Amazing... Simply Amazing!

January 1985....
On a brisk winter night Darren and i meandered across a dark campus in Lincoln, Illinois... we are transfer students and are trying to get acclimated to our new school after a "difficult"
semester at another college. It just so happens that night, a womens' basketball game is taking place in what this place calls a "gym". Partially to get out of the cold and partially to see if there are really any other people on this college campus, we make our way in. Once inside we stand in the middle of two sets of bleachers (if you can call them that) to our left and to our right.

Because the gym is so small, bleachers only fit on one side of the gym... the side we entered from. We never really planned on staying long but just before we turn to go, looking to my right, i notice one of the Lady Angels (that is what our women's athletic teams are nicknamed) dribbling the basketball up the floor going from right to left... and the fact is, she is absolutely one of the cutest girls i think I have ever seen... as i watch her help the team set up its' offense, i with intention, turn to my friend and say...."Darren within one year, i am going to take that girl... the one dribbling the ball, yeah her.... out on a date!"

Amazingly enough, i didn't even know her name!?!


January 1986...
Ruthie and i go out on our very first date.... We eat dinner at "The Depot" and since i'd never seen the original 101 Dalmatians (which coincidentally was celebrating that very month, its' 25 year anniversary of being released to the public by Walt Disney) we take that in as well. The food and the movie were exceptional but the amazing part of the evening was simply... Ruthie.
i knew i was done... she was the one.





January 1988
Because of the crazy rules (that i'll maybe explain another time and that have since been changed) Ruthie and i are married not just once but twice. In a ceremony at my home church in the south suburbs of Chicago witnessed by lots of friends and family and another ceremony that had to happen before midnight witnessed by her mom and dad and maternal grandparents in the living room of her dad and mom's church parsonage in Indiana... we become husband and wife. In a few days we begin our amazing journey together to Canada and an amazing journey together in life.




January 2008
This month marks our being married for 20 years!
Why she puts up with me, i do not know... but this one thing i do know...
She is still the cutest girl i have ever seen... God has blessed me way beyond anything i deserve and she is amazing.... simply amazing!