our love story

photo taken with permission from @sweetersidemom 

When I was about six years old I told my mom I wanted to learn how to talk with my hands. My mom, not exactly sure what I meant by that statement, bought me my first sign language book for Christmas. I poured over that book and taught myself how to sign and became fluent by age ten. I loved signing my favorite songs and interpreting television shows and commercials as a means to practice. My freshman year of high school was the first year that the state of Texas accepted American Sign Language as a foreign language requirement. So of course, I signed up and not only learned more about ASL but also about the deaf culture. When I graduated high school, I had the opportunity to become a sign language interpreter at the same high school I graduated and then later found my way to an elementary school where I was an interpreter for several years. I went on to take ASL in college and joined a group of deaf collage students who meet up each week in the cafeteria. I’m sure they were curious to know my fascination with the language and culture, but they were always generous, patient, and accepting of a hearing person who so loved their language and wanted to communicate with them.

Will was born deaf and raised in a hearing family. He learned to lip read and took extensive speech classes for several years. Although he was learning sign language, he only had access to oral interpreters throughout his education. After high school, he went off to the University of North Texas where our paths would soon cross.

For several years my mom and I attended a women’s retreat through our church. One year in our small group I met Randi. She was an ASL interpreter at both the college I attended as well as my church. When she found out I was also an interpreter she invited me to worship with her the following Sunday, which I did. At first Randi and I were the only two people worshiping in the reserved section until, from the corner of my eye, I noticed a young man who walked in just before the sermon began. After church Randi introduced us. We talked for nearly an hour when suddenly, with a puzzled look on his face, he asked me a bizarre question, “are you deaf or hearing”? I laughed and said I’m hearing.  This was the beginning of a three-year courtship and we married in 2005. Randi was the interpreter at our wedding.

It’s funny because I don’t think of our story as being particularly special or unique until I remember that God ordained it all before the foundation of the earth. I don’t ever want to take away from His goodness and provision. Only God could create such a beautiful story: a hearing person with one foot in the deaf world and a deaf person with one foot in the hearing world who, by the grace of God, met, married, and are building a beautiful, messy, slightly crazy, wonderful life together. I’m so thankful His plans are exceeding better than mine.

Nothing says I love you more than lasagna. Am I right? If you're wanting an easy (and I do mean easy) recipe to a classic meal to celebrate this day of love, check out my post called 'love & lasagna'. Happy Valentines Day! 

I do love a good love story. 

I would love to read yours in the comment below.