Two years ago this past weekend, I put on white dress, took my dad’s arm, and walked down a grassy “aisle” to marry the man of my dreams. It was a sweet, slow day full of joyful moments with people from all the different parts of our lives and our story. Today, in honor of my sweet husband who makes my world a whole lot brighter, I want to go back and share how our love story started. Some of you might already know this story but for me, it just never seems to get old!
Jordan and I met the summer after my sophomore year in college. We were both going to school and leading Young Life in our different cities (me in Davidson, NC and Jordan in Kansas City, MO). I spent the summer after my sophomore year studying abroad in Spain, and then headed to New York to work at Lake Champion, a Young Life camp. Jordan had never planned to work at Lake Champion, but after a series of (not so coincidental) circumstances, including a spot in the snack bar with me that mysteriously opened up, permission from his work to get a month off, and surprise financial support from several different people, he showed up at Lake Champion ready to work. We were both assigned to the snack bar, and spent a month making milkshakes and warming up mini-pizzas for hundreds of high school students.
From the very beginning, I was impressed by Jordan. Not only was he handsome as heck with some gorgeous baby blues and muscly arms, he was funny, had some ridiculous dance moves, and asked me real questions that led to conversations about our stories and dreams. That whole month of working in the snack bar was full of laughter, silliness, and real conversations that showed me this boy had a heart for Jesus and a heart for people that I admired deeply.
On one of the last mornings there, we both woke up early to go clean and prepare the snack bar for the day ahead, and I remember laughing and sharing silly stories as we worked side-by-side in the kitchen. As I wrote in my journal on the plane home later that week, being with Jordan felt like “home.” Being with him was so natural and good, and I felt like I could be completely myself with him after only 3 weeks. On the plane ride home I prayed that God would keep Jordan in my story somehow, but figured whatever connection we had would fade as the summer turned into fall and we returned to our normal lives 1,500 miles apart. Funny how things never turn out the way we expect, right?
When we got back to our respective places, we kept in touch via texting. The texting became a constant thing throughout our days, and I started to have quite the crush on this blonde fellow who couldn’t seem to leave me alone. We started talking on the phone pretty frequently, sharing stories about our childhoods, families, college experiences, dreams, faith, and fears. When Jordan wrote me a first letter (complete with silly drawings and rap lyrics), I started to get the feeling that the crush was mutual. After three months of texting, Skyping, and letter-writing, we took the plunge: I booked a ticket to Kansas City for Thanksgiving break (and then ran around my house screaming and squealing with my roommates). If this relationship business was going to work, it would have to work in person.
The weekend had just about everything you’d expect from a baby relationship like ours. I jumped out of my skin every time Jordan’s hand came anywhere near mine, and we looked for every chance we could to escape his roommates and spend time just the two of us. On a late night walk around the lake behind Jordan’s house, we paused to look at the stars. Jordan leaned in, and that first kiss marked the start of a journey that would transform everything I had expected my life to become. We had “the talk” the next day and became official boyfriend and girlfriend, enjoyed one last day together, had a horribly tearful and sad goodbye at the airport (the first of many airport goodbyes), and went back to our normal lives in Kansas City and North Carolina.
The next six months were whirlwind of weekend visits and doing everything we could to get to know each other while separated by way too many miles. We wrote letters, got on and off planes, had a million Skype dates, and mailed each other t-shirts we had sprayed with our perfume and cologne (silly, but absolutely wonderful for us long distance folks).
I moved to KC for the summer after my junior year so we could experience life in the same place for a few months, knowing that after my senior year I might be making a decision to move to the same city as this boy for good. That summer was sweet, and after lots of walks, neighborhood pool dates, and picnics at Liberty Memorial, my sweet Midwestern boy told me he loved me and we both knew that this was it. We drove the 1,500 miles back to Davidson together and dropped me off for one final year of college, both of our hearts longing for a season when we’d have to say no more goodbyes.
That year apart from Jordan was incredibly hard. I felt like a part of my heart had stayed in Kansas City, and the college I’d loved no longer felt like home when Jordan wasn’t there. That last year of college was joyful and wonderful and the perfect culmination to a season of friendship, community, and ministry that made me who I am. But when I graduated Davidson, packed up my car, and made the trip to Kansas City with Jordan, I was so ready to start the next phase of our journey together.
While I was getting settled into grad school and my new teaching job in KC, Jordan was secretly planning a proposal. He worked long hours at a local restaurant, donated plasma twice a week, and finally saved up the money to buy me a ring. He secretly planned to have my two best friends fly in to photograph the proposal (Thanks Haley and Taylor for convincing me I was totally crazy to think Jordan would propose that weekend, even as you were in the airport headed to KC to surprise me).
Jordan took me to get my nails done, we spent some time reading through our old letters we’d written each other, and then we headed to Liberty Memorial, a beautiful spot overlooking Kansas City where we’d had many a picnic. We slow danced to “Dancing in the Minefields” by Andrew Peterson, and Jordan told me he had one last letter to give me, even though it wasn’t actually a letter for me. He proceeded to read me the letter he had written to my parents explaining all the reasons he loved me and asking for my hand in marriage. While I read the letter and almost started crying, he got down on one knee and popped the question. I said yes, my two best friends came squealing out from behind a wall, and our engagement began!
The journey of planning our wedding, getting married, and learning to live life as husband and wife has been challenging but good. Sharing life with Jordan has wrecked me and transformed me in the best of ways. He is my best friend, my lover, my confidant, the one whose heart and voice and hugs always have and always will feel like home. I could not have written our story any more beautifully, and I’m so glad that God knew this California girl needed a Kansas City boy. Here’s to many, many more years of adventures, laughter, and watching our love story unfold.
Britny@Facing Sunshine says
So beautiful!! Thank you for sharing your love story 🙂
Britny@Facing Sunshine recently posted…Reclaim Your Flame Wrap-Up + Exciting News
Lauren says
Thanks, Britny! 🙂
Amberly says
Such a sweet love story! I’m with you, mine never gets old! I go back and read it over and over and over again 🙂
Amberly recently posted…The Perks of Being Married to a Sports Professional
Hannah says
This is so cute! I know how you feel with long distance too. I was in college studying abroad in Belgium and met my future husband (who’s British) in Berlin when we were both traveling. We became best friends and after 6 months decided to officially start dating. We spent 2 years with me in the Midwest and him in the UK (talk about hard, stupid ocean in the way!) with many flights back and forth. We got engaged in Berlin and married last summer and now we’re living in Australia– who would have thought! Love your story and your blog 🙂
Destinee Nicole says
This was so beautiful! The sayings “Meet your wife at YoungLife!” and “Meet you hub at Club!” prove themselves true once again!
Destinee Nicole | The Girl in Sequins
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Lauren says
Thanks, Destinee! Haha it is SO true…we know so many YL couples! 🙂