Our Story
{Part 2}
It all began in the Fall of 1999. I was in 6th grade. One of my best friends at that time Ashleigh, started going to the same Christian school that Nathan went to. I was home-schooled but Ashleigh and I went to the same church. Ashleigh started talking to me about her new school and all her new friends. It seemed like a really wonderful school and I enjoyed hearing all about it. It wasn't but a few months after she started going to her new school, that she began speaking of a boy named Nathan. She spoke of him fairly often and even before meeting him, I knew a good deal about him...(his hair color, eye color, his height, how cute he was, how a lot of the girls liked him)...all the important stuff right :) After that, I had a strong desire to meet him.
In May 2000, right after my 12th birthday, Ashleigh invited me to an activity at her school. My parents said I could go and I was so excited. I had wanted to meet Nathan for some time and now I was finally going to. For the entire week leading up to the activity, my stomach was in knots. I couldn't figure out what was wrong with me. I had never met Nathan. I had never even seen a picture of Nathan. And yet I was having all these crazy, weird emotions.
The evening of the activity finally arrived and Ashleigh's Dad came to pick me up. I remember walking into Ashleigh's school for the first time. I remember the smell. I remember the sounds. I remember the overwhelming excitement that was going on inside of me.
All of the kids/teens were meeting in the Chapel. Ashleigh and I walked in and she lead me over to a group of young kids. It was her class. I sat on one of the benches a few feet away from where Ashleigh was standing. I was very nervous about meeting her friends and felt better just sitting off by myself at first. I remember I was sitting there putting some lip gloss on when I heard someone say "So is that Lauren?" At hearing my name, I looked up. A tall boy was standing next to Ashleigh and looking at me! Ashleigh said yes it was Lauren and called me over to introduce me to her friend. Of course, it was Nathan! My heart was pounding! I thought surely he could hear how hard and fast it was beating! I was terrified of saying something stupid and embarrassing myself. I remember just saying a quick "Hello, nice to meet you!" and sitting back down on the far side of the bench with another boy I knew from my church.
Once every one had arrived, the leaders led all of us out to play some games. I don't remember what games we played or really any conversations I had with anyone that night other than one conversation I had with Nathan. I don't know how it got started but during one of the games Nathan decided it would be a good thing to tell me he thought I had "gorilla lips." Anyone who knows me, knows I have very full lips. I used to think this was a bad thing. It wasn't until I became a teenager that I realized that most women wish they had full lips. Anyways, as a 12 year old, this comment from Nathan was devastating. I thought to myself "he must think I am the ugliest girl alive or he would not have said such a thing!!!" I did not understand how 12 year old boys minds work. I did not understand that 12 year old boys flirt by teasing. He continued to call me gorilla lips the rest of the evening despite my whining for him to please stop. Of course, I didn't realize that me whining to him, is what he was hoping to achieve.
After the games, we moved into a time of preaching out on the outdoor bleachers. I was sitting next to Ashleigh and Nathan was on the other side of her. At the end of the service, Ashleigh went forward to pray with one of her friends. This left me sitting next to Nathan! My heart was once again beating faster than I had ever known humanly possible. I kept thinking to myself "Seriously Lauren, what on earth is your problem? Get it together!" The service ended and I said good-bye to Nathan. I walked towards the car with Ashleigh...wondering if I would ever see Nathan again...
I had no idea that I had just met my future husband.
to be continued...
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