How it all came together...(our story, part three)

The evening at the concert was wonderful.  I found myself being reminded of all the reasons I had wished we had worked out the first time.  He loved Jesus and he loved the Gospel--and more than his words, his character and actions said so.  But like I said, I was sticking to my guns!  I quickly hushed those thoughts, reasoning that the issues we had before would be the same, or worse, if we tried a relationship again.  Little did I know, he was hushing similar thoughts.
Before the evening was over, I half-heartedly mentioned the possibility of getting coffee sometime.  -cough-

A series of fortunate events...

• Craig followed through with an invitation to coffee a little over a week later.  While I respected him highly, I wasn't looking for a relationship with him, so it was nice to just relax and enjoy his fellowship.  Since he lived an hour away, we were reluctant to just end the visit after coffee, so we decided to try to find a taco stand we had heard about.  We had been told that it was exactly like the ones we would go to in Mexico--late night taco runs were a tradition with the team. :)  It was another half an hour away, so it gave good opportunity for more fellowship and conversation.

• Unfortunately, but fortunately, the taco stand was closed, even though their posted hours showed that they should have been open.  We made note of the hours and decided to get together and try again sometime.
• A couple weeks later, we decided to try it; note, during their posted hours!  But it was mysteriously closed again.  So, since I was craving pasta, he took me to the best place for pasta in our area--which is a pricier and better version of The Olive Garden.  He joked later about the bill, and about spending that much on a girl he wasn't even dating. :)
• A weekish later, my family invited him for a random pizza night.  The next day, I got a text from him simply stating that we needed "to talk".  I freaked out a little.  I was for sure he would say that we were being ridiculous and couldn't hang out anymore; I nervously agreed to meet at a Steak n Shake "to talk".  He seemed nervous, and we chit-chatted a bit, until it was killing me and I finally asked him what he wanted to talk about (haha, heh...I don't play games!).
  He wanted to know if the theological issues we had before were either gone, or if we could work through them.  -gasp- I remember him asking sincerely, almost with pleading eyes.  I still melt thinking about it.  Being a woman, of course, I had already prayed/wrestled with that question; to find that most of the issues were gone, and what may be left was definitely okay.  I was still surprised that he was even interested!

We were official.  Our families were excited for us, but if it wasn't for the peace they knew we had, they would have been unsure about a Round 2.

We went on our first official date to the taco stand...which was open!  I was nervous to ask for a picture so soon, but I had this persistant feeling that I would regret not having one.  He sweetly obliged. 

(Note:  In the first courtship and up to this point, we were hands-off.  When he put his arm around me for that picture, I DIED)

 

We think it was God's providence that kept the taco stand closed, since trying for it multiple times allowed reasons for us to hang out more and enjoy amazing fellowship on the drive there.  Ironically, we didn't find it open until we were official. 

Of course, we had to give our friends and family heart attacks after that...

Later that evening, he brought me home and we sat at my parents' kitchen table talking over coffee.  It was late and my family--except for one brother playing video games--had gone to bed. 

I told him he was in danger of making me fall in love with him (shameless plug: totally stole that line from Jane Austen).  He told me he felt the same way.  WE KNEW.  After talking it through, and sharing our first kiss on our first date, we decided we wanted to marry and he would talk to my dad the next day.

8 days after becoming an official dating couple, we were engaged.

We hadn't changed our Facebook relationship statuses from single at all--so we freaked alot of people out going straight from "single" to "engaged".  But that was the fun part. :)

He "officially" proposed 11 days later, before the annual cookout with our Mexico mission team.

Our initial plan was to marry in April 2011, but we moved it January 1, 2011...

a little over 5 months since we became official.

We're so thankful, Abba Father, because we "know that you can do all things,

and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted."

Job 42:2

...the end [but not the end]. :)