Our Story

Today is our 15th Wedding Anniversary! I thought that I would tell you our love story.

Jeff and I met here at Life Action Ministries, on August 4th, 1990. My first memory of him is the day I was using a video camera to get footage of the camp and all my friends here. (the video was for my dad.) I was in the lodge taping people. Everyone was very happy to talk on my video, except for one person..... Jeff Herdklotz. I went up to him with the camera rolling and said, "Hi! Would you like to talk to my camera?" He stared right into the camera, no smile and said in a very serious, monotone voice, "Get that thing away from me." I turned the camera off immediately and never tried that again. I still remember to this day how hurt I was. I must have gotten over my hurt real quick though, because we became fast friends after that.
We traveled together on the same road team. He was the Canfield's school teacher and I was the Happiness Teacher during the night services. I remember spending MANY a day in Jeff's school room just hanging out and talking to him. I looked forward to those times with him so much. He was my best friend and I wasn't the least bit interested in him in any other way, until the day that another team girl and I got to talking one night. She mentioned that she liked Jeff and thought that he was cute. I remember sitting there thinking, "Jeff? You like MY Jeff?" I knew that something between us had changed at that very moment. The year somehow managed to go on without our friendship really changing. The last night of that crusade year, my friend Julie took me aside and told me that something had to change between Jeff and I. She said, "You two are too close. You are either going to kill each other or you two will get married." Her words sounded strange too me, but I spent the whole summer thinking about them. Jeff and I were apart for two months. During that summer break, I thought that I was going to go nuts without him around. I couldn't wait to see him again! I realized during that time apart that I certainly was not going to kill him, but I just might marry him, if he asked. Something must have clicked in Jeff's heart too, during our separation. Because when we got back together for the next travel year, he started making sweet, little comments to me. (I will spare you all the details!) Within five months, I was engaged too my best friend!
Jeff proposed too me on Jan. 8th, in the Tabernacle here at camp. I, of course, said, "Yes!!" We had our parent's blessing, but we didn't have our leadership's permission yet. So for three days, I couldn't wear my ring. I carried it around in a box, in my pocket! When Jeff gave it too me, he warned me that if our leadership said, "No." I would have to give it back too him. We met up with our leadership in Texas on Jan. 11. Jeff asked Steve Canfield's permission and then called me on the phone, at my hosts home, to tell me that we were officially engaged!! I ran around their house SO excited that I was engaged. It was a wonderful night. That family actually came all the way up from Texas and was at our wedding in Michigan!! I loved that host family!! Oh yeah, back too our story. Jeff and I were married on, an absolutely gorgeous day, June 13th, 1992!
I love to be open and honest, so I will say that the first several years were TOUGH!!! We were so different. I was a total Miss Dependant and he was 100% Mr. Independent! I wanted to be with him 24/7 and it drove him NUTS!! After 15 years and 5 children, we have worked out most all of the kinks in our marriage. We adore each other and know how to meet each other's needs. Jeff is a wonderful husband and I can't imagine my life without him!! NO ONE can make me as happy as he does! He has really worked hard in these past 15 years to become more dependant on me and less dependant on himself. The biggest change he has made is his smile. I remember when I just wanted him to smile every once and a while, I begged him to smile more, now he smiles all the time! I love that smile of his!! I have worked hard on something too, I grew up a lot in 15 years! The process was difficult, but I am so glad that it happened! Alright, I am done with our story. I will just end with this....Honee, I look so forward to spending the next 15 years with you!!