Who Are You?: How Having a Baby Reminds Me of Our First Date

In my last post, I mentioned how I have feelings about this baby that are hard to explain. One way to explain a small part of this goes back to my first real date with Jordan. 

We had hung out numerous times in groups, and it was easy to see him since he lived in the building next to mine, but this was the first time he actually asked me out. (Which caused me to jump up and down on my bed like a 12 year old.)

So when Jordan and I went on our first date, he picked me up in "The White Blur" (a Chevy Cavalier Rally Sport) and took me to Noodles & Company at Cameron Village. I had never been there before. He ordered the mac & cheese with chicken and I did too. It's still what we get there.

He was wearing a yellow MTYC polo shirt. I had on a comfy, spring dress that was a mixture of purples, teals, and yellows. We were both starting to get tan as it was April and that's when everyone skips ahead to summer here in NC. 

We sat across from each other at a booth. I'm sure I was giggly as usual. Man, he was handsome. 

boyfriend & girlfriend in 2010 :) with him being ridiculous of course.

There are a couple things I vividly remember from that date. The first one is that after dinner we watched the movie Seven Pounds at my apartment. I had a separate sound system with speakers but the remote was dead, so I had to get up and adjust the volume until it was right. While I was up, Jordan smoothly put his left arm up on the back of the couch so it ended up behind me when I sat back down. So naturally I spent the next fifteen minutes to an hour wondering if he was trying to put his arm around me or not. (He was.) After the movie we sat there and talked for a long time and he told me a story about how he "ran away" from home when he was little taking his McGee & Me backpack full of necessities into the woods. I was pretty smitten. (Still am.)

The second thing I remember was at dinner. This isn't something that happened, but a feeling. As we were sitting there eating our mac & cheese and talking, I distinctly remember having an overwhelming feeling that I wanted to know every little thing about him. This feeling was so strong that it was like a physical weight on me, this question of "Who are you?" I had never been so intrigued by someone. It was exciting, but at the same time bewildering because at that point I barely knew anything. I wanted to know it all and I wanted to know it fast. I also realized how creepy this would sound if he could read my mind. So I waited until way, way later when we were engaged to tell him this. (4 months, HA!)

This is kinda how I feel about the baby. I am overwhelmed by him. He's a person, someone who is so physically close to me (using my body as a house is about as close as it gets) and yet I don't know him at all. There have been times when I've wondered out loud to him, "Who are you??" And when I'm testing out what we think his name will be I'll say, "Are you ______?" He is a mystery. 

But just like with Jordan, the mystery is what makes it awesome. I've had the incredible privilege of getting to know Jordan for five years now, and would love to continue to do so for as long as the Lord allows. 

And now I get to know a new Shelley guy. With his own personality and mysteries. Maybe some of the things I've learned about his dad will show up with him too. I hope so. 

What amazes me about all of this, is that as I'm wondering, "Who are you?" I can know that he is already fully known and loved by the One who created him. To God, my son isn't a mystery. 

Psalm 139:1-17

O Lord, You have searched me and known me!

You know what I sit down and when I rise up;

You discern my thoughts from afar.

You search out my path and my lying down

and are acquainted with all my ways.

Even before a word is on my tongue,

behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.

You hem me in, behind and before,

and lay Your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

it is high; I cannot attain it.

Where shall I go from your Spirit?

Or where shall I flee from Your presence?

If I ascend to heaven, You are there!

If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!

If I take the wings of the morning

and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

even there Your hand shall lead me,

and Your right hand shall hold me.

If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me,

and the light about me be night,"

even the darkness is not dark to You;

the night is bright as the day,

for darkness is as light with You.

For You formed my inward parts;

You knitted me together in my mother's womb.

I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are Your works;

my soul knows it very well.

My frame was not hidden from You,

when I was being made in secret,

intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed substance;

in Your book were written, every one of them,

the days that were formed for me,

when as yet there was none of them.

How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God!

How vast is the sum of them!

This comforts me, amazes me, and causes me to worship. Who am I that the Lord would want to know me, know everything about me, and still love me? And my husband. And my son. It is grace upon grace. Praise His Name!

30 Holiday Date Ideas

The holiday season can be overwhelming. There is so much fun and activity, lots of time spent with family and friends -- but don't forget to spend quality time together as a couple! Here are some fun date ideas for the holiday season. 

1. Go ice skating. - bundle up and hold hands!
2. Get coffee/hot chocolate at Starbucks. - Yeah, it's expensive. But get red cups and have good conversation. :)
3. Window shop downtown. - Check out cute shops that you normally wouldn't go to. 
4. Look at Christmas lights. - You can search online and see if there are any known elaborately decorated houses near you. 
5. Bake cookies. - Go all out and make them from scratch, or get some slice and bake ones and decorate them. Don't forget the milk! 
6. See a matinee movie. - Less expensive and a fun change to do during the daytime. Or search for a $1-$2 theater near you.
7. Go to the dollar store or Five Below and pick out some gag gifts for friends or family. - You know your brother-in-law would love that Justin Bieber light-up pen.
8. Make an Operation Christmas Child box or two. Fun for you and for the kids who get the boxes - win/win!
9. Serve at a soup kitchen or a homeless shelter. - Find one you can help year-round, not just during the holidays!
10. Have movie night at home. - Redbox, Netflix, or ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas would give you some great options. Make a fort or pallet with lots of blankets and pillows and try to actually watch the movie without falling asleep. :) Or go through movies you already have. It's easy to forget ones you'd love to re-watch!
11. Go underwear shopping for each other. (This is for married couples, obviously, haha.) - How long has it been since you got lingerie? It doesn't have to be expensive, places like Kohl's or TJ Maxx have good stuff! And American Eagle has some great holiday guy underwear. :)
12. Go bowling. - Such a classic date night. Who cares if you're any good? Be silly. Have fun. 
13. Have a reminiscing night. - Watch your wedding video. Look through old pictures. Bust out the yearbooks. Watch home movies.
14. Deliver candy or cookies in your neighborhood. - Complete with Santa hats!
15. Have a board games/card night. - A few board games we love that can be played with two people: Monopoly Deal, Ticket to Ride, Flash Point.
16. Make a Top Ten of 2013 list. - Take time to remember all of the amazing things you did together this year. Is there anything you loved that you could recreate before the year is over?
17. Make a music video. - Pick a song. Maybe a Christmas song. Either plan out the dancing or freestyle. Hilarity is sure to ensue. 
18. Have a Minute to Win It night. - Have minute challenges with household items. Raise the stakes and make bets with each other to increase the competition!
19. Make a fire and s'mores. - Either make a fire in a fire pit in your backyard and cozy up together, or make a fire inside and toast the marshmallows in the oven. :) 
20. Recreate your first date.
21. Read a fun book together. - This may sound boring, but we love to do this and my husband isn't even an avid reader like myself. We've liked revisiting childhood favorites together (like The Great Brain) and now we've been reading Jim Gaffigan's book Dad is Fat which is hilarious (and we don't even have kids yet). 
22. Go dancing. - I don't mean in a club. I mean go salsa dancing. Or shagging. (Side note - apparently shag dancing is a North Carolina thing? I thought it was everywhere, but alas, it is not. Please look up videos and go shag dancing or try it at home. Do it.)
23. Make Christmas ornaments. - Get as crafty as you want or go old school with popsicle sticks or paper plates. I'm sure Pinterest has approximately 4722 ideas for this.
24. Go on a scavenger hunt. - You could set up a special holiday themed one for your spouse that includes a favorite dinner spot and dessert!
25. Visit a nursing home together. - Read the Christmas story in Luke to residents, or be bold and sing some Christmas carols to them. :)
26. Make a gingerbread house. - Start from scratch or buy a kit from somewhere like Michael's.
27. Go thrifting. - Everyone knows I love thrift finds on the daily, but this could be a fun date idea. You can find cute vintage Christmas decorations at thrift store or pick out hilarious outfits for each other.
28. Attend a play or ballet. - Obviously A Christmas Carol or The Nutcracker would be good choices this time of year!
29. Make your ultimate Christmas wish lists. - Go all out. I mean if you could have anything in the WORLD. For instance, mine would say a pet fox. A real life R2-D2. A dish washing fairy. You get the idea.
30. Have a video game night. - This is the most fun in my opinion when you have old school gaming systems such as Super Nintendo, Playstation, or N64. Just don't fight too much about who gets to be Mario and who has to be Luigi...


Hopefully those ideas get your wheels turning about what you can do with your significant other this holiday season. For ideas of what to do at your Christmas party, click here!

Respecting my Husband: Our Time Together

I'm doing a 31 day series about Respecting my Husband! To read about why I should respect him and go to a list of all 31 days, please visit my 31 Days of Respecting my Husband post.

Day 9: Respecting Our Time Together

The time I get to spend with my husband is precious. It is something I need to cherish. This can be a struggle in the world we live in today - there are so many distractions!

Just to name a few possible distractions wives may face: to-do lists, chores, work responsibilities, people calling/texting/emailing, kids, food planning, books, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, blog reading, YouTube, and on and on and on. 

I know that for me, my phone can be a major distraction when I'm spending time with my husband. His can be as well, but it's usually work related and not as frequent. Since I'm a lot more active on social media than my husband, that grabs my attention more than his. One thing that helps is to turn off notifications from sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I don't even have notifications for email. That way if I hear it buzz or see something pop up on the screen, I know it's someone trying to reach me by text or calling me. I can check all the other stuff when I get the time. 

I try to think about when my parents first got married. First of all WHAT DID THEY DO. Jordan and I have had an ongoing text conversation since day one of us hanging out. Seriously. I can't imagine not being able to contact him except through land line phones. Props to all you couples who had to do that. Secondly, I know that they were probably distracted in different ways, but minus the whole cell phone/internet/smart phone factor I bet they were a lot better at staying focused. 

Even if Jordan and I are just sitting together watching Netflix, we're still spending quality time together. Respecting our time together isn't limited to dinner dates. One thing I've been trying to do lately is keep my phone out of reach - so I can still hear it if someone's trying to contact me, but I can't just pick it up to check Instagram. 

I definitely need to work on this in ALL areas of my life, but especially in my time spent with Jordan. I want him to know that he matters the most to me, that I value his time. I really want to take advantage of this time together when we don't have kids in the mix yet and respect the fact that he wants to hang out with me. :)

PS - Shout out to that stud of mine who reads these posts every day and refrains from commenting on them to say, "AMEN, you need to work on that, wifey! Get to it!" He would never do that, but I'm sure it's popped into his head, because it's true. 

Jordan and I spending some quality time playing Mario Kart at my parents' house.

See you tomorrow for Day 10 - Respecting my Husband: His Spiritual Leadership.

"Wait. You're not ready yet." (our love story)

As promised yesterday, today I will give you more info on how Jordan + Ashley came to be. 
In timeline fashion.
And speaking of myself in the third person. If this bothers you, I apologize, but it'll be better this way.
Okay, I'll just jump right in to our births. Haha.

• 1988 - Jordan and Ashley are born in two different NC cities to amazing sets of loving parents.
• These families happen to know each other. They go wayyy back. Both families are involved in church assemblies and go to the same Bible Conference each summer. Ashley's parents met and fell in love at the Bible Conference. Would Ashley have the same fate??
• 1989 - Ashley visits the Bible Conference as a 1 year old with her parents. Jordan's family is absent. Therefore they aren't together in the nursery. So unfortunately they don't meet and fall in love there. Probably a good thing since they aren't actually walking at the time. Nursery romances - although sometimes longer than certain celebrities' relationships - tend to fall apart before the age of three.

...And God says, "Wait. You're not ready yet."

• 1990-2000 - Ashley's family doesn't go to the conference anymore. Jordan's family does. For twelve or thirteen years, they never see each other in person. They only hear whispers of each other's names during "Do you know so-and-so" questions from mutual peers. Jordan becomes friends with Ashley's cousins at the conference. Don't they both go to Mountain Top Youth Camp?? You may ask. As Tim Curry would say in Clue: I'm getting there, I'm getting there.
• 1994 - Ashley accepts Jesus Christ as her Savior!
• 1995ish - Jordan accepts Jesus Christ as his Savior!
• 1997ish-2000 - Both Jordan and Ashley attend Mountain Top Youth Camp as youngsters. Jordan goes to the boys' camps, and Ashley goes to the girls'. Their paths do not cross. Ashley stops going to camp right before she becomes co-ed age. 

...And God says, "Wait. You're not ready yet."

• 2001-2002 - Ashley and Jordan go to the same church youth rallies. They know the same people there. They see each other. They still do not officially meet.
• 2003-2005 - They live their high school lives hanging out with friends, playing sports, loving basketball, trying to figure out what a relationship with God really means.
• 2006 - They graduate from high school and decide to go to NC State University. This is where it gets interesting. Ashley rooms with her cousin's cousin - who is friends with Jordan. On an extremely hot August day, the day before classes start, Jordan meets up with the girls to explore the huge campus and find where their classes are. He rides his bike and is extremely sweaty. Ashley finds him attractive and notices how nice his calf muscles are. They are finally introduced. Ashley's mom stops by to help her buy her books and talks to Jordan about his family. She comments under her breath to her daughter how cute Jordan is. He is definitely a nice guy, but seems kind of shy. He visits their dorm room and wishes them a great first day of freshman year. Ashley wonders if she'll get to know him more.

...And God says, "Wait. You're not ready yet."

• 2006-2009 - Jordan and Ashley remain merely acquaintances. Occasionally they see each other walking around campus. Jordan actually joins an intramural flag football team with a bunch of guys Ashley knows. She sees his name pop up on Facebook from time to time.
• 2009: July - Ashley receives a happy birthday wall post from Jordan. She happens to click on his Facebook. "Woah," she thinks. "He's really gotten...HOT." No longer was Jordan the shy freshman from that day back in '06. He's turned into...a man. Why hadn't she noticed before?? Should she try to talk to him? How would that work? Should she send a little "thank you" for the birthday message? Yes. She does that.

• Is this it? Is this when they realize that they are meant to be? Does Ashley continue the Facebook conversation? For some reason, she doesn't. She knows Jordan as this awesome guy who doesn't date anyone. She thinks he would never, ever like her. 

...And God says, "Wait. You're not ready yet."

• 2009: September - Through various happenstances, Jordan and Ashley realize they live in the apartment buildings right next to each other. Only a parking lot separates them. This comes in handy when Ashley gets to her place one night and the door is wide open. She freaks out because her roommate is gone, and who comes to her rescue? Jordan. He walks right in and checks every room and closet. He makes sure everything is okay and that Ashley has nothing to worry about. She calls him her "hero" for the first time. They joke about how he could've taken any bad guys out no problem.

• 2009: November - Jordan and Ashley are officially friends. They see each other sometimes in group settings, he comes to some Hurricanes games, they have each other's phone numbers. They take their first picture together at a football game. Ashley's aunt (who knows Jordan from those Bible conferences) comments on the picture and says "Well...". Hint Hint. Ashley laughs it off. 

First picture together ever.

• 2010: January - Ashley is newly single. And not looking. Not wanting anything to do with a relationship. The Lord has given her quite a few wake up calls, and she finally finds her satisfaction in Him. Jordan is still her friend. Her extremely good looking, smart, hilarious, godly friend. She still thinks she would never stand a chance.

...And God says, "Wait. You're not ready yet."

• 2010: February/March - Jordan sends Ashley a Facebook event invite to the NCSU "Mr. Engineer Pageant" that he is participating in. To his surprise, Ashley comes with her best friend Maggie. When Jordan sings during the talent portion, Ashley leans over and tells Maggie that she wants him. All joking aside, she really did. Ashley briefly meets Jordan's parents that night. She tries to make a good impression. She doesn't know why she's letting herself start to fall for him. But as she's grown closer to God, what she desires in a man has changed. She finds herself desiring Jordan in a way she never knew she could feel.
• 2010: April - Jordan texts Ashley. A lot. Ashley texts back. A lot. They hang out in group settings. They play board games. They watch movies. They watch Sports Center. A whole lot of Sports Center. And finally....Jordan asks Ashley out to dinner. Ashley literally jumps up and down on her bed with excitement.

...And God says, "Now. You're ready."

• 2010: April-August - Jordan shows Ashley what a relationship should really be. He makes her laugh like she's never laughed before. He spends quality time with her, getting to know everything about her. She becomes more honest with him than she's ever been with anyone. She opens up and although it scares her, she falls harder every day. Jordan accepts her for who she is, treats her as his sister in Christ, and forgives her for her mistakes. He takes time to read God's Word with her and pray with her regularly. He helps her through one of the hardest times of her life. She learns that being treated with a godly love is far different than anything this world offers. She tells him that he's her "hero". Jordan tells her that she is a treasure and worth being cherished and respected. They never use the L word, both having made the commitment to save it for their future spouses. But even though they don't say it, they know.
• 2010: August - Jordan realizes that he wants to marry Ashley, talks to his family about it, asks her dad, gets a ring, plans a trip, and surprises Ashley with a proposal in Boston all in a week. Shock of Ashley's life. He tells her that he loves her. She tells him right back.

...And God says, "This is what I've prepared you for your entire lives. Unite as one, and serve Me together."

• 2011: March 19th - This is it. After all those times of missed opportunities, after the many years of obliviously walking past each other, after all of the days wondering why they couldn't find "the one", God puts them right where they belong. At the perfect time. 

You see, if Jordan and Ashley had met in the nursery, or at camp, or the youth rallies, or if their friendship had begun that first year of college, they wouldn't have been ready. God knew that a lot of refining had to take place. In HIS time. He knew that they would finally come together on this very day. He had it all planned out. He had to make sure they were ready. And on March 19, 2011, the Shelley family was established. The love story was clear. Our Lord proved His complete sovereignty and grace. 

I wake up every day and thank God for this love story. Tears come to my eyes when I dwell on how He led me here. I am so undeserving of the love my Savior shows me and the love my hero shows me. Which makes me even more grateful that the love is a gift and has nothing to do with my deeds or merits.

I urge you, reader, to please accept nothing less than this kind of love. First of all, our Savior Jesus Christ is waiting on you with open arms. God sent His Son as a sacrifice - to take the punishment that we should receive for our sins. He rose from the grave and is a living, active God. He offers forgiveness and grace. He wants you to follow Him. He is calling you. He loves you with a love that is not attainable here on earth. Before you can truly experience godly earthly love, you have to be completely satisfied and fulfilled by Christ's love. Which I am still learning about, and will forever. 

Secondly, only give your heart to a man who loves you God's way. Someone who treasures you and treats you like you should be treated. Someone who will lead you closer to the Lord, and who cares about your personal relationship with God more than your romantic relationship with himself.

This song from the movie Tangled gets me every time. I know it's from a Disney movie, but it really does capture how I felt when Jordan began pursuing a relationship with me. It was like "the fog was lifted". Okay I could quote the whole thing but just listen to it and see what I mean.

God authors the most beautiful, divinely orchestrated love stories. I hope that ours can give you hope and show you how His plan is perfect. 

a year ago today, my life completely changed.

A year ago, right at this moment, we were headed to Fenway Park. Walking across the bridge...taking in all of the sights...talking excitedly...hoping for a win. I was with my best friend's parents and her brother, wearing my Carl Yastrzemski shirt, jeans, navy Chucks, not a care in the world but the game and the fun that awaited me.

Had I thought about marriage at that point? Of course I had. I had a boyfriend. I'm a girl. A girl with a boyfriend automatically wonders if he's "the one" even if she doesn't want to get married, even for just a nanosecond. It must enter her mind. At least that's what I think happens to the majority of girls. But this was different. This was no casual dating time. This was for real. A "courtship" if you will. Although we never officially called it that.

Jordan and I started talking a lot in March. Our first "date" was in April. We started officially "dating" in June. With the intention of seeking God's will in the relationship - if it was headed toward marriage. By the end of June I just knew. I knew I was going to marry him. God had made it evident to me. I don't know how to explain it. I wrote it down in the journal of letters that I had started writing to Jordan, and he was able to read it when I gave it to him on our wedding day. If I hadn't had documented it, he probably wouldn't have believed me. But I knew. I was in love with him in a way I didn't know was possible - Christ-centered love is a million times different than earthly love. Jordan leading me spiritually was the most romantic thing he could have done for me. I just knew.

We didn't talk about it. We didn't say "I love you". I only remember actually speaking of marriage once. I think that was in July. There was not a clue or hint that it would be anytime soon whatsoever. I do know that when my friends asked me about him, and I told them that I thought I would marry him someday, they were pretty surprised. I had a history of failed relationships and I had never said that before. I couldn't even believe that the words were coming out of my mouth. I didn't want to get my hopes up. But it wasn't just my hope - I had God's hope. He guided us the whole way. It was truly an amazing process, totally due to His grace alone.

That day. A year go. When I saw Jordan come out of nowhere....when he dropped down to one knee...when he told me he loved me for the first time....it was the most surreal, shocking feeling I have ever experienced. I gripped those railings as tight as I could and entered into a dream-like state. That man kneeling before me...the man who treats me with honor and love...the man who reads me God's Word and prays with me for everything...the man who forgives me for mistakes and encourages me to do the right thing....the man whom I respect and admire more than anyone....the HOTTEST man I have ever laid my eyes on...wanted to marry me?!? I started to feel sick. When so many emotions are inside me and feeling like they are being churned in circles by a Kitchenaid mixer, I feel sick. After I said yes a bunch of times, told him that I indeed loved him as well, and climbed the stairs with him to call our parents, I had to take a huge breather and stand near the trash can. "Are you sure??" I asked him. You know, just to make sure. Confirm that I heard the question correctly. It is marriage after all. But the look in his eyes told me he was sure. And I was more than sure. I was absolutely positive. I was elated.

[go here to read the full proposal story - the SHOCK of my life!]

I'm not gonna lie. We got some negative feedback for our "quick" relationship. How "fast" we progressed, and how we surely hadn't been together for enough time to know that we wanted to get married. Compared to what? The average time for a dating relationship before engagement? I have no idea. We really didn't care. We knew that God had led us to this point and that was all we needed. We didn't expect everyone to understand. Sometimes we didn't even understand.

And here we are. A year later, five months married. Problems? Yes. Struggles? Absolutely. Surprises? That's life. Doubts? Never.

I love my husband more every time I see him. Every time I talk with him. Every time I even think of him. We are a team. We are one. I consider myself the most blessed girl in existence. Thank You, Lord. Thank you, Fenway Park. Thank you, Jordan. Thank you, August 21, 2010.

happy anniversary.

A year ago tonight, I was living a very different life. After months of hoping and praying, Jordan finally had "the talk" with me. And I was twitterpated. What is twitterpated you may ask? 

It had been a hard time for us because Jordan had been sick with mono. Very, very sick. Bless his heart, I hate to even think about it. He still has complications from that mono. Intense stuff that is. So usually we would just hang out at each other's places every night, watching a movie or a game, while he laid there sweating and feeling terrible. He was so sweet though, never wanting me to do anything for him. And believe me...I would have done ANYTHING for him. I was head over heels. Still trying to judge how he felt about me. 

There had been a couple times when we had talked about the fact that we were exclusive. I had told him that he was the only guy I wanted to hang out with, and he had said the same for me. Which was obvious, because we were seeing each other almost every single day. If I had been trying to get with any other guy it would have been for like 30 minutes a week. So I didn't really have to tell him that. But for some reason, even though we weren't officially a couple, it was already very serious in my head and heart. Which scared me. I knew it was completely different than any of the relationships I had experienced in the past. (Which were quite a few failed relationships unfortunately.) Jordan treated me with respect and purity, praying with me and reading the Bible with me. It was wonderful but I was hooked. 

So that night a year ago, when Jordan took me to Panera Bread and started talking all seriously, I wanted to jump around with joy. These aren't direct quotes but I'll give you an idea.

Jordan: "So I've been thinking and praying about our relationship, and I think God has put us together and we've been growing closer to Him and each other. What do you think?"

Me: nonchalantly, "Yes, I agree." (Um, DUHH it's the best thing in the entire world let's married right now!)

Jordan: "And I just wanted to let you know that I don't see this as a casual dating relationship, but I want to take it seriously."

Me: nodding, "I feel the same way." (GLORY HALLELUJAH I'm not crazy and he really likes me and I'm gonna die of excitement)

Jordan: "Great. Well I'm excited about where God is leading us."


Me: "Me too. So does this mean I'm your girlfriend?" (Make it official already, boy!)


Jordan: "Haha, yes, if that's okay with you."


Me: "Yes, of course!" (WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO)


So that's pretty much how it went down. I felt like a middle school girl who just talked to her first crush. We were boyfriend and girlfriend. Going out. Officially official. In a relationship. Dating. Whatever you want to call it. I no longer had to introduce him as just "Jordan" or "my friend". I could finally tell people, YES I am taken! And somehow I knew, even then, that he was the one I wanted to be with forever. It's hard to explain but I really knew. More to come about that later. You can read more here about how God led us to each other. But for now...Happy Dating Anniversary, to my Boyfriend turned Husband!

When we first started hanging out last year :)