Our Love Story: Part IV

That Spring I finished high school and planned to go to community college in the Fall.  In the meantime I went through Life Guard training at our local pool since it seemed to line up with my plan to go to paramedic school.  It was my first "real world" experience.  I'd worked at a local consignment store run by another homeschool family and babysat/nannied for other families but I hadn't really ever been in a job with my peers.  I was excited for this new venture.  I loved my job and new found freedom.  David had started apprenticing with a local builder, we weren't really "together" because my parents still weren't for that whole dating thing but we kinda were. (again, sorry parents, the truth will set you free, remember those grandkids?)  He would show up at the pool sometimes, we saw each other at youth and home school activities.  

That summer David went on a trip to California and some chick wanted to take him to prom so he said yes, came home and "broke off" whatever it was we were.  I was ticked.  She wasn't all that great so I figured it would last long.  Besides seriously?  Prom?  Whatevs.  It didn't last long.  We had remained friends and well, she just wasn't me.  :)  We were "back together" not long after.  

I started community college that Fall completing Fall and Spring semester all while working at the pool.  The Spring of 1996 brought with it two Shubin weddings and my official graduation from high school.  Davids oldest brother was married in March, May was graduation, I turned 18 in June, bought my first car, and Davids second brother got married.  I was in the wedding, it was fun, Summer was great, I was working like crazy so I could pay for Fall semester.  

Right before school started I house sat for a co-worker for three weeks, I was in a bit of a rebellion questioning everything I'd been taught, that point in your life where you're an adult but nothing makes sense.  Since about 16 I'd questioned alot but couldn't talk openly with my parents out of my own fear of disappointing them.  Because my decisions weren't always the greatest my parents were always upset with me.  I couldn't take it and moved out after they set some "rules" I couldn't live with. (quit school and work, those weren't options for me since I'd paid for school myself)  I had a few options on where to live but ultimately my old youth leaders offered a room to me and I knew I needed to be somewhere that would challenge me and grow me vs. take me down a path of bad choices.  To this day their love for me/us even during our crap has been one of the most influential in our lives.  We're so thankful for them.

David decided he wanted to consider being an architect and started working at a firm downtown to get a closer look before making that decision.  Things were good, I was adjusting to being responsible for my own bills, school, and work.  David and I weren't together at the time that I moved  but that was simply because we were trying to be wise in our choices and we weren't always when we were together.  

In December I found out I was pregnant.  Two and a half months pregnant.  I didn't know what to do so I froze.  I told no one for a long time.  When I finally got up the nerve to tell David late one night after work it was shock and sheer fear.  He asked that I give him three days to think and then we'd talk.  I agreed.  Less then 24 hours later he called and said we needed to get back together and figure this out together.  There were two things we knew.  We loved each other and we loved our baby.  The details was where it would get complicated.  We both froze.  For about eight weeks.  Finally one night David told his mom.  I told my parents the next day.  It wasn't easy but we knew it wouldn't be.  We knew we'd let our family down but more then that we'd sinned against God yet our God is full of grace and mercy.  His redemption even in brokenness, we clung to that promise.  We planned to marry the May after our baby would be born but when we told our parents they advised us to get married before the baby so we could be a family.  That made sense to us and we'd made enough poor choices it was time to make a good one.

David asked my dads permission to marry me.  Later that week he got down on one knee and of course I said yes.  One thing our parents wanted us to have was good memories and a wedding.  We were so blessed by the support even in the midst of knowing it would be hard.  Wedding plans were under way and it was going to be a race against a six week clock.  

**everything written is used with with permission from my husband and of course my precious oldest daughter.  We've never hidden our story, we've just never shared publicly.  We truly pray that our story shows Gods redemption, His love, and how HE makes all things beautiful.