For our second installment in our “True Love Tuesday” series, we have the story of Precious and Fred. I love how natural and laid-back their story is, and I really love the part about their first date! 🙂 God definitely knew what He was doing when He put these two together – what a great duo!
1. How did you meet?
In my previous life of retail management, my employer transferred me to help grow the Houston market. Fred (my husband) was Jason’s (my cousin, Heronica’s boyfriend at that time) roommate. My cousin and I are like sisters. We did everything together. It was a natural assumption that I should meet Fred. Very early on, we were informally introduced. I can remember feeling shy and out of my element. Although he was easy to look at, I was at not at the point in my life to be ready to embrace dating. I was trying to become acclimated to my new position and new home. Jason had been hinting that Fred had been asking about me. I dismissed it. On New Year’s Eve (1994), Jason called. Fred had had a few drinks (NOT true) and couldn’t drive his truck. My family urged me to be his designated driver. After hours of declining and hours of Heronica urging me to go, I decided that I should not let Fred drive his truck after having drinks. I chauffeured him around and this turned out to be our first official date. As it turned out, we had a blast!
2. What were your first impressions of one another?
Cliche, but true, I thought he was tall, dark and handsome. *blush* I honestly didn’t think any further and never, ever saw us as a couple. Fred on the other hand said he immediately turned his sights on getting to know me better. He says I was cute, innocent and a challenge. He says I knew how to complicate things and look at angles he hadn’t. I must admit, I did put up a fight. I can remember him parking outside my aunts house, playing his music and expecting me to answer to the beat of his bass. Nope… not I. Ladies do not answer to the beat of bass and horns. If he wanted me that bad, he could come to the door and ring the bell. Right? Right! With all that fuss I put up, he had me the minute he held my hand. I felt something in my heart that I had never felt before. As hard as he was (image), there was a softness that I loved about him. I guess he felt the same, because he ex’d the nurse he was seeing and we became exclusive.
3. How did he propose?
I’m a planner. It’s only natural to attempt to plan “my happily ever after” too! Every decision we made, we made together. I love that about us. There is not a romantic tear jerking story to define the elements of our proposal. It was quite simple, but genuinely us. We previously talked about what it would be like to spend the rest of our lives together. I guess Fred is right. He just told me how I always wanted to talk about things in depth. “We shouldn’t do this… We should do this because of this… Think about it this way…” That is so me. I’m always exploring all the avenues. The proposal should be no different. At this point, we’d been through life’s bumps and always held on to each other. He was my balance… my rock! We depended on each other and wouldn’t have life any other way. After our conversation, one Sunday afternoon over lunch, he nervously said, “I’ve been thinking about what we talked about and I want to know if you would spend the rest of your life with me. I want you to be my wife.” I looked in his eyes and said, “Of course!”
4. What is your favorite thing about your story?
Life happens the way its meant to happen. There was no grand plan for Fred and I. Real love has no plan. It just happens and we happened just how God intended for us to happen. At just the right time in my life, my heart opened up and God allowed Fred to walk in. He shaped us as a couple and prepared us for this journey. The journey: I’m loving every minute of it! Our journey is the favorite thing about our story. As we continue to write this journey, the key is: when love is real, you just know it. There’s no one thing that stands out. It’s how is all comes together. Life’s journey and cycle of coming together are all of the things that play a special part of our love story. Fred is the yin to my yang. We’re so different, but so much the same. He’s the love of my life. We balance each other out. He completes me and I wouldn’t have it any other way!
Thanks Precious for sharing your sweet story with us!
