A week prior to meeting my husband to be I went for a walk.  I cried on this walk.  I prayed on this walk.  I told God I was ready to stop dating and meet my husband.  I was 19.  I went home feeling down.  I was in a odd relaitonship with this gorgeous boy that adored me.  I wasn't really into him.  I snuggled the teddy bear my best friend had given me for christmas the week before.  The teddy I had named "Stan".  God has such a sense of humor!

My best friend and I decided to go to a local young adult group.  We had a married friend that had invited us to come.  What I didnt' realize was this friend had told Stan about me.  I believe his exact words were,

"A lot of people find her annoying but I think you might like her" LOL

So I show up at this group with no clue that the entire bunch of them were checking me out.  Stan had a reputation for "getting" the new girl.   They all knew he was going to be on the prowl. 

I noticed him right away.  Cute.  We all went out for burgers and by destiny (or intentionally scheming) stan and I ended up sitting next to each other where for some strange horrifying reason I went on to brag about my bellybutton smelling.  Its a bit of a cave and with sweat and ....well anyway I shared that bit of of myself and Stan was smitten.  What does that say about him?  LOL.

We met on a thursday.  Had a group date two days later and went on our first alone date two days after that.  About a month into our frantic, dizzying, emotional relationship we went on a christian retreat.  We agreed to pray about our relaitonship and see where God wanted us to go.  I did.  I felt the Lord wanted me to remember to put Him first.  I said "okay, God".  Stan felt the Lord say the same thing and he broke up with me.  That was a sunday.  By thursday we were back together.  Silly man.  What is that Matchbox 20 song?  "If you're gone" 

"I bet you're hard to get over...I bet the room just won't shine."

That was us.  Without me in it his world did not shine. 

So we were engaged two months later and married eight after that.  Many, many, many people thought we were crazy.  I was 20 and he was 22.  We have never looked back.  We are the colour in each others grey world 12 years later.

So in this picture I am laying on a bed staring longing at my new husband as he stares longinly back.  UGH