Krystel Speaks On How She Knew

Wedding Anniversary Date: September 2, 2007

How she knew her husband was the one for her:

“When I first met my husband, I was at the very end of a bad relationship. It was emotionally abusive and draining and after two years, I couldn’t take it anymore. I packed his stuff up, threw it onto his mama’s front porch and told him I didn’t want to see him again. I was done. I had a daughter to worry about, and so another disappointing (and possibly abusive) relationship was out of the question. This was my time to reflect and eliminate all of the noise in my life. I was NOT looking when I met my husband. But little did I know that my vow to never be in a bad relationship again would hold true!

I met my husband through an online artist community; kind of a precursor to MySpace Music. I was browsing the forums and saw a post from him that asked other artists to critique his music. So I critiqued, and asked him to return the favor. After that, we began to chat via email and IM over the next few months, and we both assumed it was platonic at this point. He was a single dad and a musician. I was a single mom and also a musician. But I would jump on the computer as soon as I got home to see if he was online. I knew that something was going on in my soul, but I didn’t yet understand it. Something felt different about this person, but still I resisted. It didn’t matter though; the seed was planted.

I didn’t tell anyone about my conversations with him, we just quietly and slowly got to know each other through these chats and emails. It’s amazing how a message can be read back over and over again, each time sinking in deeper and giving more insight into a person’s thoughts and values. He sent me a CD of his and I sent him one back. This was the only physical/ material connection that we had with each other at that point.

The physical attraction was there; he had seen pictures of me and I’d seen pictures of him and he commented on how he thought I was attractive, but we hadn’t yet met in person and we hadn’t yet spoke on the phone. He lived in Michigan and I lived in Tennessee. I knew he felt the same way. He hinted just enough to make me believe that his feelings were there as well.

One day, he emailed me about a music conference he was attending in Orlando. He suggested I go to it to network and...oh yeah, to meet him. I told him that sounded cool. I’d see what I could do. Inside though, I was determined to find a way by any means necessary to get to Orlando. I had to meet this man! I didn’t know what it would bring, and my friends and family thought I was crazy for even considering it: What if he’s some crazy stalker on the Internet? What if he doesn’t look anything like his pictures? I already knew him though. That seed had grown into something bigger and this trip would just confirm the feelings I had been trying to suppress.

On April 9, 2003, I arrived by plane in Orlando and took a cab to my hotel room. He said he would call me when he and his friends got to the hotel. Around 10p.m. that night, I got a call to my room. It was him! He asked if I wanted to get something to eat. Of course, I did. There was a knock on the door. I opened it and there he was. I gave him a big hug and a rush of emotion came over me.

Over the next three days, we talked into the early hours of the morning. By the time I left for the airport, we were figuring out a way for him to move to Nashville. That’s when I knew he was my husband. Four months later, he and his daughter moved to Nashville.

We were married on September 2, 2007 and honeymooned in Orlando, FL.”

What she loves about his mind: His grounded and sensible nature. He helps keep me from making rash decisions and teaches me how to take things a step at a time. And he’s not materialistic. It’s his most godly quality.

What she loves about his body: His deep blue eyes. They’re so striking, I can see them from across a room and they take my breath away.

What she loves about his spirit: His self-confidence. When he’s able to tear up over a touching news story or TV show and not be embarrassed, I know he has confidence in himself and our relationship.

Krystel's advice to single women about marriage:

“Ladies, listen to your God-given instincts. We too often ignore them for fear of hurting someone’s feelings or not acting as others would believe we should act. Don’t let fear hold you back from a joyful life, whether that’s with a new relationship or preventing a destructive one.”