Our Story

SO, I have been wanting to get the story of Troy and I "down on paper" for awhile but a few things recently have pushed that to the forefront.  First, during a conversation with Tara and Natalie on Thursday night, Tara said several things that reminded me of the feelings I was having when I was around her age.  She also said several things about a boy she knows that reminded me of Troy.  When I pointed out a few things about our situation, she said it didn't sound very romantic. Second, I've kinda watched several hours of Bridezilla today.  Troy caught a snippet of the show and correctly pointed out that our wedding had little-to-no drama.  Third, Tara's blog (fabulous and insightful) discusses courting today...which is exactly what we did.

I met Troy in Sunday school in Germany when we were 16.  I don't really remember it at all, but we became good friends.  We were both consistently in other relationships but still had a really good, flirty friendship.  He was my best platonic guy friend.  I know now that he always kinda liked me...I maybe knew that a little in high school.  After we graduated, he went to college in Tennessee, and I ended up in Georgia then moved to USF here in Tampa.  With the exception of my high school sweetheart, Troy is the only person that I kept up with from high school.  We wrote each other letters fairly consistently during our freshman and early sophomore years in college.  I custom made the envelopes out of pages from magazines.  He hung them on his wall...I've heard they were a dorm hit! But we were still friends. 

Then I broke up with the hs sweetie.  I called Troy and cried over it...he came to visit to me. (September)  Things kind of changed...especially for Troy.  We were still just friends (mostly because I was still tangled up with my ex - God helped me take care of that). 

In February, I turned twenty and God called me to be a minister's wife (a story for another time).  I began to really examine my life...where I was at and where I thought I would be.  Honestly, I thought I would be thinking wedding with Craig, but I had not spoken to my ex in months.  I felt that I was entering the decade that was supposed to be about creating a family, and I was moving away from that - not towards it.  It was a mini-crisis.  I poured out my heart to my friend, Troy, in an email.  I was wondering about the one.  His reply was "maybe the one already knows and is waiting for you to figure it out."  Around that time, I got a birthday card from Troy.  It wasn't really a friend card.  The front had a dozen roses and, on the inside, he wrote that he loved me.  I can't remember if he had said that to me before that point.  I loved him as a friend and I think that he had said it...but this felt different. 

I started thinking about Troy differently.  I firmly believe God was opening my eyes to His plan.  I finally decided to visit him during Spring Break.  My best friend, Tiffany, made me promise to tell him what I was feeling while I was there.  We had a great time...as friends...kind of.  We hung out, played football, talked tons...I never said anything.  Fearing the wrath :) of Tiffany, I called Troy the night before heading back to school...and I said nothing.  But he told me to call him when I got back to school.  So I did...and I beat around the bush but I asked him several questions about marriage...in the flirty tone our relationship has always had.  Finally, I asked "Do you think you know who God wants you to marry?"  He said "I think so."  Of course, I asked who.  He said that he wasn't sure it was God's time yet and that he would have to pray about telling me.  He said he would call me the next night.  That next day was a Monday...St. Patrick's Day in fact.  I had class and butterflies all day.  It was the most beautiful anticipation.  That night he called and said  "It's you."  So began our courtship...which I define as intentional dating.  We knew marriage was our future.  I don't know about romantic by worldly standards, but I don't think you can beat God writing your love story.  It gives us a firm foundation now...which I wouldn't trade for anything.