In Haiti 2011
NYC 2010
Matt and I graduated High School with plans to attend College. He at Pratt Kansas playing baseball and me at UofA. I had signed a lease on an apartment with some girl friends from High School and all things were moving in the direction for me to head up the hill for school. At the very last minute, I knew without a doubt God was calling me to stay here (here being UAFS). I had no idea why, but I knew I just had to be obedient.
Unknown to me (because Matt and I knew nothing of each other), Matt also felt the Lord closing the door at Pratt and opening the door for him to walk through and attend UAFS playing baseball. This was not a good baseball decision. It made no sense to him, or anyone else around him. He knew if he went to Pratt he would more than likely go on to play D1 baseball at another larger school. It is just what Pratt was about. But, he listened to God and chose to stay here for school.:)
I am so glad he and I both chose to be still and listen because on that first day of school we walked in and saw each other for the first time. Oh glorious day. :) I could already hear the wedding bells. JK!
I could not take my eyes off him. Maybe it was due to the fact he could not stop turning around looking at me. But regardless, I knew nothing about this guy, but knew I needed to know all about it. I knew there had to be something different about him. I began stalking him. I am sort of kidding. I knew what he drove and I may or may not have followed him one day to see where he lived.
I was learning about him through friends that knew someone who knew him and I knew God was telling me something about him. BUT, at this point we still had NEVER even spoke. We made eye contact in class...a lot. But neither of us had the nerve to talk to the other.
He was a baseball player. Yep one of "those guys." Tight pants and all!!:) One of my friends and I were in town and saw the baseball field lights on. We knew we had to make a stop by the game. You know, cheer on our Lions. That's what good college students do, right? Well, unknown to me, Matt had told all the guys on the team I was there to watch him. haha.
About a week later, we saw each other at a volleyball game. I knew the UAFS baseball team worked the concession at the volleyball games so the same friend (haha, I drug her all over town stalking Matt) and I made our way to the game and shortly after arrival we headed to the concession. I needed a water. But as soon as I saw Matt was working I completely freaked out and handed my money to my friend and made her order for me. I could not talk to him. I was so nervous. He smiled at me and asked if I needed anything and I sweetly answered, "No, I'm just fine"...and those were our first words.:)
So, in October (school started in Aug.) I finally got up the nerve to give him my number. I knew he was a chicken and was not going to ask for mine, but with a few more things happening that week, I had a good idea he was very interested so I took a step outside of my comfort zone and waited for him outside one of his classes to talk to him. I was scared to death someone else was going to snatch up this gem of a man before I could so I could not wait a day longer. I told him "I don't normally do this, but I wanted to give you my number if you ever wanted to call." What I meant was, here is my number and you better call me tonight!!:)
He smiled. We stood there and talked for a minute, and then he walked me to my car. I am pretty sure I was smiling the whole time and sweating like a beast. HAHA! I jetted out of there and headed to the mall to purchase a cell phone charger. I had to go to work and I knew my phone would be dead by the end of the day and I was NOT missing his call... I knew he would call:)
He called me about 7 that night and I was driving home. We talked the whole time. It was raining like CRAZY so I was having to drive really slow. He wanted to make sure that I got home ok so he stayed on the phone till I got home. Then called me when i got inside. We talked till 2am. I knew so much about him and realized that night that I was going to marry him. He later said the same thing. :) This all took place on a Tuesday and we went on our first date Friday and out again Saturday night. I seriously had never felt anything like this before. He was such a gentleman. Such a sweetheart. A super fun guy. He played the drums on his steering wheel and sang to me and I thought that was the hottest thing ever. I still do. We absolutely fell hard. We knew immediately that we would never be apart and we would spend our lives together. If we would have met a few years later, we would have been married very quickly after meeting, but being so young, we knew we had to wait a little bit...but not too long!
Matt proposed to me in November (2002) the following year. Just 11 months after we had first really met. We were married in June of 2003.
I can honestly say we are so much more in love now than we were then, and no one could have convinced either of us that we could love each other any more than we did the day we were married. God has been so good in these almost 9 years of marriage. He brought together two people who love and enjoy the same things. We have the same passions. We can laugh together and cry together. We have walked through tough times and raced through great times. I am so thankful that Matt and I didn't miss God. He had us for each other all along.
It is so neat to think back to times we were at the same places in high school and never knew each other. God knew. He knew that when I was watching a baseball game that Matt played in against my High School that matt was my husband. He knew that a childhood birthday party we both attended that Matt and I would grow up and meet each other and fall madly in love.
And that we did. We still are. Today and Everyday. Forever. So thankful for another day with him. Another day to tell him I love him. Another day to laugh with him and cry with him. Another day to Serve the Lord together. I pray for many more years worth of another days.
Our Home (my favorite place) 2012
Mexico 2010
3 comments:
LOVED this!
You NEEDED a water - HAHAHA! Young love - so fun and so funny! Thanks for sharing your story!
How sweet!!
Sweating like a BEAST! hahaha! that made me laugh!!
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