I've never written about G here. {pssst - G is the name of the boy you see inundating my facebook, instagram and twitter}
There were so many times that I've come close to talking about him, I just didn't know where to start or even if I should say anything. However, now that I know he isn't going anywhere and that he is all mine
- forever and ever - AMEN - I feel like I can share about him and how he won my heart.
And how appropriate that I begin this walk down memory lane exactly one year after the day we met. April 18th.
I guess I should take it back a little further... here's the quick version of how we "met", before we met.
2008
Barbara Jane (friend) tells Gary about Rachel.
2010
Barbara Jane tells Rachel about Gary.
August 2011
Gary deploys to Afghanistan.
October 2011
Caleb (Rachel's brother) deploys to Afghanistan.
Barbara Jane tells Gary about Caleb and asks Gary if he can try to find out where Caleb was in Afghanistan.
Gary sends Caleb a friend request on facebook. Caleb rejects. Thank you, Caleb...
Gary sends Rachel a facebook message asking about Caleb.
November 2011 - March 2012
Gary and Rachel keep up with each other on facebok until he returns from his deployment.
April 2012
Gary comes home to Nashville, Georgia for leave.
Gary asks for Rachel's number - on Friday, the 13th.
So yes, the quick version. We had vaguely known about each other for a few years, and then the Lord used G's and Caleb's deployment to Afghanistan - halfway across the world - for us to make a connection.
God works in mysterious ways, don't you think?
So his first call came on April 16th while I was working away at my desk. I saw the number come up, didn't recognize it, quickly realized it was probably him, panicked, decided I didn't want our first conversation (knowing me - probably awkward conversation) to be audible to anyone who happened to be walking by, and then let it go to voicemail.
Yep, I let it go to voicemail. Bless him.
Fortunately for me though, he left a voicemail... which I still listen to from time to time and sometimes when I'm in a really fun (read:annoying) mood, I play it for him, because he just loves to hear it.
Why yes, I definitely took screen shots of his first call and first voicemail! I guess I was a little excited.
Actually I was very excited. See that fake smile? I took a selfie to show how excited I was and to remember that moment forever. I guess you could say at this point I already was a little interested and definitely had alot of peace about this guy that I barely knew but felt like I really knew.
So as I left the office shortly after to go pick up lunch, I prayed. I prayed for peace, direction, more peace, and just that the Lord would be in whatever was about to take place.
I listened to his voicemail and I was so excited! He didn't have a high voice! nothing against high voices...
A few minutes later, I made the call back. We had a brief conversation, talked about when would be good to meet up and... I think that was about it.
But again, after getting off that call - peace.
Two days later, I was surprisingly calm and able to focus on work. When I got the call he was a few minutes away, I went downstairs to our front entrance and saw a silver Jeep pull up, not knowing if he drove a silver Jeep, but thinking to myself, that's him. I made my way to the car and to the drivers side so I could officially introduce myself to him - my future husband - without a center console in between us.
I'll never forget that car ride up Zebulon Road and our first lunch at Zaxby's. Everything was so natural, like we had known each other for a while.
And as we said our goodbye's after lunch, he wished me well on my trip to California, and said he would try giving me a call whenever I got back. I believe my response was something along the lines of "why are you going to wait that long?" to which he gave one of his smiles - the kind where he smiles with his eyes.
And if I wasn't already falling, I started to then.
