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Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Darrell Darnell, I once had a random encounter with film director Roberto Orci, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a story about the lady I love from Texas.
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What I Learned Yesterday:
15 years. It really doesn’t seem like it’s been 15 years since I married Kari Maechelle Brunson, but today is our 15 year anniversary. We met while working at a bookstore. I was the assistant manager. She and her family had just moved to Oklahoma City from Texas and she was hired to work in the teacher supplies department and work customer service.
It was not love at first sight. I was coming off of a break up with a girl that I was pretty serious with, so I wasn’t really looking to date anyone at that point. Kari had a funny Texas accent and I would make fun of the way she said certain words, but that was about the extent of our relationship.
One day one of our regular customers named Cindy told me that she thought Kari and would be good together and she encouraged me to ask her out. I still wasn’t really looking to date anyone, but it was a comment that stuck with me. I began to notice Kari more after that day. Often times after work, a group of us would go get coffee or grab some food a together. When we did this, I’d often find myself sitting near Kari and we’d talk. Then we started hanging out in the parking lot after work, just sitting on the tailgate of my truck and talking.
Soon after that we started going on dates with just the two of us. I was really trying to be cautious and not get carried away. After a couple of months of dating, I realized that I there was something really cool going on between us and I didn’t want to see anyone else but her. I was pretty sure she felt the same way, but I wanted to make it clear that I was ready to take our relationship more seriously. I began planning the best date ever.
It was December so Christmas lights were everywhere. There’s a victorian era town just north of where we live, so I made arrangements to take her on a horse drawn carriage through the Christmas light lit streets of the victorian town. There weren’t as many lights as I’d hoped, but it was still beautiful.
While we were enjoying the carriage ride, the rest of my plan was being executed by my friend Chuck. Chuck had agreed to go over to our favorite Chinese food restaurant and pick up dinner. He would then take it over to my apartment and set it up at a specific time. In addition to setting up the food, Chuck would put on some music, light some candles, and put some roses on the table. Kari and I would arrive a few minutes later and she would be surprised with a nice romantic dinner.
Kari and I finished the carriage ride and everything was going pretty much as I planned. The carriage ride didn’t take quite as long as I planned, and I didn’t want to get back to my apartment before Chuck was ready for us. As we drove back to our town I had to think of a way to stall, but not make it obvious. I came up with the idea to go check out a fancy neighborhood that had a lot of Christmas lights and she agreed that it would be a good idea.
I continued driving, and then, out of nowhere, I had a terrible realization. I gasped out loud as I realized what I’d done. Kari asked me what was wrong and I told her that I just realized that the rest of our date had been ruined. She was confused, of course. I told her that I had more stuff planned that was really special, but I’d just realized that I’d made a critical mistake and it would not happen now. She assured me that whatever it was was fine and that even if our date ended there, she’d had a great evening.
What was my mistake? I forgot to give Chuck the key to my apartment.
We went ahead and enjoyed the Christmas lights and then headed back to my apartment. I hoped that maybe Chuck was still there and that we could just set it up and make the most of the situation. However, when we got there, Chuck was gone. There was a note on my door and it said, “Darrell and Kari, you are hereby invited to Chuck Manchu’s Chinese Restaurant for a romantic dinner for two.” The note gave the address, and it was the address of Chuck’s house.
I couldn’t believe it. Chuck was even more awesome that I thought. We got back in the car and drove over to Chuck’s house. He and his wife invited us in, lit some candles, and left. The lights were dimmed, music was playing, food and roses were on the table, and my romantic evening with Kari was saved.
After that night, Kari and I were inseparable. A couple of years later, I was offered a new position with the bookstore in Lubbock, TX. I knew that I didn’t want to make the move without her. I met her parents, Dave and Kay, for lunch one day to ask their blessing on marrying Kari. I was so nervous. I couldn’t speak, I spilled food, and it was not going well. The meal was about over and I hadn’t figured out how to bring up marriage yet.
Finally Kari’s mom bailed me out. She said that Kari was really going to miss me when I moved to Texas. I said, “Well, I was really hoping that could take her with me as my wife, but I’d really like your blessing.” Kari’s mom is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. On top of that, she has the warm southern accent that sounds just like Paula Dean.
Kay got really excited and said, “Oh, yes! Yes! Yes! Yes…I mean, Dave, what do you think?” Dave was happy to give me his blessing too, and they welcomed me into their family. Now I had to pop the question.
Once again I called up my buddy Chuck. He once again came through for me and we quickly put together the plan.
The next night, I told Kari that Chuck and his wife, Rachael, had invited us over to play games. Chuck and I had arranged it so that Kari and I would arrive at a specific time and they would be gone, but the door would be unlocked. I don’t know if I was a bit early or if Chuck was a bit late, but as we rounded the corner to turn onto his street, we passed them in their car. Kari noticed.
I told Kari that they were probably just making a quick trip to the store and we waited out in the driveway for a few minutes. I knew that Chuck and Rachael weren’t coming back soon, but I had to play it cool. After a few minutes I told Kari that I was going to check to see if they happened to leave the door open so we could go ahead and go inside. Of course, the door was open and I waved at Kari to join me inside.
She came into their house and the lights were dimmed, candles were lit, music was playing, and there was Chinese food and roses on the table. I got down on one knee, pulled a ring from my pocket, and asked her to marry me. She said yes.
Here’s what I learned.
I had no idea what the road would be like for us, but I knew that I didn’t want to travel the road without her. Just like Celina mentioned in last week’s Friday Forum, I thought I loved her then, and I did, but not the way I do now. As we’ve traveled this road together over the last 15 years, my love for her has grown so much deeper.
I love her smile and the way I can still make her laugh uncontrollably. I love her sense of humor and her sarcasm. I love her spaghetti, and her grilled cheese sandwiches. I love that she loves the OKC Thunder. I love that she cheers when any member of an opposing team helps a player up off the ground or the court.
I love her hugs and the way she looks at me when I kiss her. I love her unending support and encouragement. She believes in me and that is so valuable to me. I love the way she cares for our kids, teaches them and disciplines them with love, and prays for them. I love that she read’s God’s Word every day.
I have no idea what the road has in store for us next, but I know that I still don’t want to do it without Kari. I know that I’ll look back in another 15 years and be just as amazed as I am today at how much more I love her. Happy anniversary, Kari.
I’m Darrell Darnell and this has been stuff I learned yesterday.
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