That Can Change Tomorrow

Our first picture, summer of 1990

Anderson County HS will have their graduation ceremony on May 23rd. May 23rd, 1990 we had our graduation at Paris HS at Blanton Collier Stadium. That one changed my life!

In the winter of 1990, I was eating at Hardee's between a football workout and an FCA meeting that evening at Paris HS. I was our sponsor.  This tall, grey headed guy and his short, pretty, dark haired wife, approach my table.  He introduces himself, "My name is Ernie Trosper and this is my wife, Jan." He continues to talk and eventually gets out his wallet and says "this is my daughter, Stephanie." He continues to talk about Stephanie. Me, being full of myself, thinking.... "He wants me to ask her out & be his son in law. She is pretty. She doesn't need any help!"

Fast forward to May 23rd. I am sitting in the Superintendent's office, waiting to meet with Mr. Chumbley to get my summer painting assignment. They would pay the coaches to paint to help us make a little extra money. Next to me are a bunch of old yearbooks. After all of these weeks, I think, "I wonder if Stephanie Trosper is in any of these?" So, I start looking, and of course, there she was! Beautiful. 

After my meeting,  I remember the rest of the day very well. Even though I was an assistant, I was building my playbook to be a head coach. At Paris HS, we had ONE computer and it was in the football office! I spent all day working on my future playbook. Late afternoon, I went for a run. Then, came back to shower and dress for graduation. 

We had a killer sound system in the weightroom/lockerroom. I can remember looking out the doors of the weightroom, fixing my tie, and seeing the sky get darker...looked like we might get rain. I can still remember this classic from HEART blasting over those speakers as the clouds rolled in. 

Coach Gruneisen was w/ me the first time I saw Stephanie

Coach Gruneisen & I went up to the top of the press box and took our umbrellas to watch graduation. And, there she was .... Stephanie Trosper! She was more beautiful in person than any picture could do justice. 

After the ceremony, we were putting stuff in the weightroom. I knew one of my, now former, students, was friends with her. I asked her, "What is Stephanie Trosper like?" Her response, "She has a boyfriend!" My response was, 'THAT CAN CHANGE TOMORROW, is she a good person?" The answer was obviously yes!

The next day I asked a mutual friend to find out if I could call her. She said after Memorial Day, she would do so. 

That Memorial Day weekend was spent painting the football facility at Paris HS. I was working 12 hours a day. WKQQ's Rock & Roll 500 kept me company all weekend. That was it. Paint, sleep, paint... other than go to church on Sunday. I had to make some money and my window was small because I was going to take 9 hours of graduate courses at UK that summer. Plus, I had to make money to pay for the courses. In those days, 3-4 nights a week, I was eating Ramen noodles or cereal. A good night was a 99 cent pizza. A great night was a Chuck Wagon sandwich & Heath bar Freeze(the original "blizzard") at Homer's, just a walk up the street from Blanton Collier Stadium. Good grief those were great days. 

Finally, I got a chance to call her and ask her out. She said, Yes!  Her Mom asked her... "What are you doing?" She told her Mom, "I had to say yes. This might be the guy I am suppose to marry."

When I went to the house for our date, her Mom answered the door. I could read her face, "Oh no, this one is a MAN!" I am 5 years older than Stephanie. She is still more mature than I am, by a long shot. But, I did not look like anyone she had been out with before. Later, when I asked my Mother in Law if I read her face correctly, she told me, "That is EXACTLY what I was thinking!"

That night was May 31, 1990. On May 30, 1992, we were married. 

Any single guys at graduation... pay attention.  You may see your wife!

Christmas Eve, 2023