Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Our Dating Story

Yes, I know 7 years is a long time. Please note is also the number for perfection! Let's just say that we both had a lot of maturing to do. When we first started dating, Nathan still lived at home. I was coming out of a very bad relationship and needed time for healing. I am thankful that Nathan and I stuck with each other and our relationship long enough for both of us to experience much needed growth. Believe me, at times it was not easy for either one of us.

We did so many different things while dating, but mostly our lives revolved around our singles group at church and the friendships there. Many of those friends are people we are still close to now. I remember my Dad telling me that I needed to put down some roots in my adult life. That is what I did. I asked God for a girl friend and He answered my prayer in abundance. Not only did He provide me with that one special friend, Melissa, but He provided me with a whole slew of other friends that I treasure. Melissa and I spent several nights talking on the phone about where my relationship was going with Nathan. She was always so great to listen. Nathan was thrilled that I had other friends and my life didn't totally revolve around him.

Like I said we did so many things. We saw a lot of movies, spent time with our other single friends, went to Honduras on a mission trip, went to Memphis to see "Phantom of the Opera" and we were in and attended no telling how many weddings for friends.

About that "Phantom of the Opera" trip, here is a picture. Notice we went with two other couples. When we bought the tickets, we were all single and by time to go to Memphis for the play one couple was married and the other engaged!



Literally, before we started dating, I made a list of what I was looking for in a mate. Things like, "Number One - must be a Christian, must be as comfortable at a Razorback game as he is at the symphony, must love my family, and they must love him." I knew that this guy met every one of the criteria on my "list." Not that he is perfect, but he is very good for me. Furthermore, I felt like God had told me that this was the person He had for me. I remember telling Nathan "I don't care if we date for years if we eventually get married, but please don't date me for years and then dump me." I was willing to wait as long as it took as long as it resulted in marriage.

I will never forget the day Nathan called me out of the blue and said he bought a house. Keep in mind that he still lived at home and hadn't really even mentioned to me that he was interested in moving out. His grandparents had seen a house that they thought he would be interested in. It had just gone on the market that day, he saw it and made an offer - then called to tell me about it. I about flipped. Don't get me wrong, I loved the house and was thrilled for him, I was just in shock! He drove me to see the house - from the road, we couldn't go in. He then proceeded to drive around the neighborhood and say, "See, don't you like it better than this house or that house?" How would I know, I haven't seen the inside of either one. We still live in that house to this day and I love it even more than I did the day he bought it. It is perfect for us and will be great for our family too.

I knew one day Nathan would wake up and decide he was ready to get married and he would want to get married immediately. Sure enough one day, he did decide he was ready. He tells me now that he had no idea that it would take so long to pick out a ring and plan a wedding. Stay tuned...

5 comments:

Micah and Sunny said...

oh....dang, you left us hanging. Ugh. Hopefully the end of this story ends with a BABY!!!! Waiting on pins and needles for you but also love hearing your love story. Still haven't posted mine, I need to get on that.

Sunny K

Tara said...

What a sweet story. I am so happy for you. Your child is going to be very blessed to have you and Nathan for parents.

Tara

Mandy said...

I love hearing about your "courtship"!! From someone who knew both of you, it is so awesome to hear how God worked in your lives!!

Sisters said...

Girl, all this has taken me back down memory lane. Oh, the fun times we had trying to get you 2 hitched!
AJL

Melissa Southerland said...

Oh Em, I remember all of this like it was yesterday. I thought you or I one was going to have to kill him. But thankfully he came to his senses!!!

love ya,
Melissa