Our Story

This post is the overall rundown of how my future family and me came to be. Enjoy!

Almost 2 years ago, I was looking for my first big boy job out of college. I was a communications and ministry double major out of Oklahoma Christian University. I had been desperately seeking out a job to immerse myself in for about 6 months. I believed (and still do believe) that God had called me to a life of ministering to others, particularly teens. So I began looking for youth pastor positions. I had done internships, mission work, classes, practicums, the works. 

Let's rewind about 8 years to the summer after I started high school. I went on my first foreign mission trip. This was a 10-day stint in Honduras led by my youth minister at the time, Chad Hedgepath. Chad had actually gotten connected with several other people from previous mission trips who were from Houston, Texas (I'm originally from Nashville, TN). These people also went to Honduras at the same time we did. Some of the people who really stuck out in my mind were men by the names of Greg Glenn, Steve Hawley, Thom Besso, and Preston Hill. These men all really impressed me as hard workers who still managed to have fun doing whatever they did. 

Back to 2 years ago, I got a call from the head of Westbury Christian School about an open position. The head was Greg Glenn whom I had done mission work with in Honduras. Steve Hawley, who taught Bible and coached girls basketball, had mentioned my name to Greg and the ball began rolling. Greg asked me to come to WCS as a Campus Minister, Bible Teacher, and Basketball Coach. This was exactly what I had always wanted!

So I finally had a job. I moved my things out to the massive city of Houston. My second day of in-service was also the first day of in-service for all returning teachers. Shortly after breakfast on this second day, the middle school principal made an introduction of one of his teachers to me that changed my life forever. Her name was Ashley Bonine. Ashley was wearing khaki pants and a black top and she was stunningly beautiful. After speaking to her for just a few seconds, I learned that she was the daughter-in-law of Preston Hill (sound familiar?). I asked her which of his kids she had married because I had met his youngest daughter, Meggan, while in Honduras. She told me she had married the oldest, Michael, and they had two daughters, Audrey and Addison. It was after this that she had explained to me what had happened in her life.

I'll give a quick rundown of what Ashley had been through before I had met her. When she was 20, her parents both died in a murder/suicide one night. She had already given birth to Audrey and she still says that she is what got her through that whole process. It was also during this time that Michael stood by Ashley's side and tried to help her through this. Ashley suffered from PTSD for some time after this. She told me that he said that he knew he wanted to marry her when he realized that she was going to make it out on the other side. About 3 years after they were married, they gave birth to Addison. Addison looked EXACTLY like her father (I'll try and post pictures to prove it. Just trust me for now). As she has gotten older, she has developed some of the features of her mother. 

When Addison was 2 and Audrey was 7, a horrible tragedy happened. Ashley woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of Michael being unable to breathe. After being rushed to the hospital, doctors eventually learned that Michael was suffering from a brain aneurism. Michael Bonine passed away just four days later. He was only 35 years old. Ashley had many nights after that where she did not sleep. She still claims that this is the hardest thing that she has ever endured.

After she had told me about losing Michael, I was at a loss for words as many people tend to be when they hear of something like that. I simply told her that I was sorry for her loss. It was at this point that something hit me that never had before. I felt like I had a place in her life. I can't explain it much more than that. Before you think "Oh it was love at first sight!" or "What an instant connection!"let me immediately say that it was none of that. To tell you the truth, I was still in the process of getting over a girl whom I dated throughout most of college and so I wasn't really interested in dating anyone at the time. It was also pretty obvious that Ashley was still getting over losing Michael. After all, it had only been 16 months. Even still, I could not shake this feeling that I was supposed to play some sort of role in her and her girls' lives. I just didn't really know exactly what role that was.

So school began for us both. As I got more adjusted to school, I got a better feel for who was who and the times I would see different co-workers. Usually the only times that I would see Ashley was either passing by in the hall or in middle school chapel. We were mostly just acquaintances for most of the that first semester simply because we did not cross paths very often. As the school year went on though, I began to really notice her. She was someone who could befriend anyone she met almost instantly. She was someone who would steal the spotlight without even knowing it and then immediately hop out of it because she doesn't like receiving public praise. I finally told one of the teachers who was pretty close to her, Mrs. Strom, that I would love the opportunity to date her. Donna told me not to try because she really only dated older guys. 

One day during the spring semester she asked me what I was doing on a Saturday afternoon, I seriously got super jacked up because for some stupid reason I actually thought that she was going to ask me out (I know, I'm an idiot). She wanted me to help her move into her new house. Of course I helped out, partially because I didn't mind a bit and had nothing going on that day but mostly because of the crush I had on her.

School ended and I left for the summer. When I came back, I sat next to her during breakfast on the first day of in-service. We pretty much just hit it off from there. We talked on the phone for about 3 hours one night, I went to her place a couple of times with other people and we even went on "fake dates" which was where we both wanted them to be real dates but I didn't really officially ask her out so they weren't for real. After one of our fake dates, we talked for a little bit longer at her house and I almost asked her out, but chickened out. When I was driving home that night, she sent me a text about how she wished I could've stayed to talk longer. If that wasn't a major sign for "ASK ME OUT ALREADY!!" then I didn't know what was. I actually turned my truck around and met her at her front door and finally asked her out, to which I got the response of "Maybe...... because I'm not sure about my situation..." to which I replied "I'm not asking you to marry me, I'm just asking you to let me take you out." She was ok with that. We actually stayed at her placed talking the rest of that night. Neither of us slept. (Preston if you're reading this then you now understand why I was a zombie during DMT that one day of in-service).

About a week after I had first gone out with Ashley, I got to meet the girls (even though we kinda knew each other already from school, but still, some things had kinda changed). I met Addison first because Audrey was out of town with some friends. Addy was barely 5 years old when we first met. She was skeptical about me mainly because she didn't really get what was going on. She just noticed that mommy was holding the new guy's hand and she wasn't too crazy about that. We went to Swirl                                                                      that first night which was her favorite place to go to. She called it "Squirrel." Addy spent most of that night telling me about her daily routine going to and from school and what she plays with after school all the while repeating most everything twice for me. At the age of 5, no one can pronounce the letter R correctly. I'll never forget the first look she ever gave me when she caught me kissing her mom. It was a "how dare you!" look. Ashley and I couldn't help but laugh. Addison has always been a mama's girl according to Ashley.

I met Audrey a few days after meeting Addy. Audrey was very open to me dating her mom. I think she has always been a fan of me. She's made it very clear that I am not the replacement for her daddy and I have made it very clear to her that I am not trying to be. We have both also made it very clear that we love each other. 

I have different special things with each of the girls. Mine with Addison is tickling and "CPR" and Audrey's is our late night talks when tucking her in bed and the movies we watch together. That girl can watch absolutely anything that goes on the black box..... except for sports (I know, you can't win 'em all)

Later this month, we will (Lord willing) close on our new house. I've had to learn everything about buying and selling a house on the fly. I have to say that it's really not fun. I wish the process were easier. I'm enjoying being a fiance and future father way more.

My New Family

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Michael and Addison Bonine