Our Story....Part 2

*If you missed part 1, you can read it here.

When I had decided that I would not be coming back to school after Christmas break, I had NO idea that I was going to be reunited with Hubs. If I had, I am sure that I would have decided differently! Even though I didn't like going to school there after all, and I couldn't really afford to continue going there, getting to see Hubs all the time would have been well worth it!

However, I had already decided to move back home (although while I was away, my parents had moved back to the town I grew up in) and get a job, as I didn't feel that this college thing was for me. I was now on much better terms with my parents, and I missed my family terribly. Living ten hours away from them had gotten old fast.

So, I told Hubs that I was going to be leaving Virginia shortly, and that I would not be coming back. We agreed that we didn't really know where this was going to go, but that we would just enjoy the ride.

During those two weeks, I got to know Hubs in a totally different way. When I had known him before, he was not a Christian. Sure, he went to the same Bible study as I did, but that was all. Now, he had committed his life to the Lord, and was following Him with his whole heart.

I could see the change in him, and I liked what I saw.

He took me to his church, and introduced me to his friends. I got to know his family. Hubs and I spent every spare minute that we could together. He would drive almost an hour, each way, just so he could see me.

I really grew to love Hubs (well, as much as one can in two weeks time!) and decided that I would tell him that.

He had decided that he would come and visit me and my family over some of the Christmas break, and stay until after the new year.

As we were saying goodbye for the last time in Virginia, I hugged him, and I said those three words that are the scariest words in the English language to say to someone. I said, "I love you".

Do you know what Hubs said to me?

Absolutely nothing.

Nothing! I was NOT expecting that! I seriously thought that he was feeling the same way. I thought that he would say, "I love you too", and we would both feel all mushy gushy and lovey-dovey towards each other.

Instead, there was a long pause, where the only sound I could hear was the wild beating of my own heart.

Can you say, awkward?

Well, after that, I really had no idea what to expect from this so-called "relationship" that I thought we were in. I fought back tears, and told him goodbye. I was mentally kicking myself. I had just said "I love you" to a person who did not say it back! Why, oh WHY did I think I should say it first? I should have waited for him to say it to me! That would have been a sure thing.

I was sure that I had just ruined everything by saying I love you too soon. He was probably headed for the hills, and I would never hear from him again.

Yes, I realize that it may have been a tad bit early in our relationship to say I love you, but I am not a person that likes to beat around the bush. I pretty much wear my heart on my sleeve, and I really thought I was getting all the right vibes that he just might love me too.

I packed my stuff, and headed for home.

I was now pretty sure that either:

1. He wanted to take it s-l-o-w

2. He wanted to be "just friends"

If option #2 was more what he had in mind, I wasn't sure that I would be able to do it.

This was one guy I didn't want as just a friend...

Spring Is In The Air Hodgepodge

1. The first day of spring is here...do you enjoy working in the yard? Weeding, raking, mowing, planting-your favorite springtime garden chore? How about your least favorite?

I enjoy working in the yard....sometimes.

My favorite garden chore is watering the plants. Although, if it was totally left up to me, our plants would probably die. I am not that great about remembering to water them.

Thankfully, I married someone who loves working outside, and takes great pride in our yard. I never have to beg him to mow the grass, and he wouldn't even dream of letting the grass grow so tall that it goes to "seed".

My least favorite thing? Weeding.



2. What puts a spring in your step?

When I have something exciting that I am working on, usually some sort of project. I am always an eager starter to something, but when it ceases to be fun, my spring has sprung. Ha!

3. Describe a time when you had to spring into action?

Any time that one of my girls has been in some sort of trouble. Like, when my oldest started choking on a pretzel. Or, when my middle daughter had her forehead gashed open. Or, when my youngest had a seizure when her fever spiked too high.


4. We're having carrots for dinner...would you prefer yours raw or cooked?

I like my carrots raw, dipped in ranch dressing.

5. Do you take the shampoos and other sundries from your hotel room when its time to check out?

I take them, but not for myself. I never use those things, unless I have forgotten my own from home. I take them for Hubs. He is not picky, and will use anything.

6. What's the most enjoyable team or club you've belonged to and what was it that made it so?

It's not really a team or a club, but we belong to a local homeschool co-op. It allows the girls to be able to hang out with other homeschool kids, and be involved in some fun classes.

I enjoy it because I have been able to meet some other Moms that are in the same boat as I am. I have developed some deep friendships, and have been given encouragement just when I have needed it most.


7. Is cloning a sign of progress?

Yes, but I don't think that it is a good idea.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I promised in a previous hodgepodge, that in March, I would share how Hubs and I met, and ended up getting married. It's kind of a long story, so I am writing it in parts. Want to read the first part? Go here.

Our Story

First of all, let me tell you that we made it home safely from Florida. My lack of posting does not mean that we are dead in a ditch somewhere. My lack of posting is simply because of the sheer fact that this Mama is just feeling a little overwhelmed!

However, today is a VERY special day, and therefore, a post is in order!

Today, Hubs and I are celebrating our 18th anniversary. Now, when I say that today we are celebrating, this does not mean that we are actually "celebrating". We are not even in the same town for our anniversary! Hubs is having a very romantic dinner with another man from his company as we speak. Ha! Just kidding. It is strictly a business thing.

We did get to go out and celebrate our anniversary this past weekend. It's still kind of a bummer to not have Hubs around on our special day, but whatcha gonna do. It is what it is.

Anyway, in a previous post, I promised that, in March, I would tell you all how Hubs and I met, fell in love, and got married. So, here we go...

I was fifteen years old at the time. My family and I lived in Maine, and we attended a Bible study at a friend's house. We had been attending this Bible study for a little while, when Hubs started coming. It was kind of strange that he started attending, because this Bible study was being held at his friend's house, but his friend did not attend. For some reason, Hubs wanted to attend.

So, we got to know each other on a friend basis. I thought Hubs was the best thing since sliced bread, but since he was three years older than I was, he just thought of me as a nice kid, who had a nice family that he liked to hang out with.

Hubs' parents are divorced, and he did not grow up with his Dad. After he graduated from high school, Hubs decided that he wanted to move down to Virginia so he could be near his Dad and get to know him better.

I was pretty sure that I would probably never see him again.

But, God had other plans.

Fast forward almost four years....

I was nineteen years old, and I was attending Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Here is a picture of me in college. Try not to be jealous of the hair.

I had decided to go there because I knew a friend who attended there, and it seemed like a great school. It was also a fair distance away from my family, and at that time in my life, that sounded like a good idea.

It was Dec. 5th, and I was attending a basketball game with my roommates.

It was half-time, and we were up walking around, stretching our legs. As I was walking around, I saw this guy who I thought looked a lot like Hubs.

I thought about going up to him and asking him if he remembered me, but I was trying to talk myself out of it. It just sounded too....I don't know. Just not me.

However, I decided that I would do it. What could it hurt?

So, I went up to him, and asked him if he was, indeed, the boy I knew from Maine. I called him by his nickname. He just looked at me with the strangest expression on his face! Remember, the last time I had seen him, I was a fifteen year old "kid". Now, I was nineteen.... and no longer a kid.

Ahem.

I told him who I was, and asked him if he remembered me.

He told me that he did, and asked WHAT I was doing HERE?

I told him that I went to school here, and was watching the basketball game. He mentioned that he lived about an hour away in a neighboring town. He was there with his Dad, and he just so happened to have an extra seat next to him. He asked me if I wanted to come and sit with him so we could catch up on what had been going on in our lives the past few years.

Just the fact that he had an extra seat next to him was a minor miracle, because that place was PACKED.

I told my roommate that I was going to go and sit with him, and we spent the next half of the game catching up.

We do not consider our meeting again a mere coincidence. We believe that it was God who brought us back into each other's lives.

His Dad invited me over to their house, and I gladly accepted.

While I was at their house, the funniest thing happened to me. I had to use the bathroom, and while I was sitting there on the toilet, one of the bathroom drawers mysteriously OPENED UP and a tiny little furry head POPPED out at me! I screamed and got out of there as FAST as I could! All I could think of was that it was a mouse!

Do you know what it was?

It was their pet ferret, Bandit. Apparently, Bandit liked to hide in the bathroom drawers, and scare the heck out of unsuspecting house guests. Mission accomplished, Bandit! The whole family got a big laugh out of it, and it is brought up often to this day. I will never be able to live that one down. Sigh.

Anyway, Hubs drove me home that night, and invited me to church with him the next morning. I went back to my room that night, and called up my parents. I told my Mom that she was NEVER going to believe who I was going to church with in the morning! She couldn't believe it, and said that she thought that he was engaged, as that is what we had heard through the grapevine. I happily told her that, NO, he was not :)

So, Hubs and I saw each other as much as we could during the next two weeks. Why only two weeks? Because, I was leaving school for Christmas break.....and I was not coming back.

To be continued....