We began our adventure on May 17, 2003. Clint and I began redating after I had moved back in with my parents back in April of 2002. At that time I had started back to college and was working on getting my nursing degree.
The moment that I got the phone call from Clint (this is after trying to call his stepmom to find out if he was back home from college) I felt as though I had been reconnected with my soul mate! From that moment on it was like a whirlwind! Seeing him for the first time after being apart for 2 1/2 years just took my breath away! I knew then that I had never stopped loving him!
Now to back up just a little I have to explain why we were apart for that long. We originally began dating after graduating high school, just before my 19th birthday. We fell in love and began talking of marriage after about a year of dating. We even went as far as going to a jewelry store and me trying on rings!!! Well, while both of us had shaky hands, Clint began realizing that his life was about to change dramatically. Needless to say I was ready but he wasn't. This began the time that we both finally decided it would be best for us to be apart and him see the world more.
Well, remember I said that I was 19? Yep, I sure was and I had recently moved out of my parents home and gotten an apartment to start my new life. Single, in college, working a full time job, and no clue what to expect. I was trying very hard to stay focused but that came to a screeching halt when I ran into this guy that I hadn't seen since like 5th grade! (FYI, he will not have a name other than, "that guy") He came across as this sweet, handsome guy and I was just totally infatuated with him and began to pursue getting to know him. Come to find out he was moving into the apartment right next to mine. Convenient, huh?
Me and "that guy" started dating and before I knew we were wrapped up in a very serious relationship. To the point that I chose to let go of my apartment and move in with his family. Boy was that the biggest mistake of my life!!! This guy that seemed so great and wonderful was only a devil in disguise! He wouldn't let me have any friends, I had to make sure to tell him where I was going and when I would be back, if I was a minute late then I was accused of being with another guy. When he got mad at me for something he would yell at me, tell me I wasn't worth anything and would end up shoving me, grabbing me (leaving bruises) or slamming me into the wall. His family was just as bad! I watched his dad abuse his mom constantly and his mom just took it. I prayed every night that I was there that if it was God's will for me to leave this guy then He would send someone to get me out of the situation. Well, it took 2 1/2 years before God sent my angels. I heard a knock on the door and behold it was my mom. She had found me (oh yeah, "that guy" wouldn't let me see my parents anymore or even tell them where I was)!! Luckily, "that guy" wasn't at home because he had went on a trip with his dad! This was my chance!! I left with my parents and never looked back!!
It took a long month for me to finally get the gumption up to try to find Clint. The whole time that I was with "that guy" all I could think about was how I still loved Clint very much!!! As I said before, Clint did call me back and it gave me the oppurtunity to tell him everything that had happened. Clint told me the greatest words that I had heard in my life "You have no more worries, I will always be here for you and will protect you!! I still love you with all my heart!!!"
Within 5 months Clint and I finally realized that God had brought us back together and we were ready to start a life together. 2003 turned out to be the greatest year for us!! We married in May, I graudated nursing school in October and in December we had our first child. At our wedding, we played the song "The One" by Gary Allan (here's the link http://youtu.be/K0N8BRyeUBA for those who don't know the song) because it tells how Clint felt the first time we talked!!!!
After being married for 3 years we were at a point in our life that we felt "stuck" living in the town of Phil Campbell, AL. Clint and I were both working full time jobs and we felt like there was something missing. Clint began talking of moving and starting a new career. This decision was very hard for me beacuse I was in my comfort zone and didn't want to leave it. This was the moment that I felt God speak to me and say that I needed to stand by my husband and follow him. Well, follow him I did and we packed up our 2 small children and all of our belongings to the big town of Jacksonville, FL. This is where Clint started his career as a commercial diver.
We spent 8 months in Jacksonville while Clint completed his training. Upon completion, we had to make the decision of where we were going from there. I was at the point that I didn't want to stay in this big town with 2 toddlers, not knowing anyone and being so far away from family. This is when we chose to make our second move to Augusta, GA to be close to his family and his mom to help me with the kids while he and I were working. (With this new career comes travel for Clint and he wouldn't be at home very much)
While in Augusta I become pregnant with our 3rd child and we began to realize that we needed our family to be together and Clint have a chance to be a part of our kids lives. Clint and I began talking about how we could make things better and be closer to each other. He had worked jobs where he was between doing dive work and working on the oil rigs. Currently, he had been working in Houma, LA and staying in an apartment there. I bit the bullet and said ok, let's move the family there, find a home and start the next portion of our life there. Well, needless to say God had another plan for us. Nothing was going right the whole time that we searched for a home and we hit every bump in the road possible. It wasn't until Clint received a phone call from a previous boss at a company in TN that we realized why we were having such a struggle. That phone call was the topping on the cake and we knew where we were headed (Soddy Daisy here we come!)
With the house all packed up and everyone notified that we were moving, we headed to find a place to live in Soddy Daisy, TN (about 15 miles north of Chattanooga). Within a week we found an apartment to move into and finally we were able to say we had found our "home". It wasn't till after a month that we found a wonderful church to attend and the greatest people there to call our "church family"! I truly believe with all my heart that God led us to this place and that this is where we will raise our kids and complete our life until we go to Heaven or Jesus returns for us.
