How I Met Your Father

In 1979 a young boy was born. He had an older brother. As a child his parents would divorce and with the ensuing remarriage of his marriage this young boy gained an older step-sister and younger step brother. The home was full of noise, mess and love.

Yet, not all was idyllic for this blended family. The boy needed the attention and approval of his biological father. As he grew up he was not a docile child and he made his parents age before their time. He was an athlete, a slob and had not a very good hold on his temper.

As a young adult he worked a few odd jobs and moved in his older brother and sister in law. Eventually he would come to work with his brother as a carpenter, but he was far from grown up. He liked women and wanted the experiences of as many as possible. He wanted to experience as much of the world as he could, while living in his little corner of it. His was a wild life.

In 1983 a young girl was born. She had an older sister. She was raised in the church and her parents ran a Christian high school. She was a book worm, athlete and had trouble with classmates- just could not seem to make all the kids happy and was on the bad end of bullying. Her home was full of activities, clutter and love.

Not all was idyllic for her either. Yes, her parents had a rock solid relationship, but she struggled to gain their attention, to live up to the standards her older sister set. In her mind she was competing with the girl that came first, and it was an un-winable race.

As a young adult she left home and attended college in the big city. She wanted to experience as much of the world as possible, so she went out to get it. Unfortunately for her experiencing the world is not always safe and she found that out in a very real way. Two men raped her early one morning.

This girl that was taught to love the Lord and trust Him in everything had her foundation shaken and spiraled into a few years of despair and questioning, searching to find the truth to life when it turns out that the world isn't what you expected.  Eventually she found her way back to the Lord and dedicated her life to helping other women and trying to save them some of the anguish that she experienced.

As the girl was training for her life as a counselor, the young man was growing up too. He was learning what maturity meant, what it means to be accountable, and what life is really all about. Along came a movie "Fireproof" and that wild boy who lived for women and fun times saw that there is more than just parties. There is love, commitment and shared experiences, there is the Lord. That began his real journey of faith.

The girl was in grad school working on her degree, preparing to return to her home state across the country, ready to settle down and start her own family, hoping her kids could go to her old elementary school one day.  Then, on a whim she signed up for an online dating service, just to see who was out there.

He caught her eye, tall, redhead and cute. They started talking but it was an  unlikely match. The former wild child, and the formerly broken girl. Yet, it was a match made in Heaven by the Father. They started dating, and then on a hot summer day, overlooking a beautiful valley he proposed and she said "Yes".

This is no fairy tale, so it doesn't end here with "happily ever after". Our story continues. We got married, and right after our first anniversary we welcomed our daughter into our family. Two very different people, made one marriage and that marriage grew to become a family of 3. We have our ups and downs because we are different, our backgrounds are different, and we think differently. Yet, we are bound together by love and commitment. Not only for each other, but for the Lord and for our family.

We will weather each storm, even the ones that by all logic should tear us apart, because we are not held together by logic but by love and love overcomes all-- the Love of God overcame our sin, it can surely overcome the struggles of life.

So, Punky that is how I met your father.

-Mommy-