The year 2002 was a busy one for Kayla Churchwell.

Churchwell, currently the Director of Radiology at Brownfield Regional Medical Center, graduated from Dawson High School in Welch in May of that year. She got married in July and began college in August.

But her story begins a little bit earlier. The former Kayla Slaughter, daughter of Mike and Pam Slaughter, grew up in Wellman. Her family attended Shady Oaks Church of God in Brownfield.

As part of the youth group at the church, Kayla knew a young man by the name of Blane Churchwell.

“Blane and I grew up together and were part of the same youth group. However, I had never thought of him at all as a boyfriend or anything. We were just friends,” she said.

In 2001, Blane and his family moved to another local church. However, he kept in contact with Kayla.

“When Blane and some others left, I was the only one in the youth group at my church,” she said. “He would come by and pick me up after the evening service and we would go get a coke or something. But it was never like a date.”

Later that year Blane invited Kayla to a Lubbock Cotton Kings hockey game. However, Kayla was still only thinking of Blane as a friend.

“I was so determined that this wasn’t going to be called a date that I wouldn’t let him pay for my food when we ate,” she laughed.

Little did Kayla know, however, that a stronger force was about to draw them together. The next day after the hockey game, Blane invited Kayla to his birthday party, and by December, the couple was dating seriously.

One of the activities at the hockey games was a “kiss cam”, a camera that showed couples in the crowd who were then urged to kiss as they were displayed on a giant video screen.

In March, the couple attended another hockey game. The camera zoomed in on Blane and Kayla.

Blane got down on his knees and proposed to Kayla in front of the crowd.

“We got engaged in March and by July we were married,” she said.

Since then, the Lord has blessed the couple with two beautiful sons, four-year-old Taber and three-year-old Hudson.

“Looking back I’m just amazed at how we got together,” Kayla said. “I love him more and more each day. Also, I just love being in love. We’re both romantics at heart, and that’s something you have to work on each day to keep the marriage alive.”

In addition to spending time with her family, Kayla enjoys being active at Abundant Harvest Community Church, where she sings on the praise team and also serves as Nursery Director and Children’s Church Director. She was also the Vacation Bible School Director last summer. She and Blane are also big Texas Tech fans and fans of the Texas Rangers baseball team.

“God has blessed me with a wonderful life,” she said. “I give God all the honor and glory.”