Boy Meets Girl

I had just finished mowing the lower field with the old diesel Ford tractor when it was time for all the counselors to arrive. Our first meeting together was dinner. I walked in all sweaty and dirty. That's when Ashley and I met for the first time. As far as I recollect, and she'll have to fill in the gaps, she thought I was ruggedly handsome, but then once I started talking she just wasn't impressed. A bit cocky and self-centered, I suppose, as most single college guys are. Well, I guess she changed her mind about me. If she didn't I guess she was able to look past that and married me anyway. Boy am I glad!
That was eight years ago today. I have a lot of special days that land on the 10th of the month, so this one is pretty easy for me to remember. We married on May 10, 2003. We met on June 10th, 2001. My birthday is September 10th. My brother Ben's birthday is January 10th.
June 10th is a date that gets us thinking about Grace Bible Camp and all the fun we had there. My mind is always immediately drawn to Mr. Bill. I often wonder how he is doing. He has been at the camp for so long (I think it will be 50 years soon). The work requires so much and he is not getting any younger. We were offered to work there once. The plan was to eventually learn everything I could from Mr. Bill in hopes to be able to carry the torch after he retires. He said he would never completely retire because he'd always want to come back and run the Book Nook (our camp store). Mr. Bill was the first one I ever spoke to about pursuing Ashley. He and I had a great friendship, so confiding him in this was very natural.
Ashley had left a few things after camp was over that summer of 2001. I was still around helping out after camp, of course. Mr. Bill asked if I would be willing to deliver some things she left. What did she leave? One picture and a radio. You know what the picture was? The one picture she had purchased of all the camp pictures...me dressed up as a missionary nurse to help our Bible story come alive for the campers. Needless to say I was flattered and was obliged to deliver the picture in person.
And now here we are. We have literally hundreds of pictures of the two of us, the kids, and all that has happened to us over the years. But it all started with me dressed as a missionary nurse. I'll never forget that June 10th. I thank my God for how he brought the two of us together. I wouldn't trade my wife and my children for anything in the whole world.
Happy 1st Meeting Anniversary, Ashley! I love you as long as I live! In sickness, in health, for better or worse, till the day that I die, I will always love you.