My Love Story Part 3: Here Comes My Soulmate

Back by popular demand… (which means I got a request 😉 Part 3!

I started writing this story long ago, and now that I happen to be married to the special someone I’ve been writing about, I think it’s alright to continue. 🙂 I think my main motivation is thinking of my younger siblings, and someday my future children. I want them to know my story, and to see how much God has blessed me through this. Yes, I did grow up in a conservative home and had lots of rules, but now looking at it from “the other side”, I couldn’t ask for a better way. Those rules were there to protect me, and because I obeyed my parent’s wishes for me, I have been blessed beyond measure. I also went through many ups and downs over the course of 10 years, through times of trials and times of joy, but through it all God had a plan, and the best “prize” I could have ever asked for. I hope that through the telling of my story, I can give someone a new perspective on trusting and obeying their parents, following God through good times and bad, and hope and inspiration for the future.

Now picking up after part 2:

That same summer of 2003, during the same theater camp, a new family joined the church I had attended my whole life. They happened to have a boy my age. The directors placed the new boy on the risers, right next to me. I went about my normal life and ignored him like every other guy. However, he did something that no other guy ever did to me: he ignored me right back! Right there, you’re probably guessing that this guy is special – spoiler alert – yes he is! Between being new and ignoring me, there were 2 things I knew for sure: He was a mystery to me, and he was different than every other guy I knew. I was also pretty impressed by how talented he was – he got the biggest part out of all the 4th graders. He performed with much more enthusiasm than anyone else I knew. I remember my friends complaining among our group that “he just came out of nowhere and got this huge part!” but I would always point out that he was really good at it.

After theater camp was finished, there were 2 other days that summer when I got to see this boy. Once, we ran into each other at the library. Not literally. Nothing happened. Then, I saw him at my dad’s annual work picnic. Yes, it just so happened that our dads worked together, and had known each other since we were like 2! I remember seeing and acknowledging him, and him being on the opposing volleyball team, and that was it. I also got to see his whole family.

Up to this point, I don’t remember spending much time at all just thinking about him. At the age of 10, I most certainly had other things to occupy my mind. I had 4 younger siblings and was going to have a new baby sister in a matter of months. I was just beginning 5th grade – my last year in elementary school. I had just began attending a girl’s Bible study called Bright Lights. Now looking back, I wish I would have relished these easy, care-free days more. They are quite literally the last days before my heart would be forever won over by a boy…my future husband.

In September, I auditioned for the church Christmas musical. It was a kid’s version of Charles Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol,” with “Kevin” instead of “Scrooge,” and angels instead of ghosts. I took a lesson from that new boy and spoke loudly and with enthusiasm as I read the lines. Speaking of that boy, he wasn’t there – couldn’t make it to the try outs apparently – but I happened to take a peek at the director’s list of “who should get which part”, and noticed his name was one of the 2 listed under the lead role, Kevin. I immediately thought “oh yeah, he’s gonna get that part!” And my prediction was right – which is also probably why I was casted for “Tomara, the Angel of the Future.”

That’s right, he was Kevin and I was his Angel of the Future. Is that adorable or what?!

I just remember being excited to have a part with 8 lines and a super cool shiny outfit. I had no idea that I would end up walking away with so much more than that.