10 Years

On this date, 10 years ago, Bryan and I became husband and wife.

It's so hard to believe it's been 10 years because in my mind, it was just yesterday. I remember EVERY moment of our short courtship, engagement, wedding preparations and wedding day. For those of you who don't know our story, I'll share...

In January of 2000, Bryan was called to be the youth pastor at the church that my dad was the music minister for...Slide Baptist Church. Before Bryan and I had even met, people of the church were already "setting us up". One of the youth girls asked me if I had seen/met the new youth pastor? I told her I had not. Her response? "He's HOT"! I thought nothing of it because he was probably a) not that "hot" b) dating someone c) too young for me (after all I was 23) or d) ALL OF THE ABOVE. Church members were also asking Bryan if he'd seen/met me yet. Of course, he had not. The pastor told him, "You've got to meet Misti. She sings like an angel". Assuming, I guess, that "singing like an angel" was on Bryan's list of things he'd like his spouse to be able to do. So, both Bryan and I decided that if we met by chance...fine, but we were not going to go out of our way to meet the other because if people were "talking it up" so much, it probably wasn't a good thing.

Fast forward to February 14, 2000. Valentine's Day. The church staff was having a Valentine Fellowship and since I had no Valentine and preferred not to sit at home, alone, I decided to accompany my parents (poor me right?). I did not expect to see Bryan there because I figured he had plans that night, for sure. Now, I should mention that by this point, Bryan and I had met, but were still turned off by the idea of everyone trying to get us together. So, we're at this fellowship, getting all the food and games prepared when in walks the youth pastor to "get a few things from his office". After talking to some others, he decided to hang around as he didn't have any other plans that night. At some point, the "grown-ups" decided to play dominoes. As if the night could get any more lame, right? Well, guess who was without a partner? Yep, Bryan and I. So, we decided to be good sports, play along and we'd be partners. We made a great team and actually won a few rounds. The night was winding down and Bryan and I decided to go to the gym and shoot some hoops while the others cleaned up. We played 3 rounds of C-A-T and guess who won EVERY one of them? ME!!! To this day, Bryan will tell you that he "let" me win 2 of those but that's not what you will hear from me OR from any of the adults that wondered in to catch the last 2 games.

After that night, Bryan and I began to talk...a lot. I became more involved in helping with the youth ministry and ALWAYS looked forward to going to church :0). Our first date we laugh about because it was full of BRYAN'S favorite things. We ate at a Japanese Steakhouse (which I had never had before), went back to Bryan's house to watch Bryan's favorite movie, Brave Heart. Yes, you read that right...Brave Heart. Then we made brownies together in his kitchen. Side note here - I vividly remember thinking to myself, "I hope he doesn't leave this mess here in the kitchen". He did. Somewhere along the way we became a "couple" and spent every moment we could together. I remember sitting in my car, outside a coffee shop until 3 o'clock in the morning talking, SEVERAL times. No relationship I had ever had was anything like this and I never wanted to say "goodnight".

Our first kiss was in Bryan's car, in the parking lot of Whataburger. Yep, that's right...Whataburger. We had gone to eat with one of the youth volunteers after church one Wednesday night. We were talking about how the meeting had gone and I guess it was just "time" for that first kiss!

In June of 2000, we had planned a getaway to Wichita Falls for a weekend so that I could meet Bryan's grandparents for the first time. Now, by this point in our relationship, we had "talked" about marriage and all that jazz. Actually, the night before we left for this trip we had a conversation about marriage and it didn't go well. Bryan was telling me how he could not afford a ring at that time and just didn't know how it was going to be possible to get engaged or married anytime soon. I told him I did not need a ring to be engaged. We talked and talked and talked but could not figure out how to make it work at that point in time. So, we decided to just take it day by day and he would "save up" for a ring. Bryan picked me up the next afternoon to head out for our trip. We got about 2 blocks away from my house and he pulled over at a park. He said he wanted to talk more about our conversation the night before. I turned my head to look out the window as I teared up and told him I just would rather not talk about it and just enjoy our trip together. Little did I know that while I was starring out the window, Bryan had DROPPED my engagement ring down between the console and his seat and was fishing for it! He grabbed it JUST as I was turning my head back toward him. I turned to see him smiling and holding out the most beautiful ring I had ever seen! He said, "Misti Lee Haynie, will you marry me"? I was already crying but now they were tears of pure joy! I said, "YES, of course"! That trip was very special and still is to this very day!

We set the date for Saturday, December 9, 2000. I can honestly say that planning my wedding was a blast! I enjoyed EVERY moment of it. I had been in and sang at so many weddings prior to my own, that I knew exactly how I wanted mine to go. I was lucky too that the only thing my groom wanted to do for the wedding was pick out the tuxedos and show up at the rehearsal/wedding. The day came and it was PERFECT! Our colors were red and black. We hardly had to purchase/rent a single thing for the ceremony because the church was already decorated for Christmas with beautiful poinsettia's and lighted garland everywhere. It was absolutely beautiful. My brother, Bryan's uncle, Bryan's youth pastor and my and Bryan's parents all sang during the service. Bryan and I decided to say our own vows. Bryan went first and started to tear up, which made me start to tear up. MY vows were a song that I was going to sing to Bryan so I was thinking, "oh no, no, no; don't cry because I can't sing if I'm crying"! Luckily I composed myself and was able to sing "From This Moment On" as my vows to Bryan. He'll tell you to this day that I took the easy way out because I didn't have to "come up with my own vows" like he did. Yeah, yeah, yeah...whatever, babe!

On Sunday, December 10, we boarded a plane and headed for our honeymoon to New York City, New York. It was AMAZING!!! We have so many wonderful memories of that trip. I only wish I was boarding a plane TOMORROW morning to head to New York City for a week!!!

So, here we are 10 years and 3 kiddos later. I am so proud of us and the life we've made. I love my husband more today than I did 10 years ago and I am so thankful that he chose me to walk beside in this world. Our kids are the joy of our hearts and we are so thankful to God for allowing us to be parents. So...here's to 10 years of wedded bliss and at least 50 more!

I love you Bryan Alan Beaver!