A year ago from today, I had been at school for 12 hours. I was tired. More than tired I was exhausted. I was ready to go to bed, but still had several different things I needed to do for school and I was supposed to go on a DATE, a BLIND date.
That semester I had not gone on too many dates, which I was completely ok with, because I had become so engrossed with my classes. I loved school. I loved doing my homework. I involved myself in my classes as much as I possibly could. I loved it.
The two girls who were trying to make this date happen had been trying for me to meet this boy for weeks, but every time something was arranged I was either too busy or that day I just didn’t feel like it, so it took weeks for this it to finally happen.
Reluctant and very unwanting, I went on this blind double date. It was supposed to consist of the boys making dinner, and then going to watch the boys play basketball, and then do something later that had been undecided. After such a long day at school, I decided I would just go to dinner and skip out on the basketball game to work on homework, but really it was because who wants to sit on the ground to watch two boys that you don’t really know all that well get stinky and sweaty by bouncing a ball back and forth, not me. So I went home to work on homework during the game.
Then dependent on how well dinner went, I would decide to do this after game thing that had yet to be decided. Dinner went as well as a blind date dinner can go, so I decided I would do the after basketball game plans, which ended up consisting of getting hot chocolate and going to this place on campus called the gardens to talk to get to know each other, just he and I.
As we sat in the gardens, we talked and laughed about our families, our lives – future and past, what we wanted in our future, school…you name it. As the night quickly came to an end, I knew I wanted to know more. So, that night became the first of the many nights and many hours he and I would spend together.
A year later, I am anxiously waiting for the day (100 days!) to be sealed for time and all eternity to that same boy. I am at a point in my life I thought I would never be at. Honestly, I thought I would NEVER be here.
I had always dreamed that one day I would be the girl I am today, the woman I have become, almost married to my best friend, and graduated from college, with everything that I was ever worried about then all figured out. I do not have to worry about what my major is going to be, or who I am going to marry, or if I will have any friends, or if I will have nice roommates, or if I can handle my classes. I made it through all that, somehow. It definitely was not the easiest phase of my life, but somehow I got here.
Quite frequently, Benji and I talk about how things would be different if we had met earlier in the semester or if we had met before his mission and we both know things would not have worked out as well as they have.
I am so grateful for the Lord’s timing and hand in all things and the ability he has to bring people into our lives when we need it the most. I am so grateful for good friends and the ability they have to sometimes see things when you don’t. I am grateful for the man I am to marry and all the things he does do and has done for me, from the beginning. He has become my best friend better than I could have ever asked for.
As I head to Rexburg this weekend to be with Benji, I could not be any happier and anxiously cannot wait to spend the rest of eternity with him.
