Change of Heart…Just in Time

So, the love story continues….although at this point, I wouldn’t yet call it a LOVE story.  I was still not exactly loving Louis, but it had only been a little over 3 weeks, right?  Not sure I believe in the whole “love at first sight” thing.  But, anyway.  Louis and I had date night every Sunday night.  It was awkward sometimes for me.  Still is sometimes.  What in the world was I doing dating (now married to) a pastor.  I am NO where near pastor’s wife material.  Aren’t they the ones who lead women’s ministry, wear pink and act prim-and-proper?  Aren’t they the ones who model a Proverbs 31 Woman?  Not exactly my style, right?  So, that in itself was a bit much.

THEN, Louis had to go and invite me to his official installation service at his church (where he had been an interim pastor for a few years) on January 20, 2007.  Do I go?  Do I not go?  This is weird!  Who am I to him at this point?  It’s going a little fast!  But, I went!  Thanks to Florence for going with me!!!!  It’s funny now to think I met his 2 good friends, Bob Fitch and Chic Silver…sitting right behind me…for the first time.  I remember Bob insisting we hug….because “we’re huggers”.  (btw – glad I was there for it!)

The kids were getting to know Louis and checkin’ him out.  I was Miss Marti, you know, a surrogate Mom in many cases.  So they weren’t too sure about it.  Not to mention…it was different….different than what most of them experienced.  Louis was a total gentleman.  Treating me with respect, he opened the car and house doors for me (still does actually!!!).   Needless to say…he didn’t spend the night with me.  And we hadn’t even kissed.  The kids actually got to watch Louis court me…and they had many questions about that as they watched us.  I’m glad that we got to show them how it can be….how it should be.

Me and Louis in 2.2008

So, I had prayed for a change of heart, and got it on our first Saturday night date!  For some reason, I got to see the real side of Louis Williams, and I liked it.  After eating dinner and listening to John and Kim play (yes..they were the first to meet us as a couple!!!).  Although it was a “school night” for Louis, we stayed up waaaay to late considering he had to preach the next morning.  But, it was fun.

Trust me…this is leading somewhere!  Stick with me.

Sunday night date night comes along, and we decided to stay close to home and throw something on the grill.  For a number of reasons, we didn’t get around to eating until late.  The kids were already back from youth group and 2 of them, Tony and Mike, were hanging out watching football and doing laundry (theirs!  Not mine!)  Louis was getting ready to check the meat one more time…and was walking through the breakfast nook (the windows on the right side of the 1^st floor).  This is when it all began.  Gunshots…and a lot of them…went off.  It sounded like it was inside the house.

I had heard shots before….but from a distance.  Not so close.  We all hit the floor.  I was on top of the boys, calling 911.  Louis, who saw the muzzle flash reflect off the window, crawls over to the windows to look out.  This is when he saw one man on the ground and another one on top of him, beating him.  With the police still on the phone, I crawled to the ½ bath where I could see better…and the victim was now alone on the ground.  After calling out to let Louis know, Louis and I proceeded to go out the back door, to do what?  We had no idea.  We just knew that a guy had been shot just feet from the back door…and we needed to do something