a Past...a Present...and a Future

As everyone already knows, Aaron proposed to me this week, and of course I said yes. Most of you have seen the ring, have seen a great picture of him, and now know lots of reasons why I love him so much. All of you are here in the present moment with us as we share our exciting news and get ready to embark on the adventures of wedding planning. Today I have chosen to take you all on a little journey into the past. Not the extreme past, just a few years, back to where our story begins...

I met Aaron in college. It was my last year of college, to be exact. We were both Psychology majors, and had most of our classes together. While we saw each other almost every day, I spent most of the year eyeing him from a distance. We would have brief conversations in passing, and occasionally sit together in class, but not much else. All of this changed Graduation Sunday. The day of the rehearsal, I walked into the stadium and was completely overwhelmed. There were hundreds of future graduates there, and not a single familiar face among them. I felt so completely alone. Until I turned around to leave and saw Aaron, who had also just walked into the chaos. Apparantly he was relieved to see a familiar face too, because he walked over to me. Throughout the course of the rehearsal we talked, and we both agreed that we did not want to walk alone on Sunday. We decided that he would pick me up that morning, and we would walk together.



Graduation day rolled around, and he picked me up at the Adam's Mark where my parents were staying. After suffering through pictures being taken by a bunch of people he didn't know, away we went. I don't remember much about the ceremony, but I remember every detail of that day. I spent the entire time lost in conversation with him. I remember thinking to myself that this guy was really funny, very nice, and super smart. And he looked so good that day. (I still melt when he wears a black shirt, backwards cap, and sunglasses.) Needless to say, I did not have to think twice about accepting an invitation to his graduation party that afternoon.

The graduation party was a blast! I didn't know anybody there, but he stayed by my side the entire time. After all his guests had left, he took me on a short hike on the river behind his mom's house. In an effort to impress him, I climbed over rocks and slid down dirty hills - in a skirt and dainty sandals. It must have worked, because as the sun was going down he walked me to my car and ended the day with a kiss. That sealed the deal - he had me. I went home with scratches and bruises all over my legs and arms, and mud all over my skirt, but I was on cloud nine.

Since then, Aaron and I have been up, down, and all over the relationship charts. There were times when we were hot and heavy, going strong. There were times when it all seemed a little too fast a little too soon. The first time my mom met Aaron she told me, "I know you don't believe me now, but this guy's the one." I think in my heart I always knew my mom was right, but I needed to figure it all out for myself. There was always a part of me that always felt like I wasn't quite a women yet - I still kind of felt like a little girl trying to make sense of it all. I needed to explore the world, try to figure out where I fit in. I needed some time to grow up. I expressed these feelings to Aaron, and told him maybe we should go our separate ways. He accepted this and let me go, even though I know it broke his heart. Up to that point, he had always told me that he loved me. It was at this moment that I realized that he truly did.

The thing is, we never really did go our separate ways. He remained by my side as I moved 60 miles away and survived (barely) my first year of teaching. He shared with me his experience of the GRE and graduate school applications. We both unknowingly shared the same fear that he would get in and go away. We ran up phone bills and gas mileage. We hung out as friends, both of us blushing when we would accidentally slip and arm around a waist, or address the other with "Babe". We never really did let go, we just loosened our grip a bit.

Today is June 16th. In exactly one year I will marry this man. People ask me, "Doesn't this all feel kind of sudden?" My only response to that is, "No, actually, it feels like perfect timing." I truly believe that God knew what He was doing when He planted in my heart the desire to change my major from English to Psychology. He knew what He was doing that crazy day He placed Aaron and I at the gates to Stoker Stadium - both of us late for reasons out of our control. He knew what He was doing when He decided that Aaron needed to wait one more year for graduate school.

So here I sit, in love, happy, with a gorgeous ring on my left hand, and a wonderful man who still wants to marry me despite it all. The ring is a three-stone engagement ring, the stones representing a past, a present, and a future. This couldn't be more appropriate for us. We have no idea where the wedding will be, what colors we want, how many bridesmaids or groomsmen we will have, or really anything for that matter. But that's okay - we have 365 days to figure it all out. For now, my heart is full, and I am completely content knowing that I am going to marry the person that God made just for me.