April Fools! We are together... (3 years later)

We call our 'start date' April 1st.  That was the day he was released from the hospital, and the day I could no longer lie to everyone by saying that I did not like him.  If you have no idea what I mean by the hospital- defiantly check out the start to this love story.

We began dating and said form the get go that this was casual.  I did not want to do something long distance and we were just a couple months away from him leaving for Ecuador for one month, 2 months of summer in different states, and then his semester in China.  We were both actually planning on going to Greece/Italy for January, but the trip fills fast and there was no way to know if we would both go.  Besides, I thought that we would be long over by that point.

A few weeks into dating he told me that he loved me.  I made him take it back.  I cried, I yelled, I was mad.  He was not allowed to love me.  I had been broken before and did not want this to continue on.  He tried to take it back but it was a little late.  Just before the end of the year I realized that I was not broken and that it was ok to let someone into my life.  While following through a devotional and book about being captivating to God I learned how to love and be loved.  It was then that I fell in love with John.  We decided that we would continue together as long as it was fun.

A serenade in my dorm- her is such an amazing musician!

Summer came and he went to Ecuador.  It was a challenge to communicate, but we did.  During this time I also went on a 2 week camping trip (it was a class, no joke!).  During this time I wrote down everything I wanted to share with him.  I loved him.  I missed him.  I was able to open up with a couple of people to get my thoughts out and talk through them.  I was so in love with him.  While playing a game of 'hot seat' where you disperse an uncomfortable amount of information about yourself I was asked if I thought he was the one.  I did not know what to say.  "Too soon to say that" was my answer, but it was only after I had stopped myself from saying yes.

I went to his house to pick him up from the airport when he returned.  I drove to his parents house and met them, then chilled with them for a few hours before his flight arrived.  I was so relieved to see him.  My heart melted as he came down the escalator.  I was almost in tears and all else faded into the background.  I will never forget the hug he gave me.  This was when our relationship went to the next level.

Us at our best friends' wedding!

For the rest of the summer we drove back and forth the 2.5 hour drive each weekend to be with each other.  One night while we were out to eat he looked at me and said "marry me".  I wanted to say yes, but there was no way I could.  He stopped and apologized, it was like it was word vomit.  He just said what was on his mind.

Then came the semester.  He left for China.  There was a 13 hour time difference.  I was taking 21 credit hours (not including labs)- the university only allows a student to take 17.  I threw myself in to school work and for the first time in my life got all but one A.  Each day I would get up early to talk to him before he went to bed.  And each night I would stay up late to talk to him during his break in class.  We spoke 2 times a day, every day starting in October.  There was a time when I was at my breaking point and wanted to give it all up.  He called my phone and left the most loving and encouraging message.  I wrote it all down to keep forever, and I listened to it almost daily for those months.

By the time the semester was wrapping up marriage was on our minds.  We knew we had good communication, we made it though the time apart.  By this point we had spent more of our relationship in separate countries than together.  The true test would be once we returned if we would be able to get back to normal.

From December 26th, to January 28- we never spent a second apart.  We both went to Cincy, Indy, Chicago, Greece, and Italy.  It was wonderful.  It was challenging to spend so much time with one person.  We fought a bit, and on the way home I was in tears as I was not sure we should be together but I wanted it so badly.

Chicago

Our favorite place in the world

Romantic date night in Rome

It was as if we had never been apart when we reunited.  Getting back into the normal routine was no problem.  Things were wonderful!  We were talking more and more about marriage.  I told him that I wanted the proposal to be a surprise to me- I didn't care anything else, just that I did not know that it was coming.  We started to look at rings in February.  And on the 28th he shocked me by proposing!

My parent's house after he proposed

I am very blessed to have such a wonderful man to call my husband.  Our journey has been unique and exciting.  I am loving every minute of it!

Want more details about the journey from proposal 2/28/09 to wedding 5/29/10- let me know!  I plan on doing more love stories leading up to our one year anniversary- but have a few more stops I could make along the way!