He is faithful // How our God written love story began

                     

Two years ago I was living at the Wind River Ranch in Colorado away from the state called Alabama where my family and I had just moved too. It seemed like whole new culture and to hot for my taste. 

I was on the phone catching up with my mom when she mentioned that my sister spotted a young dude at our new church, that she thinks I need to meet. 

Eye roll on my end, but slightly curious I asked for his name, which I thought was a super odd name. I was expecting Tanner or Hunter.

 He apparently didn't have Facebook so there was no use trying to put my Facebook stalking skills to use and investigate. 

I didn't think about him at all until about 4 months later when I came home. 

Somehow he kept being brought up in conversation by my mom what flet like the whole 45min drive + Chipotle stop until home!

He somehow was good at everything!

 I was pretty skeptical at this point. He seems like that annoying good at everything, perfect type.

 About month later we had our first conversation outside of church I don't even know how it was brought up, but it was about camera gear.....of course.;) 

My sister was weeks away from getting married, my only excited focus was that I returned home and was about to get my very own room. (when your in a big family thats a big deal!).

 I still wasn't very interested, buuuuut maybe slightly curious about this guy now. 

People at church made small comments to my siblings on how we would be a great couple. 

(ugh.) 

Which only made me not want to talk to this guy even more. 

A girl at my workplace boyfriend worked with this guy named Karry, so she was also making hinting comments and playing matchmaker.

 On the Sundays that he was at church (he had job with weird hrs.) he somehow was almost always in a group conversation with my siblings. -_-

Grudgingly (but was it really?!) I would join the conversation. 

My brother was invited by him one Sunday to go see the new Star Wars 

(I really don't like star wars. I know,don't saber me or whatever.) this guy looked at my sister and I extended the same offer. 

Somehow later that evening I found myself in the back of his truck with my brother and Karry riding up front car pooling to meet his friend.

 I told myself this is me just settling in to my new home state. 

I still didn't know what to think of this guy. 

___________________________________________

My brother and I ended up going to a rodeo where this guy happened to the paramedic on duty, across the arena my brother spotted him. We ended up walking over and chatting. My brother walked away from us for a little bit and I found myself thinking this is it, if he liked me here would be his opportunity to ask me out........ We just awkwardly stood there instead. I mean this is mean what else would I be doing, but awkwardly standing next to a guy. The rodeo soon ended, my brother and I said a farewell and this paramedic leaned in to give that 'christian side hug.' (you know which one! ;) )

My brother and I walked out.
My brothers face as we left was almost the same knowing smirk of a close girlfriend.

My brother :"He totally likes you!"
Me: "What?! How do you know?" 
My brother: "I just know I wouldn't give a hug goodbye unless I liked the girl."
Me: "Aaron, we live in the south now......its a southern thing to hug."

I still was wondering and confused this wasn't the behavior of a typical interested suitor. He never singled me out or made any obvious remarks.






I was also in a season of struggling. I was in a new state, spent to many nights crying out to my Abba Father on how alone I was, how I just needed one friend. Not a man/husband, just a female friend!
I spent my nights surrendering my desires for my future wants and immediate needs of the heart to Him. After what seemed forever of doing this things with Karry began to change.





A few weeks after this rodeo, I was reminiscing of ice skating we did in Ohio a month before when we went up for a visit.
I put a shout out on social media for a group to go sometime.
 My friend from Ohio that I made comment about this guy too when visiting and being unsure if I was interested, but also unsure if he was, so it was totally fine.
She sent me a screen shot of my post with a smug smiling emoji.  (hint: he's firefighter2009) >>>>>>>

2 days later sitting in my church pew waiting for the service to start he slide behind with his arms across the pew looking at my siblings and I.

Him: "so we going skating today?"

Me: (thinking wait, what,whoa,huh......) ummm...sure yeah, I guess.

Church was soon to start so we sat forward and he went back to his tech booth. I was still thinking, wow, he really wants to go iceskating, but also thinking that my brother is going to a car show,so we will see what happens.
He came up to us right after church.

Him: "So which time slot works best"

Me: "Well,not sure who all we can get to go and Aaron (my brother) is going to a car show.
 But probably the last open skate"

Him "Okay, well, what is your number so we can txt what time."

Me: (ah, shoot, I can't not give it to him if its a plan....also does he realize its valentines day...) "Sure,uh its....."

Him: "Great."

I hopped into the car and my younger brothers first comment did you just give Karry your number...

I think I grumbled something of shut up along with some excuse and reasoning as I put the car in drive! 

My mom in the passenger seat with no comments just a slight smile hitting the corners of her mouth.

My thoughts were pretty simple...."Oh,My Goodness,I just gave my number to Karry!!!!"

After some communications with Karry time was set and he realized that no one else (or did he know all along no one would be available?!) at such a short notice, but my 2 younger siblings were available. 

So there we were skating around on valentines day surrounded by couples, love songs (and break up songs, wait why?!) filling our ears! 

After a while somehow it was just Karry and I skating, so I decided to just start firing away.

Me: "So if you could change the world in one way what would it be?"

Karry: "ummm,uh........"

Me: "Take your time.."

Karry: "Well, what about you?"

Me: *rattles of an answer on the awareness/preciousness/respect of a life young,old or unborn.)
      
I was still waiting for his answer and ended in some reply on his part that wasn't going to answer the question.

I moved on.

Me: "Who's your favorite bible Character?" *disclaimer Jesus wasn't allowed to be the answer

(skating is now a favorite date of mine.)

Karry: *after some thought.. "Probably Paul."

Me: "Cool,why?"

Karry looked over at me and sighed... "So many questions."

I decided to stop. Because clearly he didn't want to answer these questions.

Soon after we got off the ice. Karry suggested Kangaroo slushes that were across the street. Off we went I decided to not get any and was pretty happy about my decision when Karry offered to pay for my siblings. Phew! Dodged that one.

Later talking with my mom who wanted to know how the skate day was, I told her about my questionnaire and how annoying it was that he didn't want to answer.

Mom: "Those are kinda deep questions you usually don't ask people when you don't really know them"

I shrugged, awaiting my moms usual comments about how I need to be careful on how I intimidate guys.



I still had mixed emotions and still receiving mixed signals we had one more hang out time that I was pretty sure he liked me.

After a few more times of being around each other, I was setting up for an Awana event one weekday and he came walking into the building, I tried to not notice, but he was walking towards me!!!!

Karry:  *holding out a cd* I found this in the tech booth, Its from your sisters wedding. It was pretty good.

Me:  *wait he watched the video I made*... Oh,Thanks!

      

Karry: Anyway.... *looking around for someone else he needed to talk to before leaving and walks toward them*

Me *internally cringing and knowing that a lady who told my sister we would make a good match totally saw us TALKING* (which in a southern church is kinda a big deal apparently.)

That was honestly the only time he ever came up to just me to say something.

Okay, there was this one another time when I was walking across the parking lot and he was in a group talking, looked up and asked 'what I did to my hair?' (....is he trying to flirt?!).

I turned and walked over, "Ummm, I straightened it....."

So I seriously couldn't figure out if he liked me or not. Very confused me just kept telling myself he wasn't interested.

One day after church I walked up to him and my dad talking (I needed the keys to start the van.). Karry was getting my dads #. 

Karry and him were walking out of church a minute ago talking about Mountain unicycling (yes, its a thing.),so I thought, Oooookay, then does my dad want to give this a try vs regular giraffe unicycling?!

We got home and my mom told my dad had to talk to me. Which I thought was because I may of had trouble paying attention in church and dragged my sister into the distracted realm with me.

NOPE! My dad told me that Karry wanted to talk to him about something and my dads guess was me! 

YIKES! So he is interested!

I told my dad I would have some questions first, but would be open to it.

 My dad meet with him the next day and confirmed that.....

Karry wanted to date me!

One week later Karry and I meet up. 

It was a long week leading up to that of not eating and anxiety because I barely knew him and was kinda freaking out!

I wanted to ask some questions before agreeing to date. We decided on Starbucks, I didn't want him to buy everything, so I brought ice-cream to make coffee floats. 

I acted surprised when he had NEVER had a coffee float.

(I honestly had only had it once.)

He jumped right in by asking what questions I had.

I replied with, "Actually just one, whats your salvation story?"

He told his, I told mine.

Karry: "So your dad did say you had a bunch of questions (now knowing I didn't) , so I brought some too...."

Me: *grinning* "Great, I will just bounce off yours then." 

We then went through all the questions of beliefs and boundaries.

Not sure what to do next we sat there ready to leave, but not ready.

He invites me to a family barbecue. 

I sadly decline and let him know my family is going out of state for the weekend to my grandparents for Easter.

We say our farewells... *insert awkward christian side hug again!*

And so it began.

I don't even know when either of us actually started liking each other in that whole story.

Or when either of us knew that was the person we would spend the rest of our life with.

But somehow almost 2 years later we are creating a home and life,

 as man and wife!

No bouquet toss?

            {Why I didn't do a bouquet toss at my wedding}

 I decided to not do a bouquet toss at my wedding for a reason thats dear to my heart. It boils down to intentional living. 

Walking by faith and complete surrender.

I kept mulling over this tradition ,we were very decided on not doing the garter toss (for obvious reasons),but I was asked by family if I would be doing the bouquet toss. I thought of different ways I could incorporate different things into the bouquet toss to give a deeper meaning , then just 'you'll be the next one married'.  Ta Da!

 I finally just decided that, nope, I wasn't gonna do it!

The basic meaning behind tossing away your bouquet to a group of clustered single ladies eager to catch the flowers would be that, if they could catch it fate would have in store a man for them to marry and they shall be next to be wed.

 Now not everyone believes that tradition/myth to be true, its more of a fun and kind of joke that wins you flowers.

 But.... I don't like the mentality of it. I strive to grow to be more intentional with my thoughts and actions. I had that season every girl with the desire for marriage goes through. 

That season of being broken and afraid that there isn't a man for you out there! 

Because the world tells you be your own woman, be pretty enough, successful....

and have that perfect Mr. at your side.

 I learned there is so much beauty in being single. 

Not just single, but a person who surrenders the desire of marriage to God and lives everyday to its fullest and in obedience to where God places them.

It is, in my mind, that having a bouquet toss puts marriage on this pedestal of something to be achieved, something better than where God had placed You Now.

I desire so deeply for young ladies everywhere to strive for contentment,intentionality, and praying for a spouse, if that is the desire of your heart, but surrender consistently the timing to Him. 

Too many girls stop living to just be waiting and finding ways to get a man. 

These girls miss out on what God has for them now!

 They miss out on letting God write their love story. 

God is something my husband and I are constantly striving to keep us and our marriage centered, but how much more beautiful and guided that is when He is the one that orchestrates you both together.

In summary I chose not to do at the bouquet toss because life is about so much more then just getting married. 

Life is so much fuller and better when we are walking and enthralled with Jesus

that our lives every exciting, scary adventurous part of it is orchestrated by Him.

 We make decisions, but He brings those opportunities to us!

He is the lover of our souls, writer of the perfect love story, orchestrator of all.