Our Story: Introductions

Our Story: Introductions
The Beginning of a Long Story

 I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. -Psalm 77:11

 
Five years ago today, on a very beautiful Saturday, Benjamin asked me to marry him.  May 31, 2008.  It was the ending of the beginning of our story.

The beginning of the beginning was quite some time earlier.

I won't go all the way back to "before the foundations of the world."

For me, the story started on September 11, 1981, exactly a year and 163 days after it started for Ben, on April 1, 1980.  (Maybe the fact that we both have infamous birthdays should have tipped me off...)

I grew up in Cedar Rapids, IA, two doors down from the Swansons to the left and six doors down from the Schmidts to the right.  Our house had lilac bushes, a steep driveway, squeaky stairs (especially the second from the top), and a cool hideaway closet under the basement steps.

I was Anderson girl #3 of 4, a little bitter to always be one of the "younger ones."  I loved my bunny Oreo, our Miniature Schnauzer Ellie, and books of all sorts.  We only moved once in my childhood, to a quiet, semi-rural neighborhood a few miles outside of town.

I trusted in Jesus when I was 5, not long before I was diagnosed with Wilms Tumor, had my left kidney removed, and went through 10 months of chemo.



Never really hit a rebellious stage, just a passive, middle-child, people-pleaser involved in youth group, sports, and drama.

I decided to go to Northwestern College in St. Paul because that was where my oldest sister went, and got an English (Writing) major and a Business minor.

I started attending Bethlehem Baptist Church regularly at the start of my junior year (August 2002), began leading a small group during my senior year, and was hired as a part-time ministry assistant in Adult Ministries a few weeks after I graduated, in June 2004.


Meanwhile ...

Ben was born in Manassas, VA, and never lived anywhere longer than 3 years growing up.

Manassas, VA
Selena, CA
Colorado Springs, CO
Augsburg, Germany
Ridge, NH
Arlington, VA
Herzizliah Petuach, Israel
Columbia, MD
Abijan, Ivory Coast (West Africa)
Arlington, VA
Wellington, New Zealand
Chantilly, VA
Beijing, China
Cable, WI
Beijing, China
Langhorne, PA
Charlestown, NH
Ocala, FL
Woodstock, CT
And at last... Minneapolis, MN

He was boy #3 of 3.









Golden curls, mischievous grin, curious, adventuresome, and dramatic.










He accepted Christ as his Savior in New Hampshire with his mother when he was young and was baptized by his dad in Israel. 


He jumped on couches, explored the Christkindlesmarkt (Christmas market) in Germany, sold shrapnel from scud attacks in Israel, wore a kilt, ate Oreos by the package, played rugby, learned Chinese, and climbed to the base camp of Mt. Everest.

(I am pretty sure he had more hairstyles than I did.)

After high school, he went to the Wisconsin Wilderness Campus of Philadelphia Biblical University for a year and then took another year at their Pennsylvania campus.  Then he spent a few months as a machinist's apprentice, worked at Clemons Moving Company, and served with Air Tox, testing smoke stacks for toxic emissions.

Little did we know, our courses were set to collide...

Next Installment: Rescued