Let me 1st start out by saying, I judge status' and posts like crazy. Just like I'm sure a lot of other people do, I attempt to read in between the lines of what everyone else says. Anytime anyone says about how much they love their life, or how amazing the significant other is, all I can think about is, is it sincere? Does that girl REALLY think her husband is the most amazing person in the world or is their life shattering before he eyes and she is trying to cover it up?
The only reason I bring this all up is to explain to you, that this post is not a "read in between the lines post" Its not a "my life is a mess and so I want to disguise it and make it seem better than it is" This post is simply about how I truly am the luckiest, most blessed person that I know.
And let me tell you why....
Because in 2006, I fell in love with a guy named Brad.
Me and this guy named Brad are going to be celebrating 6 years of marriage this coming Sunday and that has me thinking about our journey to this point.
Fair warning, it hasn't been all rainbows and butterflies.
There have been some uphill battles.
There have been some poor decisions.
There have been a lot of learning experiences.
BUT
every single fight
every single tear
every single frustrating moment has gotten us to where we are.
AND IT HAS BEEN TOTALLY WORTH IT!!
Let me go back 7 years for those of you who don't know the Brad and Brittany story. (not to worry, even though I remember practically every step of the journey, I won't share the entire thing (although I will be sharing a lot). I mean, lets face it. I'm only 25. There are still parts of my life that will wait a few years to tell my parents about ;)
I've known of Brad for quite some time. I always knew him as "BRAD" though. "BRAD" the guy who was in charge of church retreats. He was always the center of attention. Majority of the girls my age had a crush on him. To me, and a lot of other people, he was one of the faces of the Brethren Youth.
My 1st encounter with Brad was at a big boot air band in Nappanee. There he was standing with a group of guys (a couple were my friends) I started talking to him about, who knows what and I asked him about the hat he was wearing. (North Carolina tarheels) I don't know how it happened, but I ended up with the hat. I PROMISED him I would give it to him at the next youth conference. My parents and sister can vouch for me, that hat was like a priced possession. I made sure nothing happened to it. I wore it all the time. And at that next conference, I gave it back.
And that was it.
It wasn't until a retreat though that I truly got to know him.
Feb of 2006 we were at a winter retreat. I was hanging out with an old friend of mine and we were getting ready to sneak out (typical night at camp Shipshewana. sorry Erica. sorry Rick. sorry mom!) There was a big group in the basement playing Risk and Emily and I were headed out the door. As we were leaving "BRAD" comes running through the lobby. I have no idea why she did it but Emmy asked if he wanted to come out with us. I don't know why he did it, but he said sure! (this was huge looking back now that I know how competitive my husband is. He quite a game of risk to hang out with us!)
So, we walked around.
We talked.
We got to know each other.
It was innocent.
It was harmless.
It was a night I knew I would never forget.
After the retreat, I emailed him. He left the retreat early and I filled him in on how the rest of the weekend went. (oy vey. For anyone that was at that retreat. you remember how it went. Stupid pranks, very upset youth pastors. it got ugly!)
And sure enough, a few days later, he responded.
A few weeks later, another simple email.
A couple months later, I asked for his address to invite him to my open house.
And then, he showed up.
And I was completely shocked. "BRAD" was at my house. He was hanging out with my friends. "BRAD" was now my friend.
And as awesome as that was, unfortunately, I was leaving for the entire summer.
Now let me explain one thing to you. Up till this point, I never viewed Brad as more than a friend. (a very cute friend that I had a major crush on) but nothing more.
The night before I left, I emailed him. And I told him how my heart actually hurt knowing that I was leaving and this friendship that we had developed would be nothing more. I was leaving for the summer and then going off to college. I remember that feeling was just so overwhelming. So discouraging.
The next morning we left. We got to steak n shake so I could say bye to Kayla and I got a text from Brad. He was on his way to Milford. With a burnt cd and a bag of reese cups. He wanted to surprise me. And it was at that very moment that I KNEW this was different than any other friendship I had ever had.
I was in Ashland Ohio that whole next week. We texted back and forth. Had a few phone calls, but I MISSED him. That Tuesday night I got a call from a very upset kayla who was going through some pretty rough stuff. It killed me that I couldn't be there for her. I remember calling brad and bawling bc the one time my best friend TRULY needed me, I was gone. The next day? Who shows up to Ashland? Brad and Kayla. He reached out to her and brought her to see me. (almost a 4 hr trip) I was so amazed.
We had to leave Ashland that Friday. We were gathering up our stuff and making some last minute plans and I walk into the national office. And theres Brad.
He came back again.
To see me :)
I BAWLED this time when he left. I couldn't bring myself to watch him go. I honestly think that is when I fell in love with him.(shh, don't tell him)
Cassie Carter and Amy Watts can vouch for me that the whole summer was spent with me talking to him every night and texting him all day. (my parents can vouch too bc they paid the phone bill. OUCH!)
The best thing that happened to me that summer was I broke my arm.
Because breaking my arm sent me home for a few days.
And that allowed my mom to meet Brad on the steps of the retreat house at Camp.
That also allowed Brad to show up at our church picnic at Yogi Bear Park and meet everyone.
Who knew a broken bone could be such a good thing :)
Conference that year was a blur. IT WAS AMAZING! I saw him all the time. We hung out from sunrise till hours after curfew. And the crazy thing was, after talking every night for hours on end all summer long, we never ran out of things to say. I had never known a person as well as I knew this guy. And we weren't even dating!
Well.... officially
And that's because, the gentlemen that he was, wanted to ask my dads permission. And what better way to do that then a 4 hour car ride back from Ashland with my parents.
Luckily, they liked him :)
And July 28, 2006 we officially started dating.
Sept 29, 2007 we got married.
Some people think that we got married so fast but honestly, we didn't. We spent more time talking and getting to know each other than most people ever do. (one phone conversation over that summer was 6 hrs long. That was none stop talking for 6 hrs.)
I didn't set out looking for a husband. I had never really dated. Brad just kind of appeared in my life and was there to stay.
Its now Sept 2013 and we still havn't run out of thing to say.
He still surprises me with his charm.
And I don't know how but somehow I love him even more now that I did back in 2006.
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