David and I dated for nearly three years before we got married. Early on in our relationship, he told me that he took the words "I love you" very seriously, and he understood how they could affect a girls' heart when misused. He made it very clear that he did not intend to use those words in our relationship until his heart was ready to marry me.
During the interim, we were long-distance. David spent most of his time at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, KY, and I was at Samford in Birmingham, AL. 400 miles. 6 hours in the car. We spent a lot of time on the phone (which neither one of us much enjoyed...). During those years, we substituted "I love you" with "I miss you". It was true- I did miss him and I'm pretty sure he missed me, but those three words were loaded. "I miss you" really meant love, but he didn't want to use that flippantly.
David told me he loved me and bought my engagement ring a week later in the fall of 2007. He proposed in January of 2008 (he didn't want to give me the ring until it was entirely paid off) and we were married in August of the same year.
We still say "I miss you" in a pretty loaded way. Though we are married and obviously say the "L word" with rediculous regularity, we like to use the "M" word for an extra special sentiment in our relationship. It brings back all those tingly feelings of dating, and makes us appreciate where we are now.
However, I'm in Austin, Texas right now and "I miss you" really is the position of my heart- in every possible description.
2 comments:
emily...this is so sweet. what a great picture of God's heart for His people in your marriage.
Awww...looove your stories!!!
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