Our Love Story {Part One}

In this series: Part 2

So...since Valentine's Day is just a few days away, and the anniversary of our engagement is just 11 days away, and because I am such a romantic...I'd love to share our love story (or at least most of it, ha!) with you. :)

Joshua and I met on August 20, 2009.  It was our first full day on campus as college freshmen.  The community hosted a "block party" during the Weekend of Welcome, in order for the students to get to know the town a little better.  I went with my roommate and some friends, and we wandered around in a variety of shops and explored the downtown.  One of the little shops is a coffeeshop/hangout place for college students that's organized and run by members of some area churches, called Neutral Groundz.  They're open weekend nights, and there's Bible studies, free food and coffee and other drinks, a big game room with a pool table, foosball, big screen TV, tons of board games, etc.  It's a fun place to hang out.

Anyway, I went in there with my friends and Joshua happened to be in the downstairs game room.  I don't remember a ton of details about that first meeting.  Apparently, according to Joshua, I went to talk to some other guys on the other side of the room, while my roommate struck up a conversation with Joshua.  I did join them fairly quickly and, being the outgoing person I am, introduced myself right off the bat.  Those first few weeks of college I was in the "meet people and find out things about them so I can try to find friends" mode.  Well, after a few questions I found out that Joshua was a pastor's son, was one of five boys, was thinking of going to seminary, and had been homeschooled for part of his education.

I was very impressed, interested, and attracted to him right off the bat!  Here was this tall, blond, big guy--taller than I am--who talked to me, seemed interested in what I had to say, and had quite a few admirable qualities about him.  We invited him to join us and he stuck with us girls for the rest of the afternoon.  We ate supper together on the lawn of the county courthouse--hot dogs and hamburgers.  I remember getting mustard all over my fingers without any napkin to wipe it on.  Joshua offered that I clean my fingers off on his arm.  I definitely looked at him weird; that was a strange offer!  But he explained that he had worked at fast-food restaurants and it didn't bother him.  So I did, and he wiped his arm on the grass.  (Weird, I know.)

Part of the afternoon included a tractor-drawn wagon ride through part of town.  I intentionally managed to sit next to Joshua, and we sat fairly close.  I'm not usually much of a flirt...but I was that day, unfortunately!  Happily, it all turned out well.  :)  I didn't know it at the time, but Joshua was apparently "checking me out"--as interested in me as I was in him.

At the end of the afternoon my friends were getting a ride back to campus from another guy I had started to get to know a little bit.  Joshua started walking back to campus by himself.  I was torn, but only for a few seconds--I quickly ran after Joshua to walk back to campus with him.  He offered that we stop at Dairy Queen on the way for an ice cream cone, but I was all a-flutter and had no appetite. :)  The walk back to campus took at least twenty minutes and we talked non-stop the entire time.  I don't really remember what we talked about, but that was probably the longest conversation I had ever had with any male outside my own family.  I was impressed.  He walked me right to my dorm, and I was pleased with his chivalry. :)

The next evening was the opening worship service for the semester.  In church I was looking for Joshua, but couldn't find him.  I did spot his roommate, Tyler, and went to sit by Tyler.  Then I turned around--and Joshua was right behind me, with a man and a woman with him, obviously his parents.  I initially was disappointed that I had missed him but was relieved because I was a little intimidated by the presence of his parents!

After the service I wove through the crowd to walk out with Joshua and talk with him.  Much later I found out that his mom asked about me right away then.  "Who's that cute girl you were talking to?" she asked him.  Joshua actually couldn't remember my name!  (I didn't know that till several months later, either!)  Joshua's mom commented that I seemed to really like him.  She was right. :)

The next day, Monday, my second class was Geography 101.  I walked in--and there was Joshua. :)  I took the seat next to him (of course).  He told me later that he listened closely during the roll call to hear what my name was.

So that was how everything started!  To be continued... :)

<3 <3 <3