Happy Birthday Julie

I met Julie the night of April 30th, 1989. My buddies Mark and Bob Webber had gone to high school with Julie and the Webbers and I ended up at the University of Portland, where we were on the cross country and track teams together. School had just finished but the three of us were still running track so I was staying with them at their house in Canby. Being typical lads, we were making the rounds of the local populace and the Webbers were introducing me to their friends. Funny how all of them were young women. So we ended up at the house of Julie Young ... who was 8 months pregnant.



They had told me the story of how when she got pregnant the father ditched her. They were good friends with her and they made it clear she was a sweet girl who got caught in a bad situation. Well, we'll see, I thought. That night we had a great time. We laughed a lot (back in the day I knew a few good jokes) and I remember when I walked in the door and met her thinking, `Sheesh. If she looks this good this pregnant she's a keeper.' Two hours after we left Julie went into labor. In the morning, voila: Brenton was born. The Webbers and I went to visit the two of them in the hospital and I was the only one of us who held the baby. What a guy, eh?



Julie and I started exchanging letters, then in the summer I'd drive over from Bend to visit ... by July I remember telling my buddy RB I was going to marry the girl. He gave me this look like he thought I was stark, raving mad. So call me a prophet. On Sept. 1, 1990, Julie and I were married at a church around the corner from her house in Canby. You know how I said earlier she looked awful good at 8 months pregnant? Well, our running joke is that I've kept her pregnant ever since. But let's be clear here about something. I'm not the one always getting pregnant ... that probably didn't go over so well with the women in the audience, eh?



God has blessed me beyond measure. She loves the Lord with all her heart, strength, mind and soul. She is kind, patient, giving, loving, has really nice long legs, is faithful, lovely and so much more. Her inner strength is amazing. It's a strength she draws from the Lord and I'm always amazed by it. We're 3,000 miles apart today, Jan. 3rd, her 40th birthday (I started this post on Jan. 2, hence the date at the top of the post). I love you and I'll see you Monday night.