366 Days

Do you remember where you were a year ago?

A year ago today, Carolyn and I were taking summer school at A&M and living at The Crossing Place together. We were practically attached at the hip and we did everything together.

A year ago today, Carolyn and I were driving to Sweet Eugene's to study. Carolyn suggested that we go to Coffee Station since we had never really been there before. Being the summer, no one was really there, which was nice. I was starting to feel sick so I got a drink without caffeine (chai latte) and we sat down on the big blue couch for a while.

We studied for a while but then ended up reading the Bible together, which was a lot of fun. At one point during the afternoon, this guy walked into Coffee Station and sat down across from us. I thought it was odd because there were plenty of places to sit in the store, but instead, he chose to sit at our section. Upon further inspection, I realized that he was a corps boy and immediately put him into the corps boy stereotype that I had formed in my head.

He saw two young girls and came to sit near them. He would probably flirt with us and throw in the "good Christian" card. He studied geology for a while, a class that both Carolyn and I had taken. I think we started talking about it because it was the one thing (at the time) that we all had in common.

I guess he noticed that we were reading our Bibles and told us a little bit about a mission trip to Zimbabwe that he had been on the summer before. "There it is," I thought. "The good Christian card."

I mean, he was a nice, friendly guy, but I was still extremely skeptical. Although we talked for a few hours, we didn't introduce ourselves to each other so I never got his name.

Since I got sick after that day, Carolyn and I didn't return to Coffee Station for a little while. The next time we did go, however, we saw the corps guy there and I finally introduced myself. He added Carolyn and I as his friends on Facebook, and ended up contacting Carolyn a few days later.

I knew it.

Corps guy after the ladies.

He invited us to a movie with his "buddies" (I was convinced they were fake) and then tacked his phone number to the bottom of the message. I told Carolyn, as she was responding to his message, that it was a clever way for him to get her phone number. "Don't give it to him! He's a stalker!!" I told her. She did anyways, and he started calling her after that. We told the guy that we wouldn't go see the movie with his "buddies" since our family was in town, but that if he wanted, he could come see a movie with us and our little sisters.

I thought that would scare him away for sure.

It didn't.

He came anyways.

He came to see a movie with two college girls he didn't know, their two youngest sisters and another college girlfriend. I thought he was insane.

I ended up getting stuck sitting next to him and much to my surprise, we laughed the whole way through the movie because we had no idea what was going on.

A few days later he invited Carolyn and I to a barbeque party with his buddies. I found out that he wasn't lying and that they actually existed. I also found out that his passion for God was real and not something made up that he used to impress cute Christian girls. He had a heart for missions and cared deeply about anyone and everyone's relationship with Christ. It blew me away.

He played songs on the guitar that night that he had written, and he sang. I'm sure my eyes were as big as saucers and my mouth might have been open - I'm not sure - but I do know that he was a talented musician who had a wonderful voice.

He ended up becoming one of our "summer friends" and we hung out a lot during the rest of the summer.

The creepy, friendly, talented corps guy stalker and I started dating about two months later.

Tomorrow will be our 10 month anniversary. (I realize that sounds lame.)

My life was forever changed that June day one year ago. Here's to 366 days of great memories!

I love you Austin!