Wednesday, January 20, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE


Well, tomorrow is both Thankful Thursday and my SIL Mike te Velde's 24th birthday, so it seemed only appropriate to start this week's thankfulness with my gratefulness for this young man.

Mike & Melody's love story is really a pretty interesting one (or I think so anyway, haha) so this seems as good a time as any to share it.  This story was shared by her daddy during the toast at her wedding (much to her COMPLETE horror, haha) but every word of it is true...Melody was starting at a brand new Christian high school as a freshman and did not know a single soul.  Now she has never had a problem making friends, but this was a hard age to find herself not familiar with anything or anyone.  She decided to try out for the volleyball team so this gave her a head start at meeting a lot of girls since tryouts started a full month before school did.  She not only made the team, but very quickly became involved with a group of girls that she is friends with to this day.  But I am getting off track... (imagine that? lol) Anyway, one day about a week before school started I was picking her up from practice and she gets into the car seeming kind of flustered and weird.  Now Mel is not your typical girl in almost any way.  She is NOT a drama girl, is NOT overly emotional, and usually has her feet firmly on the ground.  So this mood was definitely an out of character one for her.  And she says to me, "Oh mom, I just had the WEIRDEST thing happen...."  and I said of course, "WHAT?? and she says, "I just met this boy."  Now again, Mel was not what I would have considered normal for a girl her age in that area either.  She had boys coming around wanting her attention ever since she had been a very little girl.  Now granted in the beginning all they really wanted was for her to play some sport game or another with them as she was always soo athletic, but again I regress.  But she had never really been too interested in boys as "boys" at all.  Now she was of course only 14, but it still had seemed a little weird to me.  So when she said she had just met this boy, I thought to myself, "Oh no, here we go..."  And so I said to her, "And?  Was he especially cute or something?"  and she said, "I don't know, I guess he was kind of cute, but that wasn't what it was."  I of course ask her, "Well, what HAPPENED?"  And she says, " I got introduced to him and I looked at him and when our eyes met I just got the STRANGEST feeling.  It was really weird mom.  Like I just KNEW in my heart I had just met someone who is going to be a VERY significant person in my life.  I just KNOW I am going to know him for the rest of my life."  And of course kind of freaked out now I said, "Well, what do you mean?  Like you might marry him someday or something?"  And she said, "I don't know, but I really think I could, but I know I am going to KNOW him forever."  Needless to say at the time I quickly dismissed this as just a weird thing and not to pay it much attention etc. etc.  However, considering this DID turn out to be the man she married, it was indeed a pretty significant occurence.  Now they didn't get together at that point, in fact it wasn't until late in their junior year of high school that they finally began to actually date, and Melody has never described this event as one where she fell in love at first sight or anything like that.  It was just almost as if somehow her spirit sensed that Mike was to be part of her life forever.  Pretty strange for a 14 year old girl.  I have thought that maybe it was because both her dad and I had begun to pray about the man she would one day marry practically from the time she was just a tiny baby, not knowing of course who on earth that might be.  And maybe when she met him the Lord just stirred her spirit a bit and she experienced that feeling.  But I think it is a very unique story, and telling it still gives me goose bumps sometimes. 

Mike is a strong, fun loving and caring man and the perfect match for Melody in many little ways.  I am so grateful that God brought them together and that he makes my daughter so happy.  He takes good care of her, and I feel she is safe and protected and cherished, and there is not much more a mother can ask for.  He encourages her to visit often and I am VERY grateful for that as well.  For those of you who do not know Mike is a dairy farmer and he and Melody moved 1000 miles away from us right after they married.  In fact, Mike had already moved there a year prior to their wedding so they spent their entire year of engagement 1000 miles a part.  And even though he moved my daughter away from me, I have never felt like I lossed a duaghter, but instead gained yet another wonderful son.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY Mike, and may the Lord bless you and keep you and make His fact to shine upon you now and always...

I had a lot of fun playing with my pictures on the computer the last couple of days.  I am grateful to Genn @ Life in the Hass House for informing me about this site, and also to Kristi @ Rush Hour for helping me tweak my blog more to my liking again.  I am also grateful for the time I spent with my sweet granddaughter Annabel on Sat. and for all the women who took the time to encourage me when I was feeling a little down a couple of days ago.  It blessed me more than you can ever know.  I am now going to share a few more fun pics of Melody and Mike.


These of course are pictures of their wedding day and the rehearsal...



The night they got engaged, New Years eve kiss, and sporting their favorite football teams jerseys, haha

Ok, I really am done playing with this now...Can ya tell I have LOTS of pics of Mike & Melody?

To check out the other grateful bloggers, please click HERE, I promise you, you will bless yourself so much.

23 comments:

  1. That is a beautiful love story Debbie. Why though, did they move so far away? I just assumed he must be from another area, and was surprised to read that they met in high school!
    Love your new "look" and am still decided whether or not I want to change mine back to big.

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a beautiful story. I believe the Lord did bring them together. Happy Birthday to your SIL. The pictures are all amazing. A nice mosaic! And may God bless you all.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Debbie,
    What a great story (gave me goose bumps) and what great pictures you have of them. They always look like the're having so much fun.
    You have gotton quite creative with your collages and pictures, I am not as adept at that as you are. I need to spend some computer time with my daughter...there never seems to be enough hours in the day.
    Your blog looks darling in it's valentine's day best.
    Stay dry...it's pouring here right now.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Debbie,
    Have been out of commission for a while due to illness, but am so glad to be reading one of your post.
    First I want to wish Mike a most blessed happy Birthday, I so enjoyed reading this beautiful love story. I know the feeling Melody felt, as experienced the same when introduced to my dh in high school. I knew God had put this young man in my life for a reason. They are such a beautiful couple, I too feel the same about our son-in-love.
    I love your collages. I have been trying to do some but have only had success with one. Thank you for sharing these ladies blog , I will check them out.
    I must go and do some catching up on what you have been doing.
    Please put me on your prayer list, as I have acquired the shingles, not fun.
    Hugs, and blessings,
    Sue

    ReplyDelete
  5. Such beautiful story...

    Happy Birthday, Mike!

    Debbie, Happy Thankful Thurseday!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh that is quite the love story. I love how at the end of it you said that you and your husband had prayed for the man she might marry since she was younger, so maybe the Lord stirred her spirit a bit. Gives me goosebumps too.

    I got a similar feeling when I me my husband. Not the first time on the cruise, but 8 months later he came out to CA with his brother to visit some friends. My sister and I met up with them, and I told my sister that night, I know this sounds weird because I don't even know him, but I think I'm going to marry him.

    Ahhh how sweet a love story can be. :)

    Happy Bday to your SIL.

    And thanks for the blog shout out. :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. *oops I meant when I *met*
    my husband...

    ReplyDelete
  8. that was a lovely story. you got my full attention when you said that you were praying for the man she's going to marry someday. wow! beautiful love story.

    ReplyDelete
  9. What a great looking couple. Happy Birthday to Mike.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Happy Birthday to Mike. Thanks for sharing this beautiful love story and these lovely pictures. I believe in arranged marriage (arranged by God).

    ReplyDelete
  11. I have 3 daughters, I hope and pray I can say similar things about their husbands one day.
    What a wonderful blessing.

    ReplyDelete
  12. That is such a wonderful story! I love it! :)

    I was much older, but I had one of those feelings when I first met my husband, too. When I told my mom about it, it was such an out of character thing, she just laughed and shook her head. It felt "strange" to me, too! Lol!

    So I know exactly what you are talking about!

    ReplyDelete
  13. What a wonderful love story of Melody and Mike. I'm sure your thankful heart is overflowing. Happy Birthday Mike!

    Love,
    Debbie

    ReplyDelete
  14. I am so loving the collages - what fun!! Mel and Mike are just the cutest couple..has anyone ever told you that Mel does NOT look like a farmer?!? (I'm sure they have.) It has to be a couple that God put together:)

    Have you been to their farm? So neat. I hope that Mike has a wonderful birthday....definitely a tremendous blessing to have a SIL that loves and cares for your daughter that way!!

    Happy Thankful Thursday, friend.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I so love this post it is very sweet I too prayed for my childrens future and those in thier future at one time I also had to pray that he will allow me to accept what was going on as well

    ReplyDelete
  16. What a great story!! That is just way too cool. I love it. I know with Tim I had that little moment of, this is it. I knew him and I would be together forever. It's funny how sometimes we just know!! Nothing like your daughter's story, which is so cool!!

    Happy Birthday to your son in law!! They make such a cute couple!

    P.S. I'm lovin' your collage's

    ReplyDelete
  17. Happy Birthday. Wonderful pictures. Doylene

    ReplyDelete
  18. This is just one of the best stories I have read in forever....

    I absolutely believe your sweet girl's soul was stirred. It happens. How amazing.

    I loved reading this story and I hope also my daughter finds her man and he is just like Mike. Happy Birthday Mike.

    Happy TT. Hugs, Lynn

    ReplyDelete
  19. Such a sweet story. My oldest daughter is married and my youngest daughter is getting married in June. They are so cute together and it's fun to watch the excitement build as the date gets closer.

    ReplyDelete
  20. WOO HOO - the collage making was as much fun as scrapbooking! I think I used the same site you did (I had to read back through your comments from Genn to find her suggestion)....I really am a terrible photographer and don't take nearly enough pictures (something I really need to work on) but there were so many neat ideas to try on that site!!

    Of course - I have spent way much more time on the computer this morning than is really necessary (but its snowing and snow days are sorta like free days! or that's way I'm trying to tell myself!)

    Have a great Friday:)

    ReplyDelete

I am so glad that you would take the time to comment on my thoughts and feelings, it is such a blessing to me!