Iowa History
Tim's mom, Mardean Ann Bruns Martindale was born in George, Iowa. You can read about the history of Iowa at the following web site:
http://publications.iowa.gov/135/1/history/7-1.html
http://publications.iowa.gov/135/1/history/7-1.html
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
How we met
Tim and I met at the University of Texas in Austin in 1981 while taking a class to prepare us for our upcoming summer job as incoming students orientation advisors. We met on the third floor of the Texas Union ballroom during a tour of the Union.
A friend and I joined a Bible study group that Tim led for the OAs. I was amazed by his ability to remember names and details about people with seemingly little effort. During the summer, every week for eight weeks, 500 students came to orientation and Tim learned most, if not all of their names and some details about them. He played the guitar and sang scripture songs that I had never heard. Up until now I have only sung hymns in church and been to one Christian concert at the First Baptist Church in Portland where they played bluegrass music. Tim could walk on his hands and do handstand push ups against a wall. He was a ping pong whiz and was good at getting groups together to go on outings. I visited his church and loved the music and his dad, Herschel's preaching.
A friend had given me a tape from a Christian conference the summer of 1980. I listened to a pastor from College Station, Ron Tewson, talk about the purpose for being a Christian and was drawn to study scripture to see if what he said was true.
When I met Tim, I didn't know that he was with the same group of churches that included Ron Tewson, but there was a familiarity from having talked to my high school friend from Portland and having listened to the tapes of the conference.
Tim and I were together daily during the summer weekdays of 1981. In the fall of that year we took a class together by coincidence. I knew that Tim was a communications major at UT and I needed a communications credit. So, I signed up for a class thinking that it was possible that I might run into him in the halls of the college. Little did I know that he signed up for the same class at the same time and so when he walked into the auditorium, said hello and sat down beside me, I was incredulous. The kids tease us about the class we took, but it was one of the best professors I have ever had: John Daly's Nonverbal Communication class.
Tim and I spent a lot of time together but I can't say that we really went out on dates. We walked around campus, studied together, went to Bible study, church, and I watched him preach on campus.
December 8, 1981 he called my room at the Alpha Xi Delta sorority house and asked me if I had time to go for a ride. It was getting late and I had a final the next day, but my heart said yes. So he picked me up in his Chevette and we drove around town and then headed over to Zilker Park. The Christmas tree was lit and people were out there enjoying the view. We parked in the lot and looked at the tree and then he proposed. I thought that we would get married, but wasn't expecting a proposal right then. His proposal was eloquent and included some caveats like "will you live in a hut in Africa with me?" And "will you have 16 children with me?" I said "yes, yes yes..." to answer all of his questions.
We were married in Gonzales, Texas at the First United Methodist Church and his dad, Herschel performed the ceremony.
The reception is a blur. My face ached from smiling and my feet hurt from my high heels, but I was delighted. Mom made a sign for the reception in my honor because I love making signs for special occasions. We didn't have a dance or any alcohol so when we go to weddings that do serve alcohol and have a dance, I have culture shock.
Tim and I left for San Antonio under a shower of rice and when we got to the stop light to turn left our shaving creamed, tin can tied car blared an obnoxious constant horn honk as we sat behind a local pickup truck driver who proudly displayed two rifles in the pickup cab.
Mom thought that something was amiss and had arranged for us to switch cars at the Methodist preacher, Warren Hornung's, house before leaving for San Antonio.
Little did we know that when Tim's friend Jim asked if he could borrow Tim's car that it would result in a near death experience.
We survived and laughed about it... later.
A friend and I joined a Bible study group that Tim led for the OAs. I was amazed by his ability to remember names and details about people with seemingly little effort. During the summer, every week for eight weeks, 500 students came to orientation and Tim learned most, if not all of their names and some details about them. He played the guitar and sang scripture songs that I had never heard. Up until now I have only sung hymns in church and been to one Christian concert at the First Baptist Church in Portland where they played bluegrass music. Tim could walk on his hands and do handstand push ups against a wall. He was a ping pong whiz and was good at getting groups together to go on outings. I visited his church and loved the music and his dad, Herschel's preaching.
A friend had given me a tape from a Christian conference the summer of 1980. I listened to a pastor from College Station, Ron Tewson, talk about the purpose for being a Christian and was drawn to study scripture to see if what he said was true.
When I met Tim, I didn't know that he was with the same group of churches that included Ron Tewson, but there was a familiarity from having talked to my high school friend from Portland and having listened to the tapes of the conference.
Tim and I were together daily during the summer weekdays of 1981. In the fall of that year we took a class together by coincidence. I knew that Tim was a communications major at UT and I needed a communications credit. So, I signed up for a class thinking that it was possible that I might run into him in the halls of the college. Little did I know that he signed up for the same class at the same time and so when he walked into the auditorium, said hello and sat down beside me, I was incredulous. The kids tease us about the class we took, but it was one of the best professors I have ever had: John Daly's Nonverbal Communication class.
Tim and I spent a lot of time together but I can't say that we really went out on dates. We walked around campus, studied together, went to Bible study, church, and I watched him preach on campus.
December 8, 1981 he called my room at the Alpha Xi Delta sorority house and asked me if I had time to go for a ride. It was getting late and I had a final the next day, but my heart said yes. So he picked me up in his Chevette and we drove around town and then headed over to Zilker Park. The Christmas tree was lit and people were out there enjoying the view. We parked in the lot and looked at the tree and then he proposed. I thought that we would get married, but wasn't expecting a proposal right then. His proposal was eloquent and included some caveats like "will you live in a hut in Africa with me?" And "will you have 16 children with me?" I said "yes, yes yes..." to answer all of his questions.
We were married in Gonzales, Texas at the First United Methodist Church and his dad, Herschel performed the ceremony.
The reception is a blur. My face ached from smiling and my feet hurt from my high heels, but I was delighted. Mom made a sign for the reception in my honor because I love making signs for special occasions. We didn't have a dance or any alcohol so when we go to weddings that do serve alcohol and have a dance, I have culture shock.
Tim and I left for San Antonio under a shower of rice and when we got to the stop light to turn left our shaving creamed, tin can tied car blared an obnoxious constant horn honk as we sat behind a local pickup truck driver who proudly displayed two rifles in the pickup cab.
Mom thought that something was amiss and had arranged for us to switch cars at the Methodist preacher, Warren Hornung's, house before leaving for San Antonio.
Little did we know that when Tim's friend Jim asked if he could borrow Tim's car that it would result in a near death experience.
We survived and laughed about it... later.
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