Thursday, February 14, 2008

Valentine's Day Lovefest!


Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Andrea is doing something really cute today, she decided to host what she calls "Valentine's Day Lovefest" and she is asking us to share our love stories, you know the cute way we met our significant others, the amazing "oh my goodness that is so sweet" stories that we will one day tell our children.

So here's mine, I've told it a couple times....well maybe just once or twice but still....I never get tired of sharing my love with everyone because it was just meant to be and you will understand why and just HOW amazing the Lord is.


Back in 1997, I had just started delving into the Internet and all the possibilities of being able to chat and interact with people from all over the world. I still remember the Mirc and Pirch chats, I would go into one and just sit and watch everybody else.....until one day, I decided to take a leap of faith and jump right in.


One of the first people to talk to me was none other than my hubby. Yes you see where this is going right??? So 11 years ago, I had just started using the internet and becoming familiar with chat rooms. After lurking around for a few months, I decided to join MIRC Webchat. It was August 12, 1997. After chatting for a few minutes with some people, I get a private message. It was Curt. My chat handle was Koala, so his first question was "are you from australia?". LOL


I told him that I was not, that I was in South Africa, and we started chatting, we hit it off and during the next year we talked on the phone, wrote letters, emails, sent packages and photographs. Now that may sound like your usual internet love match, BUT there was an obstacle. I was christian and Curt was a Pagan third degree priest.


I told him that I was not comfortable with that and that nothing could ever happen between us while he was involved in the Wiccan/Paganism Religion. I didn't give him an ultimatum, that wouldn't be my place to do so, but I was also not about to immerse myself into that belief. And so it started. A whole year of questions, endless questions about the bible and why MY way was the best? Why MY God was the right one? I felt overwhelmed, I loved him but I honestly did not know how to answer some of the questions, so before we talked everyday, I prayed to God to give me the right words to reach Curt. He obliged!!!!

I knew the right scriptures to quote, I knew the right things to say and I didn't give up. It took time and patience, but he is now a devoted Christian like I am.
One of the best examples of the power of God working in our relationship, was when Curt was deployed to Bahrain.


He called me in the afternoon, and I was talking to him on the fax machine phone, which was plugged in to the power outlet. We talked for about an hour, and when I got off the phone, my grandmother walked up to me.

Grandma:
"What were you doing on the phone?"
Me: "Talking to Curt"
Grandma:
"Really? Are you sure? How long have you been talking to him?"
Me:
"Oh I don't know, maybe an hour? Why?"
Grandma: "Well I don't know how to tell you this but we have had a power outtage for the past hour, there's no way you could have talked to him on that phone"


I was stunned, I picked up the receiver and brought it to my ear, SILENCE!!!! The phone/fax machine was indeed dead. Wow, to this day it gives me goosebumps to remember that. How amazing?

So exactly one year to the day we met, on August 12, 1998, Curt flew to South Africa and we got married. One month later, I packed my bags, already pregnant with Jasmine, and moved to the States. I left my family, my house, my friends, everything behind. It was the scariest thing on earth for me, I was and still am, extremely close to my family, and leaving everything I knew behind was terrifying. BUT I did it, I held my head up high, I moved to where my husband was stationed and 2 kids and 2 dogs down the road, we are still happily married :)

I thank God everyday, for my life and my family!!!


I wouldn't change a single thing about our life. I love him now as much as I did the first day we lay eyes on each other, he's my best friend and he's everything I've always wanted in a man. I truly believe that God brought us together and has kept us together through all the ups and downs of our life, learning to be a married couple, having children, having miscarriages, the death of family members....everything. Being in the military there's the endless moving and deployments, separations and sacrifices but we've made it because we love each other.

In August we will be celebrating our 10 year anniversary and I am ready for another 10, 20, 30 or how many ever the Lord may bless us with.

29 comments:

Katy said...

WOW!!! That is amazing and beautiful! And...that whole fax phone/power outage thing about gave me chills! holy cow!!! What a wonderful story! :) I am so happy you found your perfect mate! I hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day! xoxo

Sandra said...

Katy it still wow's me to this day, we had a LOT of unexplainable stuff happen to us right in the beginning, it was scary and weird but so GOOD. :)

Courtney said...

I just love your story & I have actually told others about the power outage thing because I think that is just SO amazing. True love will always find a way=)
Happy Valentine's Day!

Unknown said...

WOW! I am utterly speechless, thank you so much for sharing that BEAUTIFUL story!!!!

Casey said...

God is good! What a great love story!!

Betsy said...

Such a neat testimony and love story!

Michelle said...

That is amazing! God is so wonderful. You two make a beautiful couple!

Cris said...

Oh Sandra, your beautiful story brought tears to my eyes, how God can use us sometimes to bring someone to get to know Him. Congratulations! And Happy Valentines! We were married in August too! :-) But here the story is the opposite, will tell you some other time, His mercy toward us is amazing...

Rachel said...

Nice story! It's such a leap of faith to move to a new country. Congratulations on 10 years!

Cheri said...

That's an awesome story. God is so good! What an awesome story for your kids to hear.

heidi @ ggip said...

What an incredible story!

justjuls said...

This is a great story!
Are you FROM South Africa?
Thanks for sharing.
Happy Valentine's Day.

Bonnie said...

oh Sandra, I loved reading you and Curt's story !!! How exciting it must have been back then ! (not that it's not still exciting now !! ) I didn't know about this Love Fest until I came here but now I think I'll have to participate ! Even though it is Friday and Valentines Day is finished and I've posted our story before ! Oh well ... I'm gonna post it again, because like you ... I never get tired of sharing it !!

Anonymous said...

Awww I've read your story before but it still makes my eyes fill with tears.

Hugs dear friend!

xoxoxoxo

Renee said...

What an absolutely beautiful story! This is my first time reading it and oh, it has touched my soul! Thanks so much for sharing it.

Mari said...

Oh Sandra - the whole story gives me chills. That is an amzing story and I'm so glad you shared it.

Catlin Humes said...

Thats amazing that you were able to talk to him during that outage. God is truly looking out for you two. thanks for sharing your story with us!

Anonymous said...

What an amazingly beautiful story! I will be bookmarking your site. How wonderful the way our Lord works! (:

Blessings!
Tori

Karen H. said...

Good Morning Sandra,
I had no idea you had posted again. I so enjoyed reading your Love Story. "THANK YOU" for sharing it with us. I would have been scared too when your Grandmother said there was no phone service. GOD works in mysterious ways doesn't he? You both make a beautiful couple and I know yall are very happy together. We will be celebrating 13 years of marriage next month. My DH is my best friend and he is everything that I could want in a man as well. He tells me that I am his Queen and I tell him he is my King. I do love him so. Take care my friend and have a great day. May God Bless You and Yours.

Love & Hugs,
Karen H.

United Studies said...

Thanks for stopping by my bog.

WOW...what an amazing story. I about fell out of my chair when reading the part about the phone conversation.

Thanks for sharing your story!

mindi said...

Great story - the phone call during a power outage is just amazing!!
God works in mysterious ways, for sure!

Pam @ Heart2Heart said...

Hi Sandra! I'm a lurker (sorry!) but I love reading your blog =) I had to comment because after reading your story it hit so close to home. I met my husband also on the internet and ended up leaving my family in Calif. and moving to Canada to be with him. We also will celebrate 10 yrs of marriage this year on Oct 3rd. He is the best thing that ever happened to me, aren't we SO lucky! I loved your story, thank you so much for sharing it!

Jill said...

What a wonderful story and testament to the Lord! You are an amazing wife and mom!

Anonymous said...

I know you've heard this 23 times already -- but what an incredible story! I had no idea that is how you met or any of that other good stuff. Absolutely a match made in Heaven! Literally!

Sherry

Michelle said...

I remember reading your story before about how you met online and all that followed! It's such a sweet story, thanks for sharing it again :)

someone else said...

This is a fabulous love story!! And the pictures of you and Curt are so beautiful.

Jen said...

Sounds very sweet. A great love story.

Allie Z said...

Too cute! I'm so glad that you pointed out this link to share!

Your relationship, coming together, meeting as you did, is truly a God thing.

(Late) Congrats on 10 years!

~Allie

Anonymous said...

omg, what a wonderful story!!!