If you've ever searched for something you desire and suddenly stumbled upon exactly what you're looking for then you understand the saying "When ya know, ya know!" That is the precise phrase that sums up our love story.
I was sitting on a plane on my way back from Hilton Head when I noticed an attractive guy sitting across the isle from me. As the flight ensued I found myself a little more interested in staring at him than I was the stack of magazines in my lap, and I had the thought; I don't have a "type" but if I did I think he would be it. The plane landed, we stood in close proximity to one another as we waited for our luggage to appear, and then he walked out the door to a car that was waiting for him. I assumed it was a girlfriend, put it out of my mind and was thankful that I laid eyes on him so that I could finally know what my dream guy looked like.
A few months later while walking through a sea of Kentucky blue tailgaters I passed him, the guy from the plane. I wanted to say hi, to see where he was going, but I kept walking toward my friends and went about my day. Next stop Keeneland, same scenario but a different location only this time I managed to point him out to a friend who was with me and tell her "That's him! That's the guy from the plane!" The memory of my dream guy was growing stronger in my mind, and that turned out to be the biggest blessing of my life.
A year later I found myself once again surrounded by shouting fans in blue Kentucky gear as I walked up the steps of Commonwealth stadium with my best friend. We headed to the familiar spot where my Dad's seats were and joined my family to watch Kentucky play. God had better plans for me that day than just watching a football game. I had a fresh break up from a boyfriend under my belt and sat chatting with my girlfriend about how I really thought I just wanted to be single forever. In my mind I was done with relationships, done with guys, and ready to focus on my teaching career. Oh how God's plans are greater than our own.......
Across the aisle and down about 12 rows to my right stood "the guy from the plane", and in the biggest deja vu moment of my life I found myself unable to take my eyes off of him. The plays on the field got little to know attention from me as I gushed to my friend about how I couldn't believe I was seeing him again. We watched him walk up the steps with a friend who my bestie recognized from her home town. I wanted to follow, to stand in line behind him, somehow strike a conversation, but we let them keep walking.
Little did I know on the other side of this love equation stood a dream guy, who had watched a girl walk up the steps that caught his eye. He thought she looked like someone he needed to meet and that football game was becoming less important to him too. He was there with friends who recognized this girl's sidekick and so they developed a plan......
As the game wound down my heart raced up as "the guy from the plane" approached our way. His friend took the lead and greeted my bestie as they chatted and caught up on how they knew each other. I found myself in a fog of sorts as my dream guy struck up a conversation with ME. I learned he was in law school, he learned I had just started teaching, his voice sounded as good as he looked and without hesitation I obliged with the gifting of my phone number upon request. "What are your plans this evening? Maybe I'll give you a call." Was all I needed to hear to put my hopes on high alarm.
*side note: I shared all of the above with him after we had been dating a few months and to this day he still likes to claim I was his stalker. :)
I had been so excited by the events that rapidly unfolded before me that I somehow missed his name but was fairly sure it was Buddy something.... As my dad and grandparents poked jabs at me, questioning my earlier comments about how I was done dating yet eagerly handed out my number, I down played my feelings and in a way put up a safety net for my heart by deciding even if he did seem great, I wasn't so sure I could date someone named Buddy.
The game ended, and my anticipation and longing for a call made the evening creep along. He called, clarified that his name was not actually Buddy but Barry and asked if us girls would want to meet up for drinks. With flutters in my stomach we met up and spent the night getting to know eachother. I learned he loved music *score he loved his family *score he was a gentlemen above all else *score and he was just as intriguing as I had hoped he might be. We said goodbye that night but my hope cup runneth over. A few days passed and I didn't hear from him, and I began to wonder if he was just like any other guy. So I thought of a reason to reach out I have a question... I texted. I have an answer he replied. My inquiry about the name of a band he had mentioned a few nights prior turned into us getting together that afternoon, and can I tell you we were pretty much inseparable ever since.
The next 5 months were a literal whirlwind of being swept up in a love so wonderful, so perfect, so easy that it could only be sent from God above. The question; so, do you think you know? was asked a few weeks after meeting and a yes, I think I do was the reply. On February 16th after dating for 5 months, with my parents surprised blessing he asked me to be his bride, four months later we said I Do exactly 10 months and 1 day from meeting each other. We both will tell you that when you know, you know is a very real statement.
God makes fairy tales far better than Disney could ever think to write. They are filled with love that can truly make you weak in the knees, emotions so big you think they'll cause your chest to burst, and challenges that cause you to rely on His power and sovereignty. True love's roots grow deeper with time, life's weary ways and business may cause a drought, but the roots only go deeper to find better resources than they knew before. I love my sweet husband more now than I did 10 years ago. I think part of that is because I love God more, and the other part is him. Doing life with him, raising our beautiful and mind boggling blessings together, making decisions that matter, and having a complete peace about our love has made me one happy wife.
Here's to ten years of being married to the guy who defined "my type" and made me his wife. I love you for always Barry Cooper, and am so proud to be called your sweet girl.
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