The Story of Us

Ten years ago today, Trey and I went on our first date. I can’t believe that we’ve been together for ten years! I don’t think I’ve shared our story, so I thought this would be perfect timing.

Trey Clemens. The very first time I met him I knew there was something great about him. We met in January of 2000 at Texas A&M (my sophomore, his junior year) at a “Superhero” skating party for a ministry we were both involved in called Impact. Impact is a 3 day camp for incoming freshmen at A&M who want to connect with other Christians and find ways to get involved in churches and ministries while in college. Trey and I were both selected to be counselors for the very first Impact ever, which would be taking place the following August. (By the way, now Impact is HUGE! I think they have 2 or 3 camps now, with tons and tons of incoming freshman. It is so exciting to know that something that was so dear to us is now dear to many, many Aggies!)

So, my roommate-to-be Amber and I (hi Amber, I miss you!!) got decked out in our superhero costumes. We walked in to the skating rink (this sounds like it was in 1985) and I sat down next to a handsome, red-headed guy to put my skates on. He was dressed in camo and informed me he was a G.I. Joe named Boots McCormick. I noticed two things about this boy right away- his amazing smile and his fun, outgoing personality. We talked off and on that night, and I saw him on campus a few days later. I only knew him as “Boots”, so I didn’t learn his real name until that day we ran into each other. Not too long after that, his roommate David and my good friend Becca started dating. So, not only did Impact have us seeing each other a lot, but because of David and Becca we were around each other all the time. Sometime that spring, Trey came over for a BBQ at the apartment I shared with Nicole, my potluck roommate from my freshman year. Here’s a pic from that night! Of course, I had no idea at the time that this was my future husband!

The spring semester came and went, and so did the summer. Then Impact 2000 was upon us! We reunited with all of the Impact crew, and had an amazing weekend. It was so great getting to minister to so many incoming freshmen, but I was exhausted by the end of the weekend! I was really looking forward to getting some sleep on the bus ride back to College Station. Not sure how this happened, but I ended up sitting next to Trey. We had a great time talking and I remember falling asleep on his shoulder. Again, I had NO CLUE at this point that he’d be my husband and the father of my kids! Crazy. Here’s us that weekend at Impact.

We continued to see each other here and there the fall and spring semesters with Impact stuff. At that point David and Becca were engaged, too, so we saw each other a lot. I think by then we had crossed over into the “good friends” category. Fast forward to April of that year… we were at BYX (Christian fraternity that Trey was in) Island Party, where Christian bands come and have a music festival type thing with food, etc. I saw Trey and somehow we started playing catch with a football. Sometime during our game of catch he said, “The next person that drops the ball has to take the other out to a movie.” Sure enough, a few throws later, I dropped the ball. And as they say, the rest is history.

We went out to dinner to settle the bet on April 27, 2001. We ate at Johnny Carino’s (he paid) and then we saw Sylvester Stallone in the movie Driven (I paid- that was the bet!). That was a jewel of a movie, I tell you. Not. But the date was wonderful and I remember having so much fun.

We had our next date a few weeks later, and then another not long after that. The summer was upon us and I was working at Cho-Yeh youth camp and he was going to be in College Station for the summer. We got to meet up a few times here or there, and had our “DTR” (remember that term?) and our first kiss sometime early that summer. The “I love yous” came soon after that, and by the end of the summer, I knew I was going to marry my best friend, Trey. It was a fast dating period, but I had known him for over a year and just knew it was meant to be! We got engaged in November 2001 (that deserves a post of its own) and were married July 27, 2002. Here’s a pic of us when we got engaged. It was at the skating rink where we met, and he was dressed just like the night I met him. I’m also wearing the t-shirt I wore the night we met. The boy had it hanging on the door for me to put on before I walked in. He’s pretty great.

I am so thankful that I met Boots McCormick at that skate party that night! Trey is such a fun, loving, and outgoing person. Anyone who knows him knows his personality is contagious! His smile still makes me melt and I love him more today than ever. Our marriage is not perfect and we have definitely had our ups and downs. But, it is Christ-centered and that has made all the difference in the world. I am married to my very best friend. I never get tired of being around him, and I can’t wait until he walks in the door every evening! We have fun dreaming about the future but also making memories in the present. I am blessed beyond measure to have a Godly husband who always strives to make wise decisions and puts his faith and family first.

I love you Trey! Thanks for making that bet with me 10 years ago! I can’t wait to see what the next 50 have in store…