Our Love Story: Matt and Tanna

So many of my blog friends are sharing their love stories so I thought that I would take part in the fun. I'd love for my kids to be able to read it and to have it as a keepsake myself. One part will be from my perspective and the other will be from Matt's perpective. Enjoy!

Our Love Story: Matt and Tanna
Part 1: Tanna's View

Being from a small town means that you know everybody and there's hardly anything to do. Within 30 miles each direction, there's more small towns with still nothing to do. About 30 miles from Scott City, where I grew up, was a town called Healy. (One of the smallest towns I've ever seen, yet holds so many memories for me.) Little did I know that the guy that I would marry, at the ripe, young age of 18, lived in this town.

My bestfriend and I knew other people from Healy and we'd venture out occasionally to visit Healy to entertain ourselves. And of course there were boys. :) My friend knew most of them and I kind of just tagged along. After awhile, I knew most of them too. Even though Matt was friends with them, I had never actually seen him with them.

One evening, we went to Healy for a basketball game and to hang out with our friends. Matt had been playing that night and even though I may have noticed him, he was too quiet to ever say anything. Before I knew it, he had added me on messenger and we became really good friends.
My friend made a name called "Mappy" for him because if you say "Matt P" really quickly, it sounds like Mappy. I, too, picked up on the nickname and honestly, our relationship consisted of flirty nicknames and talking. I was too interested in another boy and Matt was just a really good friend at the time.

At one point, just before breaking up with "other said boy" I seen Matt at a party and we talked and talked. By the summer of our freshmen year, we were official. We started dating May 30, 2003. Our friendship blossomed into something that I will never forget. Matt was my rock, my bestfriend, and my everything. Even though we were both christians, I wouldn't say that our walk was significant in our lives until later in our relationship.

After running into some trouble with schooling in the town that I grew up in, Scott City, I begged my dad to transfer me to Healy where I had found a lot of friendships in a few good people. I still say that this decision was the hardest for my dad to make but it was certainly the best. I am still so thankful towards my dad for allowing me to go. I have so many memories and friendships that I found in this small town that I absolutely loved at the time...including Matt's. My dad finally gave in and Matt soon became not only my boyfriend, but my classmate. Matt and I were 2 out of 16 students in our class so we had the same friends, same schedule, same memories.

For our first date, we did what every couple in that same small town does. We traveled to Garden City to a movie and dinner. I can't even remember which movie or what restaurant, to be honest.
Matt and I dated all through High School. We went to three proms together, we went on youth trips together, we walked to class together. We were inseperable. We we're even football homecoming king and queen our senior year. And our best high school memory would be traveling to Hawaii our senior year for our senior trip. We felt important and free and made the best memories. He was the star football player and I was the cheerleader. We'd write "love" letters, many of which I still have. It just made sense for us to be together. :) We had an occasional fight and break-up but it has truly made us who we are today.

Our first kiss was in front of my friend's house. Matt and his brother just happened to be in town and were in the area. They had to leave so he kissed me goodbye and I didn't even see it coming. I was so embarassed.

Even though I wasn't open about it, I knew I was going to marry him. I loved him. I loved how he treated me and I loved who he was. He had morals, values, and goals. He was smart, kind, and handsome. :) And my family loved him. I loved him. We grew up together over our high school years. We had talked about the future but nothing really needed to be said...because we both just knew. Matt proposed to me our senior year of high school, over Christmas break, on Thursday, December 22, 2005. We were having Christmas with his family at the time. We had just finished opening a few gifts and we're watching the movie "The Christmas Blessing", the sequel to "The Christmas Shoes". Matt was fumbling around in the background as I was trying to concentrate on the movie. They somehow convinced me to open another present randomly so we did and that's when Matt gave me a beautiful proposal and I of course said "yes", knowing that I would love to marry my high school sweetheart.

(Thanks to Matt's sister for grabbing a camera, even though I'm in my PJs. :))

Matt and I planned a small, comfortable, beach-themed wedding on July 8, 2006..two months after our high school graduation. We had the wedding in his parents backyard in Healy, Kansas. The weather was hot but perfect and our closest friends, family, and supporters we're there. Music, food, and cake was enjoyed and everyone relaxed. We left the next day for our new apartment in Topeka, Kansas where Matt would soon start school and work and I would work. We honeymooned in Branson, Missouri, which happens to still be one of our most favorite places to go.

(Notice the Longhorn cake...true fans!)

We found out that I was pregnant with a little girl late July, early August and even though we were nervous, we were so excited. I had always wanted to be a mommy and now I would be. Jaelyn Lerae was born on Tuesday, April 3rd, 2007. We fell in love hard. We struggled a bit financially and such, but we managed and Jaelyn is growing up to be quite the little girl. I became a stay-at-home mom when Jaelyn was born and ever since then, our relationships with Christ began to blossom. We were able to attend church, groups, and actually have family time. It was truly what we needed as a family and God knew that. He provided for us so that I could be a stay-at-home mom and it's what was best for our relationship with Him.

We celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, friendships, and babies. Then, early July, I found out that I was pregnant yet again with our second little girl. Finlee Allison-Grace was born Monday, March 2nd, 2009, just a month before Jaelyn's second birthday. Our world was rocked but they have become our world and we absolutely love being parents.

With our fourth wedding anniversary drawing near, I feel that Matt and I have come a long way in our relationship with each other, our relationship with Christ, and our family relationships. He has brought out the best in me and I am so thankful for the wonderful husband that he is. God has truly blessed me with a bestfriend and amazing husband, two beautiful girls, and family and friends to last a lifetime. Matt and I feel like we have conquered so much and I couldn't imagine not being with him with all that we have been through together. Life is beautiful and I can't wait to see what else it hands us. Even though it won't be easy, atleast I have Matt to do it with.

Thank you, Matt, for being such a wonderful, hard-working, funny man! I love you!

Xoxo,
Tanna