1,095 days

That's how long David and I have been married. 3 years today. It feels like forever, yet it kind of feels like we're just getting started.

I've read a few blog-land love stories lately (namely here and here), and though I didn't marry my college professor or a man 39 years my senior (true stories! must read!), I do think David and I have a sweet story that I want to preserve.

Summer 2005.

My sweet friend Kara convinced me to work with her at a camp in Chattanooga. She was the dock mama. I was awkward. I did love it right away, and I made some stellar friends almost immediately. I did not notice the guys. I should back up...

So, I'm 19 years old. Just finished my sophomore year at Samford (yeah, I'm young for my grade). Never had a boyfriend. I went to a teeny tiny school from 4th-12th grade with approx the same dozen guys the entire time. I graduated with 32 others, and dating wasn't really the thing to do. Juvenile crushes? Guy who were like brothers? Absolutely. Dating/marriage material? Not so much. I should back up again...

I'm in 7th grade. My youth pastor (a woman! gasp!) was sharing her testimony with a group of middle school girls, and she told us that her fiance was the only guy she had ever dated/held hands with/kissed. I sat in that little classroom and prayed the same would be true for me. I didn't totally hold God to it, but it was always in the back of my mind as the desire of my heart.

Fast forward back to camp (am I making you dizzy, yet?). I guess we probably met at some point during Staff Training, but I seriously don't remember it. In our all staff photos we are sitting directly in front of each other, but all I remember is that his name was either David or Matt (everyone just called him "Geyer", and our friend Matt "Cash"... I knew one was Matt and one was David but I didn't know who was who). Actually, I do remember being jealous of the group of EKU people who were all buddies because I didn't have that from school (just KRay).

Things were a little crazy for both of us right off the bat. David's sister had a baby (Brianna!) and his car broke down on the drive to Ohio. My Grandpa died, and I spent a week with my family and in Virginia. Back at camp, things were awesome, but still, no interest in the guys (that I recall... someone feel free to correct me!). Until... the last session of first term (the only part of the summer I was scheduled to work) was a two-week camp. The first interaction with David that I recall is super embarrassing for me. I walked out of the Bob as he was walking in and we were wearing the same shorts. Yeah, they were boy's obviously. They were looong Nike basketball shorts, and of course he commented on my outfit. I was embarrassed. From there, I remember the shameless flirting began. It got around to David that I didn't like people touching my ears, so he enlisted his cute little campers to basically torment me by touching my ears when I least expected. I, of course, was immature and dramatic and loved the whole thing.

So, in the middle of the two weeks, we had one "counselors free night" to hang out around camp while the campers watched a movie. A group of us played beach volleyball, but one by one everyone started bailing on us. Soon enough, David and I were the only ones left. We each stayed on our side of the net and kept hitting the ball around (I'm sure he was impressed with my skills... ha), and we had an amazing conversation. About death. Literally. We talked about all the people in our lives who had died and how it had affected us. You know, casual conversation. Come to think of it, I really feel like that is the kind of result you get from the camp environment= intentional, meaningful conversations. Praise the Lord for camp!

While all of this was going on, my girlfriends (Batch, Blair, Kara and Ginny I think) were sitting on a bench nearby planning out our lives together. It didn't take long for word to get out that "Geyer likes BourkE" and vice versa... soon enough, my cute 7th graders were all over it. They would sing "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" every time we saw him around camp. I was mortified (but I secretly kind of loved it)!

It was obvious that there was mutual interest, but I was still a bit freaked out. For the first (and only) time in my life, I spend a whole night on the top bunk in my cabin awake and in prayer. I really felt like the Lord was keeping my rapt attention all night to give this potential relationship over to Him completely.

So, 2 week camp ended along with my allotted time at camp. Since I was just working first term, I packed up and headed home. David (known still to me as just "Geyer") and I wrote back and forth some and he called on his 24 hours off on the weekends (this was back in the day where counselors couldn't use cell phones or internet and camp actually lasted the better part of a week... as camp should be!). I remember how much he made me laugh, and I loved talking to him. I was really anxious to get back to camp for the end-of-summer get together. Then, Laurie called. They had some sick counselors and needed help in the office for one week! I dropped everything (literally, I was in Savannah at the time) and hurried back to Soddy Daisy.

It turned out to be a horrible week at CVP. Counselors were dropping like flies, and I was moved from the office to a cabin to help fill in for the shortage. I lasted one night and then was out of commission due to a massive staph (staph! everyone has staph! infection!) infection in my leg. I felt horrible to be at camp just to help out, and instead I was requiring more attention to tend to my ailment. I spent the second half of the week on my back in the Du and it was no fun. I saw David a couple of times, but it wasn't much...

So, the last week of camp (Urban Camp) rolled around, and I loved being in the office and spending more time at camp and with my friends. David and I talked as much as possible, and it was evident that a romance was budding. He invited me to come to Ohio to meet his family and hang out for a few days post-camp, pre-school, and I was psyched! Oh, and his parents would PAY for it! Whaaa? I was so excited, and a bit freaked out.

So, I went to Ohio. It was great. I met a whole bunch of his friends and nearly all of his family. Everyone was so nice, even though I'm sure everyone was wondering what the deal was with this girl from Georgia (even though I, disappointingly, didn't have an accent). I, too, was wondering what the deal was, and I kept waiting for the "DTR" to happen. Sooo... it never did. He took me to the airport and that was that. It was still very platonic (no kissing/cuddling/hand holding), but only sort of...

Blair was positive we were dating, so I believed her. Then, I got up the courage to ask David what the deal was. He quickly corrected us, and told me we were not dating. Yet. He wanted to meet my family before we started dating, and I was glad to hear that! I did sort of wish he had volunteered that information a bit earlier in the game, but whatever. I started racking my brain for an opportunity for David (who lived in Ohio and went to school in Kentucky) to meet my family (that lived in Georgia). I couldn't make it work, so I just went on believing that we'd be just friends for a while...

Then, our birthdays (his- 8/23, mine- 8/26) rolled around. I sent him a box full of junk. He told me he mailed his gift too. He even paid extra for tracking so he could keep an eye on it until it got to me. He had me fooled big time, and he surprised me on August 27, 2005 (my sister's birthday) in Birmingham! My friends and family were all in on it, so he got to meet everyone and be a part of the whole celebration. By the end of the weekend, we were "officially" dating, and I was smitten...

Love you, Dave-o. You're the best thing that has ever happened to me. Thanks for handling our relationship with care even from the beginning. You put family first six years ago, and nothing has changed one bit. Love you more than I ever thought possible! Happy 3rd Anniversary! Only 80 more to go :)

pictures to come...