I thought I'd make a formal introduction, and give you a glimpse of me. I am Dee. I am a Child of God. That is my ultimate claim to fame. It is because of the mercy and blessings of my Heavenly Father that I am who I am, and will become, what I become.
He has blessed me richly. I started in a childhood with not so great memories. One that left me with no desire for marriage or family. I had AMAZING grandparents and extended family, who assisted in my upbringing, but that alone was not quite enough to instill in me the desire to raise children or be a wife. I do not dislike or feel badly towards my parents or "hate" any part of my life. It was because and through my experiences that I came to know Christ, and ultimately have the life that I now have.
I met my husband my freshman year in high school. We don't have some crazy romantic "love at first sight" love-story. As a matter of fact, he wanted to meet me, but I didn't like jocks, least of all, football players. He, of course, not only played football, but ran track, and played soccer. Apparently, God had other plans. I had, at this point in my life, been a "perfect" kid. I hadn't done any of the "forbidden" things, I was good, stayed out of trouble, obeyed my parents/grandparents. I had a plan. I was graduating high school and becoming a child psychologist to help children with childhoods like my own. Again, marriage and family...NOT on my radar.
I met my husband my freshman year in high school. We don't have some crazy romantic "love at first sight" love-story. As a matter of fact, he wanted to meet me, but I didn't like jocks, least of all, football players. He, of course, not only played football, but ran track, and played soccer. Apparently, God had other plans. I had, at this point in my life, been a "perfect" kid. I hadn't done any of the "forbidden" things, I was good, stayed out of trouble, obeyed my parents/grandparents. I had a plan. I was graduating high school and becoming a child psychologist to help children with childhoods like my own. Again, marriage and family...NOT on my radar.
Through choices we made, and again, I don't regret them, mainly because I know I've been forgiven and I have a BEAUTIFUL blessing from it, I became pregnant while still in high school. Shawn, my husband asked me if I would spend the rest of my life with him. Crazy thing? NO ONE questioned such a HUGE decision from such young "kids." Neither set of my devout Baptist grandparents, not his equally devout Southern Baptist grandparents..NO ONE! As a matter of fact, we were cheered on. It was as if they could see something in us that even we couldn't see.
So, on April 16th, 1994, I became his wife in a tiny little ceremony at a "courthouse" where they employed a minister. We said our "I do's" and finished high school. We had a beautiful baby girl in the fall of 1994. We moved to WV where we both attended Marshall University. We raised her, we had help, with childcare when we were in highschool from my family, and in college, from his mother; but she was ours, entrusted to us by God and we took that very seriously, even as teenage parents.
So, on April 16th, 1994, I became his wife in a tiny little ceremony at a "courthouse" where they employed a minister. We said our "I do's" and finished high school. We had a beautiful baby girl in the fall of 1994. We moved to WV where we both attended Marshall University. We raised her, we had help, with childcare when we were in highschool from my family, and in college, from his mother; but she was ours, entrusted to us by God and we took that very seriously, even as teenage parents.
We moved to Maryland, where he began his career in Industrial Maintenance. While we knew Maryland wasn't our forever home, it was the beginning of many great things for us. It was where we decided for me to become a stay at home mom, where we had our first son, and where he laid a path for a great career and built his abilities to be a sole provider for our family.God's blessings have continued to pour out on us, taking us next to NC, where he furthered his training and career, and I dug further into the trenches as a mom of a child with some special needs. Later on, in NC, we welcomed our second son (and last child) to our family. We are now the proud parents of Kelsey (18), Matt (12) and Luke (5).Our blessings are still rolling in, and though that "fairytale" story seems just that, it's not. It's a road we've walked with forks and twists and turns and bumps and cliffs...but we've weathered them...together. Our latest path brought us HOME. Back to TN, where it all began. Our daughter proudly graduated from OUR high school! Our boys are home schooled now, and we love this leg of our journey as well.
I am NOT a professional in anything, except trusting God's guidance to make each decision, to guide me through each day, and to maintain my sanity when I have those days it's in question. We have a tight budget, but happy hearts and a loving home. We welcome friends, family, and pets....our home is always busy with something or someone.
I think in a nutshell, that is who I am. I am a wife, a mother, a homemaker...and I wear a LOT of other hats and titles as well, but those, are my priorities; centered around my desire to be a Proverbs 31 Wife/Woman. It's funny, God saw this in me LONG before the desire was there, yes, even back when I KNEW thought I didn't want to be married and have children. And, I have to believe, when I look around at what He's done in our lives, He knew what He was doing. I live with no regrets, or at least I try. I am just a grateful sinner, saved by grace.
I rest in peace and comfort with my favorite verse, directly from His word: "I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for." (Jeremiah 29:11 - The Message)
Be Blessed!
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