Ted and Anna's Love Story

May 9, 1997 — Wedding Reception at the Lackland Air Force Base Officer’s Club.

~Anna’s version.

On September 25, 1995, Ted’s childhood best friend, Jeremy Reus, set us up on a blind date. I remember the evening beginning with a conversation my sister, Erica and I had about how lonely we felt. She and I were friends, and we loved to spend time together, but we wanted friends. Our family had moved from El Paso, Tx. to San Antonio just six months prior. We had experienced life-long friendships, so starting afresh was lonely.

That evening, our landline began ringing as we sat at the kitchen table. My sister, answering the phone, agreed with somebody on the other line with a smile on her face. We had plans!

We dressed and agreed to meet our new friends in the parking lot of Bill Millers. We had no idea who we were meeting exactly, except that they went to the new church we recently decided to call our own. As she and I waited, I was slightly surprised at myself for agreeing to it all. I had made an inner vow that I would never date, and I had no plans on marrying… ever. (I had a traumatic experience (another story for another time) with a man, which led me to lose myself in the mountains of Mexico, where God met me and brought me back home, healed but rejecting any plans for a future family- and dating.

However, desperate times called for desperate measures when two lonely sisters needed friends. As we waited in the agreed location, I was appalled to see a red sports car screech around the bend.

I was not impressed.

As college students with little money, our evening was modest; CiCi’s Pizza for dinner and a dollar movie if we got along after a conversation. Fresh from our Misson’s experience in Mexico, Erica and I dominated the conversation with stories of what God did while we were there. The two boys listened politely. Ted asked a lot of questions with genuine interest. Because we seemed to get along, we agreed to a movie (“First Night” with Richard Gere). My iceberg heart began to thaw just a little as Ted, and I made a connection that felt like the beginning of a friendship.

After that evening, Ted and I became inseparable. I had never been the kind of girl to make things easy (for boys to date). I required many hoops to get to know me, one of which was to talk to my Father and ask permission to keep talking to me - Ted called my Dad before I had to tell him to do so. I didn’t create the hoops because I was coached into doing so; I was trying to eliminate problems. I had no plans of marrying, so instead of breaking the news uncomfortably, I thought I would make the pursuit as discouraging as I could to keep from having to tell them I wouldn’t marry them.

Ted was unfazed at every obstacle I threw his way, even when I finally had to tell him that we could be friends, but nothing more. I would be wasting his time and emotions.

When I finally realized that Ted could meet another girl and our friendship would be at risk, I realized friendship was not what I wanted. I wanted his life-long, every day, every- minute friendship. That felt a lot like love to me. That scared me.

I had made an inner vow I felt I would be breaking- I was planning on getting my nursing degree to be a full-time nurse in Mexico as a missionary.

One day, as I contemplated the conflict I felt, I had a conversation with my Dad that helped turn my heart around. I shared my fear with him. He began to remind me of stories in the Bible of great men who failed in one thing- to teach their kids about the faithfulness of God. (David/ Absolom, Eli/ Hophni, and Phinehas, Samuel). He told me the most significant mission field would be my home. Smooth move, Dad. I think he may have liked Ted.

A couple of days later, browsing the isles of a Christian bookstore, my eyes fell on a “name-meaning” binder lying on a table' (those binders with little cards with a name and thier Bible meaning below it)- The page was open to “Ted- God’s gift.” Well, that sealed the deal for me: smooth move, God. I think God may have liked Ted for me too.

Ted and I have been married since May 7, 1997. We have enjoyed true friendship, true love, and true partnership for twenty-five years.

To be continued…