How I Met Your Father

My sophomore year of college I had applied to be a resident adviser for my junior year. I got the job and started training that year by doing a hike with a weighted pack for our summer Walk About trip where we would backpack for 10 days. On March 24th I was hot and tired from the hike but I had a party to attend that night for a friend's 20th birthday. I rushed home from our mandatory hike, showered, let my hair air dry resulting in some wild, curly, mane and tossed on jeans and a white polka dot sleeveless top. I walked across the courtyard to my neighbors and into an Alice in Wonderland themed party. 

The party was for my friend Courtney whom I would live with next year and among her guest Brian showed up. I had heard about him but never seen him and I was completely smitten by the baseball cap, hazel eyes, smile, and his laugh. In truth, I hardly talked to him because I was shy when it came to boys but I remember instantly being attracted to him. Brian came in and left almost as quickly for a dinner with a friend. I saw him a couple more times that year in passing but for my sophomore year that was about all the interacted I had with man I was going to marry.

Fast forward to the start of junior year when I was recovering from an injury after spending the summer on crutches. I was on campus weeks before the arrival of other students and trying to unload a storage locker with furniture, dishes, you name it for three gals with just my mom, uncle, and my hobbling self. My roommate suggested I call Brian to ask for help with the move because he had a truck and was already in the area. I never called but I was reminded of Brian. A few days later he showed up at my door looking for my roommates who had not yet arrived. Brian and I chatted and a friendship blossomed. Over the next month he kept coming over to see all of us. 

Somewhere in September Brian asked to go get ice cream. I had NEVER dated, NEVER been asked out, and had NO Clue if ice cream constituted as a date. I went for ice cream, Brian paid. I thought it was a date but never really knew. We went to coffee a few times, Brian started coming to church with a group of friends and I, and I started to connect with this guy. We never talked about our relationship but I found I enjoyed spending time with Brian and liked having him around. 

In October our friend Courtney invited some friends to come to her home in Colorado over a long weekend. Being the studious and never spontaneous person I was I took a leap and bought a ticket. Brian was on the same flight which had a layover in Las Vegas. During our layover our plane broke. We were moved to another plan which also broke. A couple hours later we were moved to a third plane and it broke. I can recall tires not working well, bathrooms not functioning, and by the third plane I did not even hear what was wrong. I sat for over 7 hours in Las Vegas on the floor of an airport with Brian who was calm as ever while I fretted about getting to Colorado, where my luggage was, and why we were not getting on another flight. 

By nightfall Brian being a year older was given a room for the night while I was told to wait for a 5am flight to Arizona and get a connecting flight to Colorado because I was not 21. I felt a bit of panic but Brian talked with someone and managed to get them to give him a suit with two separate bedrooms (what a gentleman) so I could be comfortable and safe. That night I felt like Brian was such a kind, thoughtful, calming guy who had made me laugh all day and taken care of me. He asked me out and I agreed to a date the following night. Brian later told me he kept praying that we could stay just a little longer in Las Vegas so we could spend time together and he could finally ask me out. God was sure listening that night.

Brian took me to an old lighthouse for dinner on our first date.  He made hot chocolate and cookies for dessert and brought a blanket to sit on the beach. We talked, we held hands, and I was pretty sure then and there this guy was husband material. I felt loved and adored by Brian and listened to him recall meeting me with my wild lion hair last March and hearing me laugh my distinctive snorting laugh. It may not have been love at first sight but we each left that party with a mental note of each other and God kept our paths crossing and our relationship growing. 

I am linking up with Andrea from Momfessionals for her Show and Tell series. Today we are all sharing how we met our significant other! So fitting for a post Valentine's Day post!