12 Exciting Years

It was 1995, English class, first period, Mrs. Paris. I was just returning from in-shcool-detention, and guess who was sitting in "MY SPOT"? A seventeen year old punk-rocker wearing a Dead Kennedys T-Shirt, cut off Dickies, white socks pulled up to the knee, Red Converse, a nose ring, and a mohawk. So I was forced to sit behind my future husband.I thought that Gabe was Asian because he was short. I had interest in him because he was shy, polite, and far from anarchy. He was the quiet respectful type. I knew I was liked by him when he would turn to look at the clock behind us while he took a glance at me each time throughout the hour. Another dead give away that he liked me was that he would let me cheat off of his papers.

He was the smart, advanced student who had lots of friends, and a stable home life with structure. I was the dumb ditsy blond who was always late to class, and was allowed to do whatsoever she wanted. We where no doubt- opposites.

I guess Gabe thought it was cool that I had a real cut-off crow's foot for a necklace, and a small pack of pictures in my backpack of when my family and I lived in Tehachapi. But what he thought was even more cool was that in a subtle way,I asked him to be my boyfriend by trying to set him up with a friend who needed a new boyfriend. One day before class was over I wrote Gabe a little note (which he still has to this day) asking if he needed a girlfriend because there was a pretty girl who needed a good looking guy to go out with (really immature,I know) yet, she was not as beautiful as me. After class we met and she turned him down because in her shallow opinion he was too short. I took the opportunity to become his Best Friend.

We hung out every day. We went to the beach, the mountains, taco bell, doughnut shops, and hung out for hours and hours at my house sitting on the couch kissing, or at the park in his car kissing while it poured rain all day. We talked so much about anything and everything. We even have names for our parks to this day. We talked about the smurfs so much, one park is called, The Smurf Park. Another is called The Beautiful Park. You can see Riverside all the way at the top of the foothills in Rancho. We would drive, and drive, and drive, and drive, and keep driving.

I remember sitting in Gabe's room for hours singing Dee-lite songs to him and drawing pictures for his little sister. It's just so weird to think that at one time, we were kids. And now we've been married for twelve years and have six kids together (two of them in heaven).

Once again, and I say it every year. Without Jesus, We would not be married today. And there would be no Zeekie, Trinity, Or Elias. I would have justified all of my hurtful past, and left Gabe for any little reason, I would have become an alcoholic no doubt, and Gabe (according to him) would have been dead or in prison. Poor Calvin would have had a recked life, and who knows what would have become of him.

I know that I will fall down on my knees in the presence of my King when I see Him face to face. I thank God For JESUS CHRIST. Who has given us life and that more abundantly.

Gabe is a good man because of JESUS. and I am who I am today because of The Blood of Jesus. I am not perfect, and Gabe is not perfect,and any good in either of us is Jesus. We are by God's grace, forgiven, & BORN AGAIN because we both made a choice early on in our marriage, to follow JESUS and allow Him to be the Lord of our marriage and lives.

I love Gabe with all my heart, and he loves me and cherishes me. I can go on and on about our love for each other but it will make you look for a spoon . . . to gag yourself with.

I am happy to say, that I am Happily married to Gabe Thrasher.

12 years 4/12/09 Easter Sunday