One Year Ago

I was out shopping for Christmas presents for Greg today (by the way, shopping for Greg is so stressful!) and I thought about how this is our first Christmas together. Not only our first Christmas together as a married couple, but our first Christmas even knowing each other.

"Are you kidding me!? You married someone you've known for less than a year? You're crazy!"


Yes, I did marry someone I knew for less than a year, but no, I'm not crazy. I guarantee we will have a happier marriage than some people who date for years before even getting engaged. Dating is about finding someone you're compatible with. That's pretty easy to tell early on. From that point on, it's about being selfless and committed. Greg and I had enough time to tell we were compatible. Now we work to nourish our love for one another as we grow as individuals, and, more importantly, as a couple.

Thinking about this made me think about where I was in life one year ago. The missionary I had been writing for a year and half had "broken up" with me. After a few days of being down in the dumps about it, I realized I had already pretty much moved on. That left me to just feel frustrated with love. I dated about 5 guys while Sam was gone, and could never feel a real connection with any of them. Part of that was because I was conflicted and always worrying about the future with Sam, but another part of it was just because there was no chemistry. So once I was really truly 100% single, I felt like I would never find love- and I had a track record to prove it. Granted, Sam wasn't perfect for me and there were a lot of things that really bothered me about him, but he was pretty much all I knew. I felt like I would never find anything close to that ever again. I was tired of liking guys who didn't like me or having guys like me who I didn't like or dating guys where there was mutual "liking" going on, but it just wasn't what I wanted. I had pretty much decided to stop worrying about it so much and just let whatever happened happen. I would try to be more social and involved, but I would stop thinking about guys so much.

Where was Greg one year ago? Last year, Greg was home for Christmas break telling his family that he didn't want to get married and that he had no intentions of meeting someone in college. He was enjoying being single and being able to do whatever he wanted with his friends, and he didn't want to be tied down! Marriage is for squares!

And then January 3rd rolled around. There was a social event type thing in our apartment complex. I was brave and went, even though I didn't know anybody. I kept trying to join in conversations, but everyone already had their own groups. Right before I was about to leave, I saw some girls who I kind of knew. They were talking to this really cute guy. I went up and joined in on the conversation, and before long, this guy's attention shifted to me. The other girls left at some point and this guy and I talked for a while before he had to leave.

And the rest is history.

(Greg being too awkward to put his arm around me on our second date)