How We Met...
I was spending a lot of time in Kansas City helping my sister-in-law take care of my niece as things grew very busy. My brother had just received a position as an interim at First Baptist of Shawnee. Ryan would talk to us about his job, people he had met, etc.
I had heard about this man named Kevin who was so great with my niece, and Ryan mentioned something about Kevin reminding him of me, but I didn't think much of it.
I remember the first time I laid eyes on him. As I was chasing after Bridgette who was running passed the sanctuary, I happened to look up. And there he was; Kevin with his blue Children's Mercy backpack and a horde of young adults swarming around him as he was walking out. Sure he was handsome, but looks aren't everything and I had a child to catch. I walked around the corner and happened to run into Jim, Kevin's dad. (I didn't know he was Kevin's dad at the time.)
Previously, Ryan told me stories about Jim, and so I was excited to meet someone who had been encouraging to my brother. Soon our conversation ended, and I began to chase Bridgette again. Not long after, Kevin was walking straight towards me. He was about to introduce himself, when we were interrupted by another friend. So, he laughed, turned around, and walked away.
And that's when I did something I had never done before. I said, "Hey! You! You can't just walk away without introducing yourself!" He turned around, and we met and shook hands. And I'm blessed to say I still get to hold that hand today. -Marissa
One day after church, I was being introduced to Ryan Kunce’s little sister. I obviously didn’t think much of the introduction at the time. I know this because I actually tried to walk away from Marissa without shaking her hand.
One week later, I attended an ice cream social at church after our Festival of Freedom service- nothing too exciting, just guy chatting and eating ice cream. Then, my dad came up to us and said, “Have you guys met Ryan’s little sister, Marissa? She is really a sharp girl.”
When I glanced at Marissa from across the room, I had to take a second look. “Wow! She is gorgeous,” I thought. Was this the same girl that I had met previously? Honestly, I couldn’t tell probably because I wasn’t wearing my contacts when we had first met.
Now that I could see her clearly, I pursued Marissa taking my dad’s advice. Marissa and I have been talking ever since. -Kevin
When You Captivated My Heart
Marissa captivated my heart many times. However, there is one particular occasion that revealed to me her kind and gentle spirit. Before we started courting, Marissa came over to my parent’s house for dinner. I still remember Marissa was wearing a pretty blue-green dress that night.
While conversing with my grandma, Marissa quite simply sat on her knees and listened at my grandmother’s feet. I immediately fell in love with Marissa’s teachable spirit and humble heart. I was shocked because we had an entire couch across from Grammy that was available. Most woman would not sit on the ground while wearing a dress.
Marissa is not most women. -Kevin
There are many times when Kevin had captivated my heart. He still does, but I knew I really loved him even before we courted. I loved him as my brother in Christ. I cared deeply about him spiritually, and I know he cared about me. We often shared Bible verses, stories, hymns, or encouraging sermons.
Kevin didn't care about flattering me, but he truly cared about my heart being rooted in Christ. He has always treated me this way. He has also been very tender and keen to my needs and wants.
One moment that sticks out occurred on a cold winter night a few weeks prior to him asking my parent's to court me. I had recently lost my favorite black hat. It was special to me because it was my only one like it. Also, it was from a special time I had spent with my sister-in-law.
One night, Kevin was really wanting to spend time with me since I was briefly in Kansas City. Jim decided that we should all go bowling. After bowling, Kevin dropped me off for the night at a friend's apartment. Kevin walked me to the door in the snow, and then told me he wanted to give me something. Out of his bag he pulled out a grey Adidas hat - the same style as the one I had lost! I remember mentioning that I was bummed that I had lost it but didn't know he remembered it. He wanted to cheer me up and also keep my ears warm.
I wore that hat all winter. -Marissa
First Gift
We had been talking on the phone just as friends for a couple of months. With Christmas approaching, giving gifts to one another seemed like a natural expression of friendship. That holiday season, Marissa gave me a present.
While opening the gift, I remained calm and collected on the outside but ecstatic on the inside. My mind said, “She likes me!” I mean come on. She thought enough of me to buy me a Christmas gift. I knew for sure that our relationship just went to the next level like Mario and peach after the defeat of Bowser.
In anticipation, I unwrapped two boxes of Crayons and a poetry book titled, “The Little Book of School Days.” I looked at the vintage 8 pack, the standard 64 pack with sharpener, and the book almost emotionless.
I must have hidden my excitement a little too well because Marissa felt bad and gave me several music CD’s a couple days later. -Kevin
Before Ryan and Julie were to move, I was back again visiting, helping with my niece. Plus, there was a bonus about this trip. I now had a friendship with Kevin. Julie had suggested I invite Kevin over for dinner one night. And to my giddy heart's surprise, he came!
I remember getting ready for the dinner. I was so nervous, yet tried to remain calm. He hadn't begun to pursue me yet and I was unsure of him. All I knew was that he and I shared the same personality, especially humor, and I had never met a man like him. He knew how to make me laugh so much that I would tell him my cheeks hurt. (There hasn't been a day that has gone by where he hasn't made me laugh.)
My phone rang and made my heart skip a beat; Kevin had arrived. I walked (practically ran) to meet him at the entryway of the apartments. He had this bag in his hand and said he had a gift for me. I was thinking, "Gee, this is really heavy. Did he get me candy?"
Kevin, mumbling under his breath, said, "This gift is really silly." So slowly I pulled out the tissue paper. The gift felt squishy. Maybe the candy melted? I pulled out my gift.
To my surprise, it was two gel ice packs complete with a Kansas University headband ear-warmer. Was this some sort of nurse joke I wasn't in on yet? Kevin boldly, and with the cutest smile cheerfully stated, "You said your cheeks have been hurting, so you can put these two ice packs on your face and hold them in place with this headband!"
Needless to say, I needed those ice packs right away. -Marissa
First Hand Holding
What happens in the janitor’s closet stays in the janitor’s closet - until now.
In the summer of 2012, the youth of First Baptist Church were painting the basement of the old building. And we all know that youth are excellent at leaving a project without cleaning up their mess. Well, one night all of the paint brush water was deliberately disposed all over the church parking lot. Of course, youth leader Ryan Kunce didn’t find out until the end of the night.
“Pastor’s going to kill me,” Ryan told his wife Julie. The series of events were unfolding quickly in Ryan’s mind. Soon, he would be fired from his internship. Then, he would be unable to find a position as a Senior Pastor.
In desperation, Ryan found a hose and hooked it up to a random faucet inside the janitor’s closet. Ryan charged out of the building like a firefighter and began to spray the paint-stained parking lot furiously. As Ryan raced past Marissa and Kevin, the onlookers heard him blurb, “The janitor’s closet is flooding!”
Sure enough the water was spraying everywhere. Without even thinking, Marissa and Kevin together wrapped both of their hands around the facet so that the water would catch into a bucket. By the end of the night, the closet was still drenched with water.
But hey, at least Kevin got to hold Marissa’s hand all night. -Kevin
First "Date"
Kevin, Marissa, and their friend Izzy all planned to go out for breakfast one September morning before Marissa had to head back to school that afternoon. The trio were supposed to meet at First Watch and enjoy breakfast together.
Marissa called Kevin in the morning to see if he was still wanting to go there and for directions. She then called Izzy. But Izzy wasn't answering. Marissa's heart started pounding in her chest. She remembers thinking, "What am I going to talk about with Kevin? What if I say something silly? Will I get too nervous to speak?!"
As Marissa pulled up, Kevin was there waiting for her. Frantically, she called Izzy one last time, and she still didn't answer. Kevin and Marissa were seated and their waiter took their order. Kevin spoke, Marissa responded, and the conversation went down in history as Kevin and Marissa's first "date".
Marissa remembers asking Kevin what kind of eggs he preferred, thinking he would say sunny-side up like her whole family eats. Kevin stated he preferred scrambled. He was definitely the one for her.
But their conversation didn't end there. Marissa called Kevin right after she left for something she forgot to mention and they ended up talking for practically her whole trip back to St. Louis. They never seem to run out of things to talk about. -Marissa
