The Day We Met {part 2}

So I didn’t know there would be a part two to yesterdays’ post, but last night after reading through it, Christopher pointed out that I left out a piece of the story. And it’s true, I did… but it was just getting so long already, haha! Anyway, he thinks you can better grasp how beautiful our story is if you know one other tiny detail surrounding my final decision to agree to date him. So to oblige my husband…

Christopher was not the only guy who pursued me. Not by a long shot. In my first six weeks of college, I was asked out by more than 50 different guys. It sounds unbelievable, I know. But it’s true. I have to admit this is part of why I left this part out – I don’t want to come across as “oh look at me, I’m so special and everyone wanted to date me.” So bear with me here, haha! Anyway, here is my opinion on why I attracted so much attention:

1.  I was slender and tall so I stood out easily. I smiled a lot and was forever laughing at myself. I was friends with everyone and ran in several different social circles. Also I was a huge flirt. Huge. Flirt. (we will come back to this).

2. I was low maintenance. Most all my friends were guys and I didn’t feel the need to impress anyone. My clothing was simple (jeans & teeshirts) and I seldom wore make up. I was easy to talk to and drama free.

3. I had the whole China thing going for me. It made me unique. A small way to stand out from the other 7,000 students. I had a different perspective on things than most of my peers. And my stories about life there kept people interested.

4. I was a challenge (this is probably the biggest one, I think). Because I made it very clear that I wasn’t interested in dating, I suddenly became the unattainable girl. I know this sounds ridiculous, but I’m not kidding. There was actually a bet going around a group of guys to see who could get me to agree to date them [which for the record, Christopher was not a part of].

Just a sampling of some of my best guy friends from my first year of college. To protect the innocent, there are some faces in here that never actually asked me out just so you can’t know who did and didn’t ask me out for sure. But they were all close guy friends of mine.

Of course, it isn’t all these guys’ faults. I mean, I would tell them that I wasn’t interested in dating, but then turn around and flirt with them. I honestly thought that since I had made it clear I wasn’t interested in dating, that they would understand the flirting was just my way of communicating. Those poor guys were getting the weirdest mixed signals from me. I would tell them I didn’t date, but then turn around and let them pay for my meals, give me rides to places, send me daily notes about how special I was, stay up late talking about really personal things, and I was always super touchy-feely with them. Yiiikes. Yeah, lots of mixed signals to them. I honestly believed they only wanted to be just friends since that’s what I had said. I admit it, I was naive and unintentionally led them on.

So as you can see, Christopher was not the first guy to show interest in me. He was actually one of the many. That is part of why, he would say it is so incredible that I chose him and the reason he wanted me to add this part of the story. But honestly, I am so blessed that he chose to pursue me despite the crowd of guys to contend with. I think what most amazed me was finding something in him that I hadn’t seen yet in all those wonderful guy friends of mine. I loved my guy friends and knew that any one of them would make a great husband (and most of them have!) but, Christopher was unique. Something in me knew he was right for me.

But our love story isn’t just about the dramatic moment I dazzled him with my beauty or the moment he swept off me off my feet. Or even about the relentless pursuit he made or the moment I opened my heart to him. That was just the beginning. Beautiful and powerful it its own way, but only a beginning. My favorite part of our love story has been the day in and day out of choosing to love each other. Loving unconditionally and without fail. Trusting completely. Never giving up. Never letting go. Never walking away.

I will laugh with you in good times, struggle by your side in hard times, rejoice in the good and wipe away your tears in the bad. From this day forward, you will not walk alone. My heart will be your shelter and my arms will be your home. – from our wedding vows

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