courtanddixie

Court’s Story

My story strangely enough started in Africa, Kenya, Nairobi, to be exact.  A trip I really thought and prayed over for weeks and made mostly to get out of my comfort zone to see what exactly I had to offer others.  On the 10 day trip to Nairobi and Machakos, Kenya, a group of about 16 men built 2 structures that would be used as churches for the locals in the area that we were in.  In observing the locals who would assist us with the construction, play in the fields around us, and pray with us, I noticed how strong their family bond was.  Everyone works hard for one another with real, unconditional spirit.  I thought about how strong my family was and how I really just took it for granted.  I really never worked at making it stronger.

Once our work was over, we spent a few days in the Masai Mara in Southern Kenya and Northern Tanzania where we went on photo safaris and got to observe animals in their purest environment, the wild.  We saw lions hunt and feast on their fresh kill and buzzards fight over days old carcasses.  Again and again we saw mothers carrying for their young.  Whether it was a lioness shepherding her young cubs to safety once she gained knowledge of our presence, or a baboon effortlessly carrying her young as though it was a backpack through a field.  All these sights again pushed home a very big message about family and what it truly does mean, even in it’s most natural and purest places.  When we strip away everything else in our lives what will we be left with?  And to answer that question for myself it was my family, but really at the age of 29, it was just me.

This was even more evident when we returned home from our trip.  Everyone that went with us had someone there to greet them at the airport.  Wives, husbands, entire families.  Some received hugs, others received tearful hellos as though they’d thought they would never see each other again.  It was an amazing experience that I didn’t quite fully appreciate in my jet lagged state, but one I wish I could’ve shared with someone at that moment.

Weeks after my trip and many reflections of what I’d witness and experienced, I realized that my life venture that I had been on really wasn’t a successful one and what I wanted is someone that would fit into my heart and that I can begin a family with.  So, I took the initiative and thought through what I knew and had worked for a few others that I knew.  I decided to attempt what I thought was pretty much a time waste a few years ago, match.com.

After a few awkward 1st dates, even one that turned into a 2nd date, I meet Dixie.  As Dixie will tell you, I winked at her first.  I joke with her, though, that I believe she sought me out.  A “wink” in the match.com world means you like the persons profile, and you would like to be approached by them.  After a few good email exchanges, usually a first date is set up.  I saw that Dixie viewed my profile, so I viewed hers.  I liked what I saw…Oh, and what I read about her…So yeah I winked at her to get the ball rolling.

Then next few days were filled with email exchanges back and forth.  It was easy to see how gentle and loving her heart was, how easy going and fun she was, just in a few emails.  After a couple weeks we began dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s and realized that our paths had crossed once or twice.  She knew my younger brother, Jason, from high school, and then we both went on to Stephen F. Austin University where she knew a couple of my fraternity brothers.

So, we met for the first time…and comparing it to a few match.com dates I knew in the first moments this was one that I was going to enjoy.  And we did, Dixie absolutely knocked me off my chair as I was waiting for her.   Our first hug was like hugging someone that I’d been waiting 30 years to hug.  Our conversation was non-stop I don’t even think I ate 2 bites of my meal.

So, from the first date it just flowed along perfectly for weeks, weeks turned into months, and months began to turn into a year…and I started to realize that I needed to step up and let Dixie really know how much I loved her and wanted her in my life forever.

After a few visits to jewelry stores and finding the perfect ring, thank you John and Jeff, I was just waiting for the perfect moment.

That moment came July 4th, 2009.  My family was visiting the deGraffenried family in Granbury for the first time, and I really wanted to incorporate our families in the big day.

After letting her dad know of my intentions and getting his blessing, I was able to corral Dixie in a back room and asked her to marry me.  I think her first response was, “Is this a joke?”….. She was shocked!  After she said yes, of course we shared the news with the families.  My Mom and Grandmother shared some tears, and we enjoyed the rest of our weekend with our families and friends.

The families unite

I can’t tell you how honored I feel to be marrying such a wonderful woman.  Dixie means the world to me!  The effort she puts forth with everyone she come in contact with.  The positive impact that she makes every day on her students lives, her coworkers, and friends that absolutely adore her and love her.  How loyal she is to her friends and family and how she always puts others first and herself second is so refreshing every day to see.

I look forward to spending every day with her and growing together with her.

Dixie’s Story

Match.com?  Every time I heard one of those cheesy commercials, I would roll my eyes and walk away from the television.  Never in my wildest dreams did I think that a dating website would play any part in meeting my future husband!  As crazy as it sounds, that is where we met.

I was actually on the verge of ending my subscription to this online dating wonderland.  I had met one too many weirdo, for lack of a better word.  One night, though, I stumbled across a familiar face, court_tx, from Dallas, Texas 75254.  With one click of his profile, I knew that I had found someone who seemed extremely genuine.

Court winked at me the next day, which led to several “getting to know each other” emails.  I recognized Court as being the older brother of a friend from high school, but I did not say anything about this because I knew that he would not know who I was.  Court likes to kid that I have been stalking him for years and that it was not a coincidence that we met on Match.  Throughout the next week, we uncovered that we both grew up in Spring Branch and had attended the same junior high, high school, and college.

Court and I had our first date at Champps Americana.  When I walked in, I spotted him sipping a beer at the bar.  As soon as he saw me, he walked over and gave me a hug.  It felt like we had known each other for years.  The two of us had a wonderful date and have been inseparable ever since!  I wholeheartedly believe that our meeting is part of God’s amazing plan.  Court is an incredibly patient, kind, funny, and loving person.  He is my best friend, and each day that I spend with him is such a blessing!