our story VI

Another super, super sweet story. Enjoy!

Back in 2001 I was a "typical" teenager. Hanging out at my youth group, being home schooled,

singing on my praise and worship team at church (ok, maybe not typical but whatev!).

My best friend at the time got all the guys it seemed. If I thought he was cute, she got him. It sucked but I just kinda left it alone and went with it!

One Sunday morning, during praise and worship, while I'm up on the stage. I see the back middle doors of the church open up and in walks this stunning boy! My heart flip flopped

and sped up and all that good stuff. My best friend saw him too and she gave me that look like "he's mine!" He was tall, handsome, and had confidence written all over that gorgeous mug of his! I was smitten! Of course, that morning I had a solo and I remember being SO nervous, which wasn't like me at all, because he was sitting in the second row watching me!

We met not long after that at our youth group meeting. Benjamin walked up and introduced himself and I was completely floored that he had any interest in me. I think he was a little surprised to find out I was 14 (almost 15!), he was 17 at the time and had already graduated high school because he's smart like that! After that we started seeing each other at church and youth and various youth activities....occasionally he was allowed to do stuff with my family and come over dinner. But we fell hard and fast for each other and even though I wasn't allowed to say I was "dating" him we considered each other boyfriend and girlfriend. I knew I wanted to marry him, it was just a matter of time - I doodled his name and my name with his last name on everything!

After less then a year my parents decided we were way to serious with each other for our age and decided I couldn't see him anymore. I was heartbroken, he was heartbroken.

After a year or so, even though we hadn't forgotten each other, I guess we both decided we had to move on since my parents had decided he wasn't the one for me and I wasn't allowed to see him anymore. BUT I was allowed to start "dating" at 16 with strict rules. Over the next couple of years I dated two guys - one kinda serious and one a very casual relationship.

Benjamin also "moved on" and started dating someone else...both of us were pretty bummed to find out the other one was dating someone else!

Right after I graduated high school and planned to move to AL to live with my grandparents while I went to Cosmetology school, I ran into him. I was so thrilled! Now that I was almost 18 and moving out on "my own" I could make the decision to date who I wanted and I wanted to be back with him.

But he was still dating that same girl and very politely told me so when I mentioned us "getting back in touch". Even though I was bummed by his response I thought he was so great that he was so respectful of his girlfriend and didn't flirt with me or say things to give me hope when he was with someone.

So I moved, dated someone else for awhile in AL and then about a month after I quit seeing that guy Benjamin sent me a text! I was so shocked I almost had a heart attack. All he said was "I've missed you." Jesus! We started having LONG phone conversation and in Nov. 2004 I went back to NC to visit for Thanksgiving and we met up and decided right then and there we were a couple again and we would get married.

His mom was thrilled, my parents weren't but I was on cloud nine!

April 29, 2005 he asked me to marry him in the parking lot of the mall! He got down on one knee and people leaving the mall clapped and cheered as his put my ring on my finger!

We started planning a wedding, I picked out (and put a down payment) on a dress but after a lot of resistance from my family we knew it just wasn't going to happen but we still wanted to be married.

He moved down to AL in July 2005 and moved into the apartment that would be our first home together. August 5, 2005 we went down to courthouse (I was 18 days shy of being 19 and he was 21!) and said “I do” at 4:30pm. A friend of mine and her daughter came down to see the ceremony which lasted all of 2 minutes because the guy was in a hurry because it was closing time and he had other couples to marry before the day ended!

And here we are today, still very much in love, and we will be celebrating our 7 year wedding anniversary in August! I love him dearly - he has taught me so much and has patiently loved me through good and bad. I can't imagine being with anyone else. He was my first love and my always love!

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