over again? A resounding YES!
7 comments:
It is so awesome to see love that endures 30 years! I can't wait to be able to say that...I'm halfway there!!
What a beautiful love story Vicki! I'm so glad you participated in Andrea's lovefest. I'm so glad that you met a wonderful man and had a wonderful son, who turned out to be a wonderful husband to my sweet sister-in-law.
Thank you so much for sharing your story! Congrats on your marriage for 30 years! I can only hope that mine will last as yours has!
Wow, happy 30 years! My parents were married just 2 months after you!
Well, I'd heard the story of how you two met, but I didn't know that he started off dating your friend! I'm glad he picked you though. And I like how he proposed--it was very sweet. Good job, Dad!
Great love story! Thanks for sharing! Happy 30 years. We just celebrated our 33 years this month!
Pam K (aka Mary's Mom)
Hi this is Janelle:)
I think it is funny that you kissed his teeth. That part made me laugh. Brian and I had our first date around Valentines as well. I look forward to reading your blog. I love the wedding pic too.
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